Linda Lyberth Kristiansen

Indigenous Group:

Inuit

Where is home?

Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland)

Location and Date of Photograph:

October, 2025. Reykjavík, Iceland

"When I’m wearing my ancestor’s clothes that I have inherited, I feel as if they are with me, and remind me of their strength and resilience. I feel a sense of warmth, protection, and their energy. This is to honor my ancestor’s abilities and talents.”

Linda’s clothing highlights biodiversity through the use of Arctic species like sealskin, muskox wool, and whale bone, integral to Inuit traditions. The Nujarmioq, crafted in the 1980s from sealskin and whale bone, reflects exceptional durability and quality, showing how natural materials and skilled craftsmanship create pieces that endure for decades.

Linda Lyberth Kristiansen is an Inuk born in Nuuk and raised in Maniitsoq, a town city on the west coast of Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland). Linda was raised by her parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and extended family which deeply shaped her sense of identity, connection to nature and heritage.

Her clothing in this image is a living testament to her family’s history and Inuit/Greenlandic traditions, where the knowledge, craftmanship and design has been passed down generation to generation, molded by nature and the living environment and continually advanced and developed to meet changing requirements.

Lindas has a full Inuit/Greenlandic national dress in accordance with her families West Greenlandic customs including Seal Skin short panths (seeqqinit), long sealskin boots (kamisat). The full national dress is, however, not something she generally travels with as it is primarily worn on special occasions. Parts of it may be mixed and matched depending on need and stylistic choices at any given time, as is the case in these images. The National dress further is warm, heavy and requires proper maintenance such as being dried in a dry cold winter environment.

In these images Linda is wearing her Annoraaq (Anorak) made by her great-grandmother and gifted to her by her grandmother.

Kalaallisuut (Belt) is embroidered with regional patterns that differ between regions in Greenland.

Sapanngat (Beads) visible under the collar of the Annoraaq were made by her mothers cousin, which gifted it to Linda.

Paffequtit (Wrist Warmers) made by her great-grandmother, these are key for warmth, in cold environments. Paffequtit is used with the national dress. In normal settings, they can also be made by muskox wool.

Nuilarmiut (beads that are tied to the Timmiaq). In the past, the length of beading might indicate social status or wealth; now, sizes are standardized.

The Nujarmioq (Pin/Leather Hairpiece) were crafted by a family friend of hers, using whale bone and sealskin. The colorful part is called Kittat, it is made from sealskin. It is very difficult to work with sealskin, and the colors are a bit faded, but it’s incredible to think that this piece was made in the 1980s.

Linda’s white fur earrings are made by her mother’s cousin (she calls her Auntie), Rakel-Marie Lyberth Jensen (IG: Rama_perler).

Linda holds a Master’s degree in Culture and Social History from Ilisimatusarfik – University of Greenland, with research focused on The Implementation of Indigenous languages in higher education. She also studied Indigenous Studies at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø.