‘This is our hunting ground’: Iqaluit to raise flag to support Greenland
Mayor Solomon Awa cites ‘increasingly challenging times’ for move
Iqaluit Mayor Solomon Awa, shown speaking during the launch of Iqaluit-Nuuk flights in June 2025, says Greenland is part of a big Inuit “family.” (File photo by Arty Sarkisian)
Iqaluit city council unanimously voted Tuesday to raise Greenland’s flag in response to the United States’ threats against “our family.”
“Greenland belongs to Greenland,” said Mayor Solomon Awa, who made the proposal during this week’s regular council meeting.
“We want to show support in these increasingly challenging times.”
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark with a population of approximately 56,000 people, the vast majority of whom are Inuit.
Council’s decision comes a week after Greenland’s red and white flag was raised in front of Nunavut’s legislative assembly building, following days of threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to gain control of the self-governing territory.
Trump called the island a “piece of ice” the United States needs to own for national security and to prevent Russia or China from controlling it.
Initially, he said the takeover would happen “one way or the other.”
He later backed down, saying he won’t use force to get the island. Then he backed further away, saying a “framework” of a deal had been reached on Greenland, without offering further details.
While that was happening, thousands of people across the world — including approximately 100 Iqalummiut — took to the streets to show solidarity with Greenland.
In an interview after the council meeting, Awa said Greenland is part of one big Inuit family.
“This is our hunting ground. This is where we grew up. And this is where we’re going to be for the generations to come,” he said.
The U.S. threat to take over or purchase Greenland, he added, resembles a Western urge to “build a fence and say, ‘This is my cow now.’”
“Well, there are no cows here. We have caribous,” Awa said. “We’ll never understand each other.”
The City of Iqaluit will announce the date and location of a flag-raising ceremony later, he said.
NO it’s NOT your “hunting ground” mayor. Once a vessel is in waters that are more than 24 miles off the coast of a country, they are considered to be on the high seas and in international waters.
We share species which travel via Baffin Bay. This is our food supply with Greenland. Our hunting rights via treaty extend well beyond your little 24 mile definition. Quit belittling Inuit as if they are just visiting.
Not exactly correct. Here’s how it goes:
-From shore/baseline up to 12 nautical miles: Territorial waters where a country has virtually total jurisdiction, with some exceptions like international straits
-From end of Territorial Waters to up to 24 nautical miles: Contiguous waters where countries can enforce certain domestic laws such as conservation, labour and finance
-From end of Contiguous Waters to up to 200 nautical miles: Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) where a country has exclusive rights to exploit natural resources such as fish and submarine fossil fuel extraction
-From end of EEZ outwards: High seas/international waters
Ah yes spoken like a small minded little white boy. Everything I see is mine colonial. Let me put rules and regulations on everything because colonials are control freaks. 24 miles is YOUR rule, indigenous peoples have been here for thousands of years; why don’t you check out science and archaeology and oral history??? Indigenous peoples have been here for at least 200,000 years according to science. You probably are a Clovis follower and still think people only came here 10,000 years ago on an ice bridge LOL! Grow up and stay in your lane.
I’m pleasantly surprised that Nunatsiaq news allowed your comment. I’m glad they did because it means free speech is still alive. Even for Race Baiters like yourself. By the way I’m beige like you