Traditionally, royalty, heads of state and world-renowned celebrities were given the honour of being immortalised on a stamp in their own lifetime. However, even in the world of stamps, new winds are blowing in. Consequently, several other postal services have begun issuing stamps with contemporary individuals, who bear neither blue blood, presidential status nor global notoriety. Last year Greenland followed suit. The series ‘Everyday Heroes of Greenland’ commenced with two stamps issued in August 2023. It is now time to pay tribute to two more everyday heroes in Greenland.
Nanna Knudsen
Nanna Knudsen was born in the village of Igaliku in South Green- land. She became a qualified teacher at the age of 24. Since then she has studied pedagogy and psychology at the Danish School of Teacher Education, and Danish as a second language at the University of Copenhagen.
In Greenland she and her late husband, Hans-Wiggo Knudsen, a construction designer, lived for 40 years in Sisimiut, Greenland’s second largest city.
As a teacher Nanna has fought for intercultural under- standing for many years. She taught Greenlandic to Danes who should work in Greenland and Danish to Greenlanders so they could cope better in Denmark. At the same time she explained the societal structure of both countries.
In recent years Nanna has been living in Denmark where, after her retirement, she has continued to work with Danish and Greenlandic interpretation in court cas- es and similar. This task demands great care and insight, as much more needs to be interpreted than the language itself, the two cultures being very different. The insight her work affords her has become a fundamental inspiration to draw attention to the discrimination that affects the weakest of her compatriots hardest - discrimination which she denounces whenever she encounters it.
In 2022 she received the Danish Judicial Policy Associa- tion’s honorary award KAFKAT for her work. She is also co-editor of the magazine SOS Racism, for which she has been effective at finding writers. Nanna does not see herself in any way as a victim. She uses her intelligence, modesty and warm empathy to shed light on those aspects of the Danish-Greenlandic relationship that require change.
Rebekka Olsvig
Rebekka Olsvig was born in 1945 in Ritenbenk in the northern
part of Disko Bay. In 1962 she moved south to Nuuk when she was apprenticed as an office assistant to the then Governor of Greenland. She later trained in the Tax Directorate when it was established in Greenland. Later, she ran her own company as a tax consultant for 33 years.
Age is only a number for 79-year-old Rebekka. Among other things, she is a volunteer badminton trainer for disadvantaged families. She has also helped to make ski training possible for the same group of children. Consequently, she received Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq’s special award three years ago for her work as a passionate volunteer.
She has also previously received the Save the Children Greenland Volunteer Prize. She received the award
in 2018, in recognition of her tireless efforts over many years, which have made a huge difference in the lives of vulnerable children and families. Rebekka Olsvig always has a hug or a smile ready for the children. She creates precious and meaningful moments in children’s lives.
Save the Children Greenland wrote at the time:
“Rebekka Olsvig is a steadfast and dedicated person, who has been the treasurer of the Nuuk local community as- sociation for many years and plans countless activities for vulnerable families. She is always happy to participate in activities, especially outdoor and physical, and her heart beats for the vulnerable in society.”
Rebekka Olsvig has also told us that no matter how long a trip up the Little Malene mountain at Nuuk can feel with a band of tired children hand in hand, it is well worth it when she sees their joy and pride at the summit. Consequently, she never stops enjoying activities with the children in the local community association.
