Podcast Summary: Legacy
Episode: Greenland | This Is Greenland | 1
Date: November 18, 2025
Hosts: Afua Hirsch & Peter Frankopan
Overview
This episode of Legacy marks a departure from the show's usual focus on individuals, instead examining the immense island of Greenland—its history, culture, colonial legacy, and rising global significance. Hosts Afua Hirsch and Peter Frankopan explore Greenland's ancient and recent past, the enduring impact of colonialism, and the geopolitical intrigue around its future. The episode blends historical narrative, cultural discussion, and personal anecdotes, all with Legacy's signature blend of wit, candor, and critical perspective.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Greenland in the Global and Popular Imagination
- Curiosity from Above (02:00): Afua reflects on first encountering Greenland as a feature on the inflight map between London and New York—describing popular perceptions: isolation, wilderness, and glacial landscapes.
- “For many of us, there hasn't been that much familiarity with Greenland beyond the indigenous cultures... glaciers, the wilderness, the nature, the isolation. But lately, Greenland has definitely penetrated both the news cycle and the global imagination.” – Afua (01:50)
- Why the Fuss Now? (02:16): Greenland is front-and-center due to its geopolitical significance, especially as the Arctic thaws and powerful countries (notably the U.S. under Trump) take renewed interest.
What Makes Greenland Unique?
- Geography & Scale (07:30): Greenland is highlighted as the world’s largest island (discounting Australia, a continent), with two-thirds of its territory inside the Arctic Circle. Just 26 km separate Greenland from Canada, despite its ties to Denmark.
- “It's almost 10 times larger than the UK…3 times larger than Texas…and the northern part of Greenland is less than 500 miles from the North Pole.” – Afua (07:30)
- Geological Ties (07:56): Greenland is geologically part of the North American plate, being much closer to the Americas than to Europe.
Greenland in Books, Film, and PR Spin
- Hollywood’s Greenland (09:38): The 2020 film Greenland with Gerard Butler uses the island as an apocalyptic refuge, choosing narrative over authenticity—it wasn’t even filmed there.
- “The one movie that Hollywood decided to make about Greenland…was filmed in Georgia…when they needed things to look arctic, they shot them in Iceland instead. That’s a bit of a diss in my opinion.” – Afua (10:38)
- PR and the Name Game (09:12 & 21:14): The hosts poke fun at the name “Greenland,” a clever piece of Viking-era travel PR by Erik the Red, who wanted to attract settlers by making the island sound more hospitable.
Early Human Habitation & Norse Settlement
- Indigenous Peoples: Inuit Arrival (14:00): Inuit (individual: Inuk) migrated to Greenland thousands of years ago. Afua explains why “Eskimo” is no longer acceptable, tracing its pejorative roots.
- “The name of an individual member of the Inuit society is Inuk. The word Eskimo…is now regarded as a pejorative term.” – Afua (14:00)
- Living at the Edge (13:06; 15:07): Discussion on why humans settle in extreme environments, adaptation techniques, and the slow evolutionary arc of societies in challenging climates.
- Norse/Viking Presence (19:50): Norsemen established settlements around 980 AD, attracted by fishing and later, walrus ivory—a substitute for elephant ivory in medieval Europe.
- “You need two motivations to move…One is that you’re going to make a lot of money, or…the place you’re going is a kind of paradise. So Erik the Red…commissioned propaganda books that say this place…is like Happy Valley.” – Peter (21:14)
- Collapse & Myth (23:55; 25:42): By the 1400s, Norse settlements faded, feeding legends of “lost colonies.” Some speculated Norsemen reached North America before Columbus.
Colonialism: Danish Rule & Exploitation
- Danish Colonization (28:50): Driven by desire for resources—particularly whale oil, bone, and later minerals—Denmark reasserted control, often framed as civilizing missions.
- “You do these kind of land grabs, you extract resources, but you also try and condition the indigenous population…so that they are assimilating into your own values and that makes them easier to control.” – Afua (30:56)
- Christian Missionaries (28:50): Missions doubled as colonial incursions and cultural control.
- Resource Races (32:40): European competition extended to search for mineral wealth and the “romance” of the Arctic, with explorers romanticizing discovery while ignoring indigenous presence and expertise.
- “It is a heady mix of romanticism, of competition, and of kind of raw exploitation.” – Afua (28:50)
Modern Colonial Legacies and Trauma
- Forced Sterilization Scandal (36:26; 37:26): Into the 1960s-70s, Danish authorities forcibly inserted IUDs into thousands of Greenlandic women—part of a eugenic and cost-control campaign. This was only investigated in 2022.
- “Danish physicians…inserted IUDs—contraceptive devices—into thousands of Greenlandic Inuit women, often without their consent. This was aimed at controlling Greenland's birth rate…It's rightly been condemned as a form of forced sterilization and a grotesque violation of human rights.” – Afua (37:26)
- Child Removal & Social Dislocation (39:39; 41:06): Elites’ children were taken to Denmark for “reeducation”; indigenous communities relocated, undermining traditional lifeways—a root of ongoing social problems and high rates of alcoholism and suicide.
