An edited 1820 English translation of a Moravian missionary's observations on Greenland, its people and their way of life.

Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, located in the northern part of North America. It is the world’s largest island, covering an area of over 2.1 million square kilometers, with most of its land covered by ice. The island has a population of approximately 56,000 people, who majority are Inuit, who have inhabited the land for over 4,500 years. Greenland has developed an economy based on fishing, mining, tourism, and a limited agricultural sector. Its capital city, Nuuk, is the largest city and has all of the modern amenities one would expect in a developed country. The climate in Greenland is harsh, with long and cold winters, and short cool summers. The island is home to the largest national park in the world, which is the Northeast Greenland National Park that covers a third of the island The park is home to various wildlife species, including polar bears, walruses, and Arctic foxes, among others. Greenland is a beautiful island that is rich in history and culture. It has retained much of its cultural heritage, which can be experienced through its folk music, traditional dress, and cuisine. With its stunning landscapes and unique culture, Greenland has become a popular tourist destination for travelers seeking an adventure in the mystical and remote Arctic north.

This book brings together interdisciplinary scholars from history, theology, folklore, ethnology and meteorology to examine how David Cranz’s Historie von Grönland (1765) resonated in various disciplines, periods and countries. Collectively the contributors demonstrate the reach of the book beyond its initial purpose as a record of missionary work, and into secular and political fields beyond Greenland and Germany. The chapters also reveal how the book contributed to broader discussions and conceptualizations of Greenland as part of the Atlantic world. The interdisciplinary scope of the volume allows for a layered reading of Cranz’s book that demonstrates how different meanings could be drawn from the book in different contexts and how the book resonated throughout time and space. It also makes the broader argument that the construction of the Artic in the eighteenth century broadened our understanding of the Atlantic.

Museums face the task of representing the similarities and differences that exist between groups, such as national identities and indigenous and minority voices, material and intangible heritage, and current status and past history. In order to achieve this aim, a complex and not always easily compatible set of interests have to be taken into account, from those of the museum itself, to those of its main audiences, sources of support, and the groups that are, or wish to be, represented. The approach taken by Scandinavian museums in response to this challenge highlights a very active concern for forms of cultural diversity and how they are interrelated. By bringing together debates and discussions of diversity, this volume offers insight into the Nordic region and its diverse peoples, from the Sámi and the Inuit to newer immigrants. It presents a set of historical reviews on the formation of national museums and emerging and contested perceptions of national identity. Furthering the general debate on representations of diversity and museums, it also offers museum curators possible ways forward.