As a preview for the 100-year anniversary of Henrik Ibsens death, in 2006 Silamiut put on the internationally know poem about forgiveness and reconciliation: Terje Vigen. The play was show in its original language.

Henrik Ibsen wrote the poem “Terje Vigen” in 1861. It was first published the following year. Ibsen claimed the story was his imagination, but history tells us of multiple “Terje Vigen” fates in the war years from 1807-1814.

After England’s attack on the Copenhagen harbour in 1801, the armed neutrality between Denmark-Norway and Russia was broken. Until 1807 there was peace and quiet in the region. However the English did not wish the Danish-Norwegian fleet, which was sizeable, should fall at the French hands. In the spring of 1807 England sent nearly a whole armada to Copenhagen. All the Danish-Norwegian ships, which weren’t sunk, were sailed to England. Denmark-Norway capitulated to France and the English implemented a naval blockade between Denmark and Norway. The years between 1807 and 1814 became known as the barkbread years or the years of suffering.

The Norwegians were dependent upon corn form Denmark. There was a much starvation as a result of the cornboycott by the English.

”Terje Vigen” is not only about a courageous man’s effort to row from the southern Norway to Jutland, to save his family from starvation. It is equally about reconciliation.

In his older days, Terje met the man who took him as prisoner, resulting in his daughter and wife starving to death. Terje has the opportunity to kill the man and his family, but chooses not to. Since his wife and daughter won’t be brought back to life by his revenge.

The idea of reconciliation is a living theme nowadays in Greenland, and this poem of Ibsen can be a small contribution to the cultural reconciliation with the past.