Qajaq USA is pleased to bring you the following collection of audio files (.WAV) of West Greenland kayak and kayak-related terms. Click on a Greenlandic word in the left-hand column and hear it spoken by Maligiaq Padilla, the current Greenland National Kayaking Champion. This audio glossary was a collaborative effort between Maligiaq Padilla, Vernon Doucette and Greg Stamer. The audio was recorded in Sisimiut Greenland, July 2002. We have additional audio of the names of all of the championship Greenlandic rolling maneuvers on the competition rolling list.
Qajaq USA hopes that you will find this to be a very useful resource!
Click on the image above to access an image map that lets you click on a kayak term to hear it spoken.
West Greenland Kayak Related Terms
| Ajaaq | Cross Beam (deck beam). |
| Ajaaq Seeqqortarfik | Cross Beam (deck beam). Knee Support |
| (Ajaaq) Tukerumiaq | Cross Beam (deck beam). Foot Support |
| (Ajaaq) Isserfik | Cross Beam (deck beam)."Back" Support (deck beam immediately behind cockpit coaming). |
| Akuilisaq | Short spray skirt. Also called tuiitsoq in some districts. It is oftenleft open at the top, and held up by suspenders. Intended for calm conditions during the warmer months. |
| Apummaq | Gunwale; one of two longitudinal frame members and the primary structural component of a Greenland skin-on-frame kayak. The plural form (gunwales) is apummat. |
| Aquut | Steering fin, or skeg. These are often lashed into place. |
| Asagiikkut | Harpoon support. |
| Asaloq | Line Rack. |
| Avataq | Hunting Float attached to end of harpoon line. Provides drag to harpooned animals and may prevent their sinking if dead. |
| Kujaaq | Keelson. |
| Masik | Masik. A curved deck beam, often in the range of 6-7cm wide, that supports the front of the cockpit coaming. |
| Mulik | Paddle blade. |
| Niutaaq | Stem and stern profile. |
| Norsaq | Throwing board for launching harpoons and darts. Also shaped to enable it to be useful for rolling. |
| Paaq | Cockpit coaming. |
| Paatit | Paddle. |
| Pukkoq | Mortice. |
| Qajaq | Kayak. Only a Greenlandic kayak is given this designation. Other kayaks (e.g. fiberglass sport kayaks) are often called qajariaq, meaning "like a qajaq". The plural form (kayaks) is qaannat. |
| Qoorutit | Lashings. |
| Siaaneq | Side stringer. |
| Taalutaq | Shooting Screen. A white screen deployed from the front of the kayak, used after the introduction of firearms, to hide the body of the kayaker and make the kayak appear as a block of ice to a seal. |
| Taqqap_Qoorutaa | Tightener (slider) for deck lines. Taqqat is the term for deck lines (plural). |
| Taqqap_Taqqaasaq | Foreward (foredeck) deck line. |
| (Taqqaq) Qasungasoq | Aft deck line. |
| Taqqat | Deck lines or cross straps. |
| Tasiaq | Midpiece (loom) of paddle. |
| Tippik | Rib (kayak). |
| Tuilik | Full kayak jacket. |
| Tunersuk | Deck stringer. |
| Tuunnaa | Join as in joinery. (e.g. tunnaq is the "join" at the stem and stern) |
| Tuunnap Kikiai | Trunnel (wooden peg) used to hold the gunwales together fore and aft. |
| Usuusappuua | Bone knob at extreme end(s) of kayak. |
| Usuusaq | End piece (stem or stern). |
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