Yesterday I flew from Kangerlussauq, on the west coast of Greenland, to Kulusuk on the east coast. There are only about 60,000 people on the entire island of Greenland, which is one-quarter the size of the continental United States. Most of these people in this country live in Western Greenland, which makes Eastern Greenland one of the least populated parts of the world. There are only two towns of any size on this coast. One of them is Tasiilaq, with a population of around 2,000, about 10 miles from Kulusuk airport. My destination is Tasiilaq. There are only two ways to get there from Kulusuk, which is an island: by boat or by helicopter. I can't go by boat, because that sails only once a week. Unfortunately, the helicopter only holds three passengers, and there are many people in line ahead of me. I must wait several hours. However, I have been invited by Anne Metti Olsing, who sat beside me on my flight from Kangerlussuaq, to stroll to a nearby Inuit settlement. Olsing is originally from Denmark, but she has lived in the Greenland for 30 years. She lives in Sisimiut, on the western coast of Greenland and has never explored the eastern coast. She says the airfare to fly here cost her nearly a month of wages. She works in a technical college teaching civics and she gives me a lesson as we walk. She tells me that the administrative structure of the island is a remnant of the colonial structure dating to the 18th century. The country has 18 "municipalities," only two of which are on the east coast. Each municipality is the administrative center for all the villages, or settlements, in the region around it. She also explains that Denmark had complete sovereignty over the island for hundreds of years until 1978, when "home rule" was instituted. Now the people of Greenland are responsible for all laws governing their own behaviors and for the relationship between them and their government. However, Denmark still controls the country's dealings with other nations. We arrive at the settlement of Kulusuk, where Olsing will spend a couple of nights. I walk back to the airport, just in time to catch my flight. Tasiilaq is a, just a 10 minute ride away, is a picturesque village built on several small hills. Its houses are largely one of just a few models of prefabricated buildings, painted mostly in primary colors. I was supposed to meet Jens-Peter Davidson, a math and physics high school teacher, who was going to translate for me. But due my delay, he was not waiting for me. By chance, I meet him at the town's soccer field, where much of the town is assembled to watch a championship. We make plans to meet the following day, when he will introduce me to Ingemann Bianco, a 75-years-old Inuit hunter. Tasiilaq It is largest town in eastern Greenland with a population of almost 2,000 Inuit. See photos depicting the life and people of the town. THE FLIGHT TO GREENLAND ARRIVAL ANTICIPATION THE DRILLING SITE STRIKING BOTTOM TASIILAQ - GREENLAND VILLAGE GREENLAND TO GREENLAND, VIA ICELAND SLEDGE PATROL NEW DIGS Vikings | Inuit | Wildlife | Ice Cores | Dispatches | Teacher Guides | Credits © Copyright 2003, WBUR