: I should also point out that the Greenlanders lost most of their knowledge of
: kayak building and paddling, and it was through John Heath and others that
: we have this narrow-bladed resurgence. The Greenlanders were re-taught
: their craft by foreigners, and all of us that are using narrow paddles are
: finding out some of the details for ourselves.

Dean,

Sorry, but its time for the soapbox. I don't mean to create waves but I strongly disagree with this statement and I would like to set the record straight. This reply is not directed at you, but rather the perpetuation of this myth. I have heard this statement very many times among the traditional paddlers in the Great Lakes area. I don't know if this is simply the opinion of the local crowd or whether it is more widespread.

Food for thought. If the Greenlanders had lost their kayaking knowledge and learned from foreigners, then how do you explain the 30+ ancient Greenlandic rolling techniques demonstrated by Maligiaq and other contemporary Greenlanders? They certainly didn't learn these specialized skills from the British. These skills were passed on from Manasse Mathaeussen and the other old hunters before they died. As for John Heath, he has devoted his time to learn from the Greenlanders, not imbue them with his knowledge. I agree that the popularity of Greenland-style kayaking outside of Greenland is due largely to John Heath but that is a different topic altogether.

It is true that several groups (mainly British) have launched "expeditions" to teach the Inuit, in Greenland and elsewhere, how to build and paddle glassfibre kayaks using "Euro" paddles. There was even a recent plan to teach "Euro" skills to the East Greenlanders last year by Gareth Burnell, but I have not heard if this plan was carried out.

During the 1980's a number of young Greenlanders in SW Greenland become concerned that their generation had grown up with very little knowledge of kayaking. Fishing had replaced seal hunting as the main economic means and powerboats had largely replaced kayaks. This energetic group started the Greenland Kayak Association and brought together young students with the old seal hunters and the knowledge was passed on. There definitely was a renaissance of kayaking in SW Greenland but it was fueled from within.

As for Maligiaq Padilla, the 1998 and 2000 Greenland National Champion, I have heard him criticized on several occasions at kayaking events and in print for not paddling according to the "accepted" vertical plant, low paddle, short-stroke style that is often taught in this country. Just for the record, Maligiaq was taught how to kayak and make kayak implements from his grandfather. Maligiaq's great grandfather was also a kayaker who died in a hunting accident. He had harpooned a seal but his harpoon line became entangled on the kayak. He was dragged so forcefully through the water that it broke his back. I am relating Maligiaq's story simply to illustrate that many of the young kayakers in Greenland today have a long history of kayaking in their family and many were taught by their elders. Some of the kayakers at the Greenland Championships proudly displayed bone fittings on their kayaks, handed down by their direct ancestors.

It is a sad truth that much kayaking and cultural knowledge has been lost in the arctic and elsewhere. However, a statement that Maligiaq and others like him learned their skills from "us" is not only incorrect, it is an insult to the Greenland people.

Greg Stamer