Anna Kûitse Thastum (1942 – 13 July 2012) was a Greenlandic drum dancer. Born in Kulusuk, she lived variously in the United States and Denmark, before resettling there again. She was awarded a prize by the Greenlandic government in 2008 for her contributions to the culture of Greenland.
Anna Kûitse Thastum was born in Kulusuk among 13 siblings in 1942. [1] She said her grandfather, named Kûitse, was a piniartorsuaq—great hunter—who killed several polar bears. [2] All of her siblings were drum dancers, as well as her parents; [3] the practice, used in ceremonies, had been banned by early Christian settlers in Greenland. [4] When her sisters had left their home, she took care of her father until 1966, when he died. [3]
After his death, she married an American and moved to the United States, and then returned in 1984. [3] She remarried the next year to a Dane, Arvid Thatsum, [5] and moved to Denmark, where she lived for four years, returning again to Kulusuk. [3] She met both of her husbands at DYE-4, an early-warning defense system put in place by the United States government at Kulusuk. [6]
She began drum dancing again after her final return to Kulusuk. [3] After the completion of an airport in the town, she and her brother performed a drum dance for the audience. [3] She taught drum dancing to the children of her community, and nurtured the art practice. [3]
In 2008, Thastum was awarded with a cultural prize by the minister for culture, Tommy Marø . [3] The prize is for awarded annually for outstanding contributions to the culture of Greenland. [7] After being awarded the prize, she went on a tour in Italy and the United States, then taught drum dancing to children in Kulusuk and Tasiilaq. [8] She had asked for drum dancing to be considered a part of UNESCO's list of cultural heritage practices. [4] She was profiled in the 2010 film ECHOES, discussing her views on her life: there was "lots of sadness" but "I'm still alive". [9]
She died on 13 July 2012, following a long illness. [3]
Anna Kûitse Thastum (1942 – 13 July 2012) was a Greenlandic drum dancer. Born in Kulusuk, she lived variously in the United States and Denmark, before resettling there again. She was awarded a prize by the Greenlandic government in 2008 for her contributions to the culture of Greenland.
Anna Kûitse Thastum was born in Kulusuk among 13 siblings in 1942. [1] She said her grandfather, named Kûitse, was a piniartorsuaq—great hunter—who killed several polar bears. [2] All of her siblings were drum dancers, as well as her parents; [3] the practice, used in ceremonies, had been banned by early Christian settlers in Greenland. [4] When her sisters had left their home, she took care of her father until 1966, when he died. [3]
After his death, she married an American and moved to the United States, and then returned in 1984. [3] She remarried the next year to a Dane, Arvid Thatsum, [5] and moved to Denmark, where she lived for four years, returning again to Kulusuk. [3] She met both of her husbands at DYE-4, an early-warning defense system put in place by the United States government at Kulusuk. [6]
She began drum dancing again after her final return to Kulusuk. [3] After the completion of an airport in the town, she and her brother performed a drum dance for the audience. [3] She taught drum dancing to the children of her community, and nurtured the art practice. [3]
In 2008, Thastum was awarded with a cultural prize by the minister for culture, Tommy Marø . [3] The prize is for awarded annually for outstanding contributions to the culture of Greenland. [7] After being awarded the prize, she went on a tour in Italy and the United States, then taught drum dancing to children in Kulusuk and Tasiilaq. [8] She had asked for drum dancing to be considered a part of UNESCO's list of cultural heritage practices. [4] She was profiled in the 2010 film ECHOES, discussing her views on her life: there was "lots of sadness" but "I'm still alive". [9]
She died on 13 July 2012, following a long illness. [3]