‘I’m happy to defend my country’: meet Greenland’s Olympian defying Donald Trump
Ukaleq Slettemark is a beacon of hope at a time when even the Greenlandic sports minister worries ‘Trump is crazy’ They don’t fly the flag of Greenland at the Olympic Games,The International Olympic Committee only recognises independent sovereign states and, as all the world, even the most distant corners of the US, now knows, Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark,But the flag, which is known as the Erfalasorput, was there in the grandstands at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena all the same, even if it wasn’t flying from rooftops above it,It was being waved by all the Danish fans who wanted to show their support for the only two Greenlandic athletes competing here at Milano Cortina,Their names are Ukaleq Slettemark and Sondre Slettemark, brother and sister, and both biathletes.
They were born in Nuuk, and raised between Greenland and Norway where their parents, who are also biathletes, took them to learn the sport when they were children.For the past four weeks, the Slettemark siblings have been caught in the middle of a whirlwind of media attention.There aren’t many famous people from Greenland, Ukaleq explains, in what is perhaps the 20th interview she has had to do after she finished 52nd in the women’s 15km event.“So of course, if there’s only one Greenlandic person everyone knows, I’m happy to defend my country and show people who we are and where we are on the map,” she said.There was a small band of six Greenlanders there to cheer them on, including Nivi Olsen, the minister for sport, culture, education and church.
The world’s attention might have started to move on from this crisis.But of course, as Olsen says, the Greenlanders still live with the fear and uncertainty caused by Donald Trump’s grand plans for their island.Everyone in Nuuk would be watching the Slettemarks race anyway, she says, but their participation in the Games has become especially important this year, as a symbol of what Greenlanders are capable of.“Life is very difficult in Greenland,” Olsen said.“People are afraid.
I think that Trump is crazy.I know it is a tough thing to say, but you can’t buy people, you can’t buy a country, there are people who live in Greenland, Greenland is our home, so we can’t understand Trump, we can’t understand how he can do what he does.But also we have hope.I can see the hope in people.And we stand together.
And we fight together for our country.”Ukalek, who is only 24, has taken brilliantly to her role as an unofficial ambassador.She was wearing seal-skin gloves, made in Greenland, and Olsen also presented her with a pair of seal-skin slippers as a prize for her performance in the Games.“I chose them because I was worried she would be cold,” Olsen said.She was also wearing a bespoke ski-suit that she and Sondre had designed together.
“It’s deeply inspired by Greenlandic culture, so it has the northern lights, it has these amulets that are inspired by the female tattoos called kakiorneq, and it has a pattern that’s a mix of the Greenlandic flag and the biathlon targets.”They had the help of the Danish Olympic Committee to do it.“Honestly, I feel like everything that happened has brought us all closer together, especially from the Danish side,” she says.“We feel a lot more support.We feel people are getting more educated about Greenland and are actually interested in the wellbeing of Greenlanders.
And also they are starting to see that Greenland is really very important strategically.”For years, Greenlanders have fought to win recognition from the IOC.They send their own teams to compete in the Island Games and the Arctic Winter Games.The issue has been raised repeatedly in the Danish parliament.But right now, Slettemark says, she is proud to be representing both countries.
“You know, if we were going to compete for the Greenlandic flag here, we would have to become an independent nation and that’s such a big question,I think it’s every Greenlander’s dream to become independent far in the future,But right now, I’m very happy to be racing for the Commonwealth,“I mean, I feel like I still represent Greenland here,Everyone knows I’m from Greenland.
We see the Greenlandic flags here, we race with the Greenlandic suit, I really feel like I’m representing both Denmark and Greenland.” And can she imagine one day competing for the USA? “No.Never.”
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