Sume – Nye Tider {1973}

Sume is a band from Greenland that released their first record “Sume” in 1973 that, according to Wikipedia, was purchased by 20 percent of the Greenlandic population. The record became important for the Greenlandic independence movement and was critical about the Danish colonial power, as you can see on the 19th century woodcut on the cover, depicting an Inhuit hunter killing a Danish trader.

In 2014 the movie “Sumé: the sound of a revolution”, directed by Inuk Silis Høegh, was released and was shown in Official selection at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival. You can watch the trailer here.

“From 1973 to 1976 the Greenlandic rock band Sumé released three albums and changed the history of Greenland. The group’s political songs were the first to be recorded in the Greenlandic language – a language that prior to Sumé didn’t have words for “revolution” or “oppression”. After 250 years of Danish colonization Sumé set in motion a revival of Greenlandic culture and identity, and paved the way for a Greenlandic home rule government.”