Kalaaliaraq Market

Social function

The market is noted for its fresh fish, as well as whale, reindeer and seal meat, sold directly by the tradesmen. It is an important place for social interaction for many inhabitants, an equivalent of the village pump in other places of the world. Although polar bears are a rarity in Nuup Kangerlua and the entire coastal region of southwestern Greenland, the final journey of the unlikely catch leads to the Kalaaliaraq market; a cause for celebration, and a social event. The municipality has constructed a new and modern building with coolers, freezers and much more, for the sale of caribou meat, musk ox, seal, whale, cod, salmon and much more wild life. This building is situated in the city center.

The market does not sell live animals, but most of the meat is fresh and recently butchered. Only fresh meat was allowed to be sold in Kalaaliaraq until 2018 when the government of Greenland began permitting the sale of dried and salted meat at Kalaaliaraq.

Hygiene

The standards of hygiene at Kalaaliaraq are often low, a cause for concern for the municipal authorities as of 2007.

Trichinosis is a common problem in Greenland due to the consumption of wild polar bear meat. In 2016, several people were infected with Trichinella roundworms from eating polar bear meat from a local brætter even though the meat had initially passed inspections. As of 2017, Trichinella inspections for seal and polar bear meat is not mandatory.

Outside of Nuuk, in smaller towns and village settlements, seafood in other markets is sold in open-air stands without running water or electricity.

References

References

1. "Puussiat iluaqutaaqaat". [[Sermersooq]] municipality, Official Website.
2. "Practical Information". Nuuk Tourism.
3. Hofverberg, Elin. (31 December 2020). "Regulation of Wild Animal Wet Markets". [[Library of Congress]].
4. (10 April 2009). "Isbjørn fanget ved Nuuk". [[Sermitsiaq (newspaper).
5. (14 April 2009). "Lars Mathæussen fangede en isbjørn". [[Sermitsiaq (newspaper).
6. (17 January 2007). "Uhygiejniske forhold på brædtet i Nuuk stoppes". [[Sermitsiaq (newspaper).
7. (12 April 2017). "Sådan undgår du at blive smittet med trikiner!".
8. "Resources and industry". Government of Greenland.