Just thought I'd post about this as in G8 Greenland is a bit of a hot topic.
I'm currently developing an exhibition at work that will include a bit on the stories of "Finn Men" in north east Scotland in the late 17th and early 18th Century...
In case you haven't heard these stories (legends? myths?) they concern "Finn Men" who reach north east Scotland (for example Orkney or Aberdeenshire) between roughly 1690 and 1725. They arrive in their kayaksand (of course) seem totally alien to the locals. Quite why they have made the journey from Greenland (despite their name they are said to be Inuits) is not clear, esp as once they reach Scotland all they seem to do is fish.
The final fate of them varies. In some reports they die, in others they disappear (the suggestion is they went home). There are multiple reports across the period and they do seem independent; it doesn't seem to be a case of one story that is then repeated and modified for slightly different locations in the region. The museum at Aberdeen University has in its collection the kayak and other personal objects that are said to belong to one "Finn Men" who died shortly after arriving on the Aberdeenshire coast. Oily Hicks has just recreated their possible voyage http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-37295203
What I found interesting is a theory I recently came across about how they reach Scotland. It seems that Dutch (and maybe also English) whalers were visiting Greenland at this time, in direct violation of Danish law. The theory is these whalers (for whatever reason) decided to bring back, on multiple occasions, an Inuit and their kayak and off Scotland they dropped them off in the sea (to avoid being caught with them on board by the Danes). Not sure I am convinced by this, if nothing else as it doesn't answer the "why" question.
I'm currently developing an exhibition at work that will include a bit on the stories of "Finn Men" in north east Scotland in the late 17th and early 18th Century...
In case you haven't heard these stories (legends? myths?) they concern "Finn Men" who reach north east Scotland (for example Orkney or Aberdeenshire) between roughly 1690 and 1725. They arrive in their kayaksand (of course) seem totally alien to the locals. Quite why they have made the journey from Greenland (despite their name they are said to be Inuits) is not clear, esp as once they reach Scotland all they seem to do is fish.
The final fate of them varies. In some reports they die, in others they disappear (the suggestion is they went home). There are multiple reports across the period and they do seem independent; it doesn't seem to be a case of one story that is then repeated and modified for slightly different locations in the region. The museum at Aberdeen University has in its collection the kayak and other personal objects that are said to belong to one "Finn Men" who died shortly after arriving on the Aberdeenshire coast. Oily Hicks has just recreated their possible voyage http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-37295203
What I found interesting is a theory I recently came across about how they reach Scotland. It seems that Dutch (and maybe also English) whalers were visiting Greenland at this time, in direct violation of Danish law. The theory is these whalers (for whatever reason) decided to bring back, on multiple occasions, an Inuit and their kayak and off Scotland they dropped them off in the sea (to avoid being caught with them on board by the Danes). Not sure I am convinced by this, if nothing else as it doesn't answer the "why" question.