The Greenlandic student association in Denmark, Avalak Copenhagen, is launching a podcast to help and inspire Inuit students in Denmark and Greenland.
NUKIGA has helped the project with a donation that has paid for the recording equipment.
NUKIGA met up with members of Avalak’s Board of Directors; Athena Maria Andersen, Milan Pape Kuko, and Michael Bro to hear more about their plans with the new podcast.
From student to student
Many young people from Greenland (also known as Nunarput or Kalaallit Nunaat) move to Denmark for a long or short period of time to study, and it can be a difficult move for some. Avalak hopes that this podcast can help tackle some of the issues that the young Inuit experience in Denmark.
Milan, who is studying to become a chef, says: “Our podcast will cover a variety of subjects, all the things we wish we had known before moving here, for example practical information and topics such as loneliness, cultural differences, and politics, but also stories about normal student life that can encourage and inspire, and show that we are doing great here.”
Michael, who studies Arctic Studies at Copenhagen University, adds: “I have been here for 12 years. It has been difficult for me, especially in the beginning, and I have met prejudice and felt discriminated. I went back to Nunarput for a while, but now I’m back in Denmark, and I have found the right education for me, which I really enjoy. The podcast will target subjects that are close to our hearts as Inuit students in Denmark, and hopefully make the move easier for others.”
Michael Bro, Athena Maria Andersen, and Milan Pape Kuko.
Who am I without Greenland?
Athena, who is studying to become a fashion designer, puts more words to the feeling of loneliness and somewhat loss of identity that some Greenlanders experience in Denmark.
“The most difficult thing for me about moving here was my identity. I really had an identity crisis: ‘who am I without Greenland?’. When you have to speak another language and manage on a daily basis in another culture, it’s difficult, and you can feel alone. With this podcast, we want to talk about the difficult subject as well as show good examples and tell stories of role models in the hope that maybe we can help other students feel less alone here,” she finishes.
Stay tuned
The new Avalak podcast will primarily be in Greenlandic, but some episodes will be in Danish or maybe English. The first episode will be launched next week.
Find more information on Avalak’s Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/avalak.org
Link to Spotify: https://spotify.link/hYqOXWuDIyb