- Sewing studios and places where seal skins are procured must support the business life in the settlements

In previous years, there have been several public sewing rooms in towns and villages, but the number has since decreased. Nevertheless, sewing rooms should be resumed and developed in certain places, as this can strengthen the local business community. This is the opinion of member of the municipal council in the Municipality of Qeqertalik, Inger Jeremiassen (D), who has proposed opening sewing rooms and purchasing points for seal skins. Fishermen's and hunters' associations as well as village councils support the idea.

A wish from the village boards

A wish from the village boards

Inger Jeremiassen proposed that studies be initiated into the possibilities of establishing sewing rooms and seal skin processing facilities in selected settlements in the Municipality of Qeqertalik with a view to business development. The proposal received full support from the municipal council when it was discussed at the end of November.

– In previous years, there have been sewing rooms in most settlements, and the sewing rooms have been doing well. Therefore, I proposed that – instead of opening sewing rooms everywhere – after a thorough investigation, we begin the work of finding out where it is most appropriate, she said. The proposal was approved and forwarded to the relevant committees.

At the budget seminar in the Municipality of Qeqertalik in the autumn, several settlement board members proposed that sewing shops and purchasing points for seal skins be established in the settlements.

“We must utilize the knowledge about seal skin processing that we already have in the municipality. Seal skin processing is part of our cultural heritage and must not be forgotten,” she says.

The proposal includes identifying people with experience in leather processing who can form the foundation for running a sewing room.

Supports business

Several towns and settlements in the Municipality of Qeqertalik do not have purchasing points for sealskins, and Inger Jeremiassen believes that the opening of sewing rooms can be the basis for also establishing purchasing points.

“Purchasing sealskins will contribute to the income of the hunters. At the same time, the money generated by selling processed skins in the sewing rooms will benefit both the residents and the municipality’s tax revenue,” she says.

Since there are no trading facilities in the settlements around Kangaatsiaq, many sealskins are thrown away and are thus not beneficial to the prisoners' economy. If the proposal is implemented, it will, according to Jeremiassen, particularly benefit the prisoners in Ikerasaarsuk.

– Cod is disappearing at the moment, and since there are many seals, seal skin trading could provide income for the hunters, she says.

In previous years there have been communal sewing rooms in Kangaatsiaq's settlements, says Agnethe Inûsugtoq (S), member of the settlement board in Ikerasaarsuk.

– The opening of a sewing shop and sealskin trading in Ikerasaarsuk will contribute greatly to the village's business life and give us hope for the future.

– I do seal skin treatment myself, but if we stop doing these treatments, there won't be many people who can do it. Therefore, it will not only be an economic gain, but also a saving of cultural heritage, says Agnethe Inûsugtoq.

She emphasizes that the opening of a sewing shop and a seal skin shop in the settlement will be a good investment for the future. Therefore, the settlement council fully supports the proposal.