Kayaks of Greenland
Published December 1, 2006 | 
I’ve achieved my goal of building and using a replica of every main kayak-type
from the Arctic tradition and have finished my eight year research project,
“the History and Development of the Greenlandic Hunting Kayak, 1600-2000″.
- KAYAKS OF GREENLAND” – Harvey Golden
So I think what all that comes down to is Harvey Golden’s Book “Kayaks of Greenland”, is a treasure trove for kayak builders as well as those who are deeply interested in Greenlandic history. I can’t think of many people who would be as qualified or have the deep love for tradition that it takes to put this kind of work together. It’s easy to smile thinking of him taking his first self-built kayak out on the water while being sure not to get so deep that he couldn’t touch bottom with his hands. 
At is home in Portland, Oregon Harvey has built many replicas of traditional kayaks. Even for non-traditional paddlers it’s worth a taking a look at the pictures on his website. But more than building replicas, Harvey paddles and experiments with each design working to divine the magic of each unique design. In this way he is constantly enhancing his understanding of the people and their crafts. Harvey of course is also very interested in traditional rolling and paddle techniques as well. And what’s more his driven interest has taken him to Greenland to participate in the Greenland National Kayak championships in 2000, to do research at the Greenland National Museum and research kayaks at 21 museums in Western Europe. His work is really quite impressive. Again be sure to check out his website once you get in and start roaming around it’s really quite amazing.
To steal another quote from his website, “. . . Not until we ourselves have made use of a complicated implement do we fully understand all its small details, which at first sight, we either do not notice at all, or regard as unimportant for the purpose of the implement, and therefore readily consider them to be peculiarities of style belonging to a certain district or tribe.” – From “Studies on the Material Culture of the Eskimo in West Greenland,” Copenhagen, 1915 by Dr. Morten Porsild. That probably says more about Harvey Golden than I ever could.
His book Kayaks of Greenland is available online right here. Now you’ve found the perfect gift for that paddler who always seems to have saw dust in their hair to match the star dust in their eyes.
Image provided by Harvey Golden. Used by permission. Thank you.
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5 Responses to Kayaks of Greenland
Derrick, I browsed through an unbound copy of Harvey’s book at Delmarva last October and agree with you, this book is a ‘must-have’ item for anyone even pretending to be interested in the boats we all love so well and which give us such unbridled joy. This is especially true for those of us restricted to roll ing about in pools during the ice-bound winter. Now we can ‘kayak’ in front of the fireplace as well and really enjoy ourselves! Thank-you, Harvey!
Ah, the stories I could tell
But won’t! *8^?
I have the pleasure of caring for, often badly, one of his replicas featured in his book, the LC 148 pre contact East Greenland ‘jewel’, a fascinating, quirky qajaq that informed me so much in beginning my first qajaq. It speaks to me now, several boats on.
I, like many, many others, would be much the poorer, if it were not for Harvey’s efforts and talents.
There are many wonderful characters with important parts to play in the traditional kayaking world, many of whom I have the pleasure to call friends, but In my opinion there has been no one more influential, in so many ways, than Harvey Golden. We are all in his debt. This self-effacing investigator of the unknowable is what I call, with the deepest respect, an old soul, wise beyond his years, able to discover things with a child’s intense love of learning and able to assimilate, for others to glean little bits, that which seems incomprehensible…
The real deal!
Somewhere in Portland he’ll be saying ‘aw shucks’, and I’ll be thinking, as before, ‘you go , Harv’
Buy this book!!!
Best,
Turner
well thats another thing for my christmas wish list. I just bought myself a strobe/emergency torch so I’ll see how it lasts.
is there any research into why wish lists never shorten no matter how much stuff/gadgets you buy?
Claire – It’s called the Theory of Infinite Sums…
Harvey’s book was a topic of talk at this year’s QAJAQ summer camp in Michigan. Harvey, along with teaching and demonstrating rolls, reskinned a SOF in, what was to me, a twinkling of an eye. Of course, he ended up enlisting a few dozen painters to get the boat complete in less than 48 hours. This bood belongs on my shelf next to Eastern Arctic Kayaks (Alaskan Press).