- “When you eradicate [indigenous] traditions and assimilate people into a kind of individualistic European idea of life…people have to find new coping mechanisms for a life that isn’t familiar to them or their ancestors.” – Afua (41:06)
Greenland’s Relationship with Denmark Today
- Political Status & Autonomy (47:29): From colony to formal part of Denmark in 1953; home rule in 1979; extended autonomy 2009 (excluding foreign affairs/defense). Most Greenlanders are Inuit; multiple parties push for swifter independence.
- Enduring Inequality (43:07; 47:29): Discrimination persisted legally (e.g., higher pay for Danish civil servants) until very recently. Healthcare and other services remain inadequate; many critical cases are treated in Copenhagen.
- “If you take health, there are so few health facilities in Greenland that patients still have to be flown to Copenhagen for serious conditions. So 57,000 inhabitants in Greenland, an area four times the size of Spain, and yet there aren't adequate health facilities on the island for its local population.” – Afua (44:56)
- Denmark’s Self-Image vs. Reality (44:56): Afua notes the paradox of Denmark’s progressive self-concept and its colonial failures, arguing Nordic countries find it harder to confront these legacies compared to Britain or France.
- Strategic & Mineral Value (47:29): Climate change and the green transition make Greenland’s mineral wealth and strategic location highly coveted.
Greenland in Geopolitics—The Trump Factor
- A Bolt from the (MAGA) Blue (48:48): Episode closes with Donald Trump’s bombastic speech inviting Greenland to join the U.S. for national and international security.
- Trump (48:56): “We need Greenland for national security and even international security…We will keep you safe, we will make you rich, and together we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|-------|---------| | 01:50 | "For many of us, there hasn't been that much familiarity with Greenland beyond the indigenous cultures… glaciers, the wilderness, the nature, the isolation. But lately, Greenland has definitely penetrated both the news cycle and the global imagination." | Afua Hirsch | | 07:30 | "It's almost 10 times larger than the UK…3 times larger than Texas…and the northern part of Greenland is less than 500 miles from the North Pole." | Afua Hirsch | | 10:38 | "The one movie that Hollywood decided to make about Greenland…was filmed in Georgia…when they needed things to look arctic, they shot them in Iceland instead. That’s a bit of a diss in my opinion." | Afua Hirsch | | 14:00 | "The name of an individual member of the Inuit society is Inuk. The word Eskimo…is now regarded as a pejorative term." | Afua Hirsch | | 21:14 | “Erik the Red…commissioned propaganda books that say this place…is like Happy Valley. Everybody’s got a great place to live. The views are great, it’s wonderful weather. The problem is that's not actually really true, is it, Afua?” | Peter Frankopan | | 25:42 | "This really captures the medieval Nordic imagination, this idea of these lost colonies and the question of whatever happened to them." | Afua Hirsch | | 30:56 | “You do these kind of land grabs, you extract resources, but you also try and condition the indigenous population…so that they are assimilating into your own values and that makes them easier to control.” | Afua Hirsch | | 37:26 | “Danish physicians…inserted IUDs—contraceptive devices—into thousands of Greenlandic Inuit women, often without their consent. This was aimed at controlling Greenland's birth rate…It’s rightly been condemned as a form of forced sterilization and a grotesque violation of human rights.” | Afua Hirsch | | 41:06 | "When you eradicate [indigenous] traditions and assimilate people into a kind of individualistic European idea of life…people have to find new coping mechanisms for a life that isn’t familiar to them or their ancestors." | Afua Hirsch | | 43:07 | “Until the late 20th century, if you were a Danish civil servant and required to work in Greenland, you were paid by law more than someone born in Greenland. So that kind of discrimination was constant.” | Peter Frankopan | | 44:56 | “If you take health, there are so few health facilities in Greenland that patients still have to be flown to Copenhagen for serious conditions…there aren't adequate health facilities on the island for its local population.” | Afua Hirsch | | 48:56 | "We need Greenland for national security and even international security…We will keep you safe, we will make you rich, and together we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before." | Donald Trump (via audio) |
Important Timestamps
- 01:50: Greenland’s pop culture and geopolitical visibility
- 07:30: Geography and scale of Greenland
- 14:00: Inuit terminology and migration
- 19:50-23:55: Norse settlements, myth vs. reality, and legacy
- 30:56: Colonial “playbook”—resource extraction and control
- 36:26 & 37:26: Forced sterilization and 2022 investigation
- 41:06 & 43:07: Modern trauma: social problems, discrimination, suicide rates
- 44:56: Denmark’s “progressive” image vs. realities in Greenland
- 47:29: Autonomy, independence movement, and political landscape
- 48:56: Trump’s speech on Greenland (segment ends, to be continued...)
Tone & Style
The episode is marked by a blend of irreverent humor, critical analysis, and compassion for Greenland’s people and history. Peter and Afua riff off each other with warmth but don’t shy away from dark truths—especially around colonialism and its aftermath. The tone remains accessible, making complex history and politics both engaging and understandable.
For Next Time
The episode ends on a cliffhanger—Donald Trump’s revived designs on acquiring Greenland and what this means for the island’s future—teasing the next installment.
Recommended for: Anyone interested in history, international politics, indigenous rights, or how legacies of colonialism shape our world today.
Skip to Listen:
- Indigenous history: 14:00–19:50
- Norse myths & PR spin: 19:50–25:42
- Colonial legacy & trauma: 36:26–44:56
- Modern autonomy and geopolitics: 47:29–end