Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland
In this article, we explore the particularities of belonging in old age for older adults living in Uummannaq in Northern Greenland. Through analysis of in-depth interviews and conversations, we investigate older adults’ relations to others and to places, and how belonging is a matter of moral and ex...
Published in: | Anthropology & Aging |
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Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2023
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Online Access: | https://portal.findresearcher.sdu.dk/da/publications/49fa31c0-cb79-4095-9294-f131da7155ad https://doi.org/10.5195/aa.2023.414 https://findresearcher.sdu.dk/ws/files/239682424/_414_Schlutter_and_Jensen.pdf |
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ftsydanskunivpub:oai:sdu.dk:publications/49fa31c0-cb79-4095-9294-f131da7155ad 2024-05-19T07:36:28+00:00 Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland Schlütter, Mette Mørup Jensen, Tenna 2023-06-14 application/pdf https://portal.findresearcher.sdu.dk/da/publications/49fa31c0-cb79-4095-9294-f131da7155ad https://doi.org/10.5195/aa.2023.414 https://findresearcher.sdu.dk/ws/files/239682424/_414_Schlutter_and_Jensen.pdf eng eng https://portal.findresearcher.sdu.dk/da/publications/49fa31c0-cb79-4095-9294-f131da7155ad info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Schlütter , M M & Jensen , T 2023 , ' Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland ' , Anthropology & Aging , vol. 44 , no. 1 , pp. 19-36 . https://doi.org/10.5195/aa.2023.414 Arctic Belonging Greenland Inuit Uncertainty article 2023 ftsydanskunivpub https://doi.org/10.5195/aa.2023.414 2024-05-01T00:39:37Z In this article, we explore the particularities of belonging in old age for older adults living in Uummannaq in Northern Greenland. Through analysis of in-depth interviews and conversations, we investigate older adults’ relations to others and to places, and how belonging is a matter of moral and existential character. We use acts of belonging as an analytical concept to understand the everyday acts that older adults perform as their relations to family members, friends, and the community change, and their access to different places is challenged by declining health. We show how they continue to belong to others through activities such as preparing seal skin and fishing, but also how belonging can be challenged as one grows older. By doing so, we aim to show how belonging is not given or certain. Instead, it can be understood as an expression of agency when facing challenges in old age, not only in relation to others but also in how one sees oneself as an older adult. Utoqqaat, Avannaani Uummannami najugallit, akornanni attuumassuteqarneq (belonging) immikkut ittoq allaaserisami matumani misissorparput. Itisiliilluni apersuinerit aamma oqaloqatiginninnerit misissoqqissaarnerisigut utoqqaat allanut aamma sumiiffinnut attuumassuteqarnerat, aamma taakku attuumassuteqarnerat ileqqorissaarnermik aamma tunngavimmik aalajangiisuusumik pissuseqarnersoq misissorparput. Utoqqaat ilaquttanut, ikinngutinut aamma inuiaqatigiinnut atassuteqarnerisa allanngoriartornerat ilutigalugu ulluinnarni iliuuserisartagaat paasiniarlugit misissueqqissaarnermi ”Acts of belonging” (iliuutsit, attuumassuteqarnermik pilersitsiffiusut) atorparput, aamma peqqissutsip appariartornera ilutigalugu sumiiffinnut assigiinngitsunut attuumassuteqarfigisaminnut peqataasinnaanerat unammilligassaqalersitsilluni. Sammisassaqartitsinerit, soorlu ammerineq aamma aalisarneq aqqutigalugit allanut qanoq attuumassuteqartuaannarnersut, aammali attumassuteqarnerit utoqqalinermi qanoq unammilligassaqarfiulersinnaasarnersut misissorparput. Taamaaliornikkut ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Greenland inuit Uummannaq University of Southern Denmark Research Portal Anthropology & Aging 44 1 19 36 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Southern Denmark Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftsydanskunivpub |
language |
English |
topic |
Arctic Belonging Greenland Inuit Uncertainty |
spellingShingle |
Arctic Belonging Greenland Inuit Uncertainty Schlütter, Mette Mørup Jensen, Tenna Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland |
topic_facet |
Arctic Belonging Greenland Inuit Uncertainty |
description |
In this article, we explore the particularities of belonging in old age for older adults living in Uummannaq in Northern Greenland. Through analysis of in-depth interviews and conversations, we investigate older adults’ relations to others and to places, and how belonging is a matter of moral and existential character. We use acts of belonging as an analytical concept to understand the everyday acts that older adults perform as their relations to family members, friends, and the community change, and their access to different places is challenged by declining health. We show how they continue to belong to others through activities such as preparing seal skin and fishing, but also how belonging can be challenged as one grows older. By doing so, we aim to show how belonging is not given or certain. Instead, it can be understood as an expression of agency when facing challenges in old age, not only in relation to others but also in how one sees oneself as an older adult. Utoqqaat, Avannaani Uummannami najugallit, akornanni attuumassuteqarneq (belonging) immikkut ittoq allaaserisami matumani misissorparput. Itisiliilluni apersuinerit aamma oqaloqatiginninnerit misissoqqissaarnerisigut utoqqaat allanut aamma sumiiffinnut attuumassuteqarnerat, aamma taakku attuumassuteqarnerat ileqqorissaarnermik aamma tunngavimmik aalajangiisuusumik pissuseqarnersoq misissorparput. Utoqqaat ilaquttanut, ikinngutinut aamma inuiaqatigiinnut atassuteqarnerisa allanngoriartornerat ilutigalugu ulluinnarni iliuuserisartagaat paasiniarlugit misissueqqissaarnermi ”Acts of belonging” (iliuutsit, attuumassuteqarnermik pilersitsiffiusut) atorparput, aamma peqqissutsip appariartornera ilutigalugu sumiiffinnut assigiinngitsunut attuumassuteqarfigisaminnut peqataasinnaanerat unammilligassaqalersitsilluni. Sammisassaqartitsinerit, soorlu ammerineq aamma aalisarneq aqqutigalugit allanut qanoq attuumassuteqartuaannarnersut, aammali attumassuteqarnerit utoqqalinermi qanoq unammilligassaqarfiulersinnaasarnersut misissorparput. Taamaaliornikkut ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Schlütter, Mette Mørup Jensen, Tenna |
author_facet |
Schlütter, Mette Mørup Jensen, Tenna |
author_sort |
Schlütter, Mette Mørup |
title |
Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland |
title_short |
Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland |
title_full |
Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland |
title_fullStr |
Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland |
title_sort |
striving to belong: everyday enactments of belonging among older adults in greenland |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://portal.findresearcher.sdu.dk/da/publications/49fa31c0-cb79-4095-9294-f131da7155ad https://doi.org/10.5195/aa.2023.414 https://findresearcher.sdu.dk/ws/files/239682424/_414_Schlutter_and_Jensen.pdf |
genre |
Arctic Greenland inuit Uummannaq |
genre_facet |
Arctic Greenland inuit Uummannaq |
op_source |
Schlütter , M M & Jensen , T 2023 , ' Striving to Belong: Everyday Enactments of Belonging among Older Adults in Greenland ' , Anthropology & Aging , vol. 44 , no. 1 , pp. 19-36 . https://doi.org/10.5195/aa.2023.414 |
op_relation |
https://portal.findresearcher.sdu.dk/da/publications/49fa31c0-cb79-4095-9294-f131da7155ad |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5195/aa.2023.414 |
container_title |
Anthropology & Aging |
container_volume |
44 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
19 |
op_container_end_page |
36 |
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1799475581846290432 |