Pan-Arctic Vision: The Arctic’s Melodic Gathering Debuts Today
Today marks an exciting milestone for the Arctic as the inaugural Pan-Arctic Vision takes center stage, drawing parallels to the celebrated Eurovision Song Contest. This new cultural initiative unites ten musicians from various Arctic regions, each bringing their unique sound and perspective, all in the name of fostering musical bonds and community spirit across the vast Arctic expanse.
Representing Greenland at the event are Kimmernaq Kjeldsen and Hans Henrik Suersaq, who will perform under the stage name Kimmernaq & HH. This evening at 6:00 PM Greenland time, they will showcase their song “Ikusimiaq,” a collaborative composition crafted by Frederik Elsner with the assistance of his brother, Christian Elsner.
“We’ve been diligently preparing for our performance of Frederik’s song,” Kimmernaq Kjeldsen shares. “Jaqqa Petersen, who is originally from Greenland but now lives in Iqaluit, will be lending his guitar talents. Hans Ole Amossen adds an electronic flair and has been rehearsing alongside us. Jaqqa is exceptionally talented, and we cannot wait to take the stage.”
A Gathering of Arctic Cultures
This marks the third edition of the Pan-Arctic Vision. Last year, the vibrant venue of Katuaq in Nuuk hosted the event, while the inaugural gathering took place in Vadsø, Norway. This year, the focus shifts to Iqaluit, Canada, where participants come together to celebrate their musical heritage.
“While we’ve been here, a few spontaneous pop-up concerts have occurred,” notes Hans Henrik Suersaq. “Kimmernaq and I recently performed at the Black Heart Café, featuring Saina from Yakutia in Siberia. Moreover, Dóttir from the Faroe Islands took the stage today.”
Artists from across the Arctic are taking part, representing regions such as Alaska, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands, alongside performers from Yukon and Iqaluit in Canada, the Sámi communities in Northern Norway and Sweden, as well as Northern Finland and the Russian cities of Murmansk and Yakutsk.
“They are incredibly talented, each bringing a unique artistic vision,” continues Suersaq. “Seeing everyone come together, we truly feel the sense of unity among Inuit peoples here in Iqaluit.”
Involvement of Local Youth
Adding to the collaborative spirit, three technicians from Greenland—Hans Ole Amossen, Angunnguaq Larsen, and Nukannguaq Kajussen—are also part of the team. During the performance, Kimmernaq and Hans Henrik will be joined by a group of 30 local youth from Iqaluit.
“We’ve been rehearsing alongside these young people for a drum dance that will feature in our finale,” Kimmernaq explains. “Additionally, we’ll treat the audience to a medley of nine different songs from Greenland, including a piece by Ole Kristiansen.”
With anticipation building, Kimmernaq expresses hope that their fellow Greenlanders will join in from afar: “We truly feel prepared for the competition, and we invite everyone back home to tune in this Saturday at 6:00 PM Greenland time, which will be 3:00 PM here in Iqaluit.”
One striking similarity among all the participants is their shared struggle to represent their regions at Eurovision under their own flags. The Pan-Arctic Vision seeks to fill that gap, emphasizing cultural celebration, identity, and Arctic solidarity.