I can now say that I have been to two Kaffemiks so far in Greenland! It was a coworker, Mads, and his wife, Lisbeth, hosting Kaffemik to celebrate the Konfirmation of their son, William. They live just across the street from where I am staying in Qinngorput, so it was nice and convenient to get there! Sharon rode the bus from her place and I met her so we could walk over together. There were a few other coworkers there, so we had people to talk to. Also, Sharon met and talked to a nice man and his Nigerian wife who told us stories about hunting trips, food, and the rise of Type II Diabetes in Greenland with the decline of a diet rich in fish, seal, and whale. He was very well spoken and very interesting to listen to.
We stayed for a couple cups of coffee, some food (roasted potatoes, sushi, green been and tomato salad, shrimp), and sweets, of which there were at least seven different cakes, pies, and cookies! As with the first Kaffemik I went to, the sweets are laid out on the tables, and newcomers simply pick up a coffee cup and plate set, walk around and serve themselves the food and sweets that they want, and then find an open seat to enjoy!
There was one new thing that I encountered – a small cup of slices of rendered fat on the table. Mads said that people use it in coffee as a substitute for cream! The man Sharon was talking to backed this up with a story of eating raw fat and reindeer meat while on a hunting trip. However far the hunters have to walk to find the reindeer is how far they have to walk back with the animal in tow once they have shot it – this is often many, many miles and an extreme physical challenge. Eating the fat and meat from the very animal they are carrying gives hunters a strength and energy that rugbrød cannot.
After our share of coffee and sweets (about 30-40 minutes), we got up so to make room for the next round of newcomers! All in all, a most relaxing Sunday!
Read more about Kaffemik in Greenland here!
Adventures of a Polarphile 