Totalordnede

Totalordnede is a term used in the context of Danish colonial rule in Greenland. It specifically refers to the comprehensive, far-reaching, and often coercive measures taken by the colonial administration to exert control over the local population and their way of life. This term is often used to describe the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the Danish colonial regime in Greenland implemented a range of policies aimed at assimilating the Inuit population into Denmark.

Totalordnede involved the use of force, bribery, and other methods to bring the local population under control. The colonial regime enforced the use of Danish as the sole language, attempted to suppress traditional Inuit practices and customs, and imposed European-style agriculture and other forms of cultural influence. This policy aimed to erase Inuit identity and replace it with a Danish one, effectively turning the indigenous people into subjects of the Danish crown.

The totalordnede policy had profound effects on the lives of the Inuit population in Greenland. Many lost their cultural heritage and underwent significant trauma due to forced assimilation. Critics argue that totalordnede represents a darker chapter in Danish colonial history, marked by human rights abuses and a disregard for the rights of the indigenous population. Conversely, some argue that it was a necessary step towards "civilizing" the Inuit and opening them up to modern development. However, subsequent governments have acknowledged the harm caused by these policies, and there have been efforts to document and confront the legacy of totalordnede.