Orbituary for Finn Lynge

Written on 08 April 2014. Posted in About IWGIA

Finn was a board member of IWGIA from 1992-95. It was during those years that hunters of the Arctic were attacked from environment protection groups, and Finn was a strong defender of the rights of the hunters to pursue, defend and develop their cultures and traditions. Before others, he saw the dangers to the Arctic environment of industrial developments in Europe, North America and Russia. Thus became environmental issues Finn’s primary concern in the years ahead.

He did this as member of the European Parliament from 1979-1985, elected in Greenland when we worked incessantly – and successfully – for Greenland’s withdrawal from the European Community (later: the European Union). He travelled extensively to defend the rights of Arctic indigenous peoples, but he was no less active in his local community in Greenland, fighting against mining of uranium. Finn was educated as a catholic priest but when he got married he became “a catholic without a pope” as he told a mutual friend of ours. As a versatile intellect, he served for years as director of the Greenland radio and later he became an advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen. Whatever he did, his approach had an ethical component and people always listened carefully to his arguments. His wit and his knowledge of Greenland’s history and culture were legendary, which he revealed in books published in Greenlandic, Danish and English. Before sickness took over he finished the last of his two-volume memories. In IWGIA we have fond memories of Finn and our thoughts go to his wife and children. Jens Dahl on behalf of IWGIA