Savissivik
Savissivik
Havighivik | |
|---|---|
  Savissivik Location within Greenland | |
| Coordinates: 76°01′10″N 65°06′50″W / 76.01944°N 65.11389°W | |
| State |  Kingdom of Denmark |
| Constituent country |  Greenland |
| Municipality | Avannaata |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 55 |
| Time zone | UTC−02:00 (Western Greenland Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−01:00 (Western Greenland Summer Time) |
| Postal code | |
Savissivik (West Greenlandic; old spelling: Savigsivik) or Havighivik (Inuktun) (IATA: SVR) is a settlement in the Avannaata municipality in northern Greenland. Located on Meteorite Island, off the northern shores of Melville Bay, the settlement had 55 inhabitants in 2020.[1]
History
[edit]In the Greenlandic language, the name Savissivik means "Place of Meteoric Iron" or "Knives",[2] alluding to the numerous meteorite fragments that have been found in the area dating to about 10,000 years ago.[3] The Cape York meteorite is estimated to have weighed 100 tonnes before it exploded.[3] The iron from the meteorite is believed to have attracted migrating Inuit from Arctic Canada.[3]
Transport
[edit]Air Greenland operates settlement flights to Qaanaaq Airport via Pituffik Space Base.[4] The twice-weekly flights are subsidized by the Government of Greenland. Transfers at the airbase are subject to access restrictions by the Danish Foreign Ministry.[5]
Population
[edit]The population of Savissivik decreased by over 40 percent relative to the 1990 levels, and by 10 percent relative to 2000 levels.[6]
Film
[edit]Savissivik is depicted in the 2023 documentary film The Color of Ice[7]. The film follows a local hunter, Olennguaq Kristensen, and highlights the climate and cultural change underway in Northwest Greenland. Savissivik itself is alternatively portrayed in the documentary as harsh outdoors and cozy indoors. The film, and Kristensen, appeared at the 2024 Nuuk International Film Festival [8].
References
[edit]- ^ "Population by Localities". Statistical Greenland.
- ^ quarkexpeditions.com[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c "Lured by iron meteorite". Suluk. 4. Air Greenland: 6. 2010.
- ^ "Booking system". Air Greenland. Archived from the original on 22 April 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ Air Greenland Archived 2010-06-17 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Statistics Greenland Archived 2011-08-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Anders Graver (2023-03-15). The Color of Ice (film). Retrieved 2025-01-30.
- ^ "The Color Of the Ice + DEBATE". ArcticHub. 2024-09-20. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
