This street sign was found during a walk around the town of Qaqortoq. A local young lady walking by was asked about the sign and how it’s pronounced. While her speaking the word sounded completely alien, it sounded pleasant and she explained it is a local favorite song that means “I think of you every time I pass by”.
Qaqortoq is a town in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland, located near Cape Thorvaldsen. It has a population of 3,089 being the most populous town in southern Greenland and the fourth-largest on the island.
Tassuunnaqquunnerit became a popular song written by the Greenlandic musician Rasmus Lyberth. The song is sung in the Greenlandic language, which is the official language of Greenland and spoken by the majority of the population in Greenland.
A little research shows that Tassuunnaqquunnerit, does translates to “I think of you every time I pass by”. The origin of this word can be traced back in the Inuit culture and language, which has a long history in Greenland. Inuit language and culture have been passed down through generations, and many words are combined phrases of which “Tassuunnaqquunnerit” is just one example. Greenland’s language is Greenlandic with a unique and rich vocabulary with many of these old phrases are still found in the Greenlandic language even today.
Today “Tassuunnaqquunnerit” lyrics vary depending on the version but the general theme of the song is about longing for loved ones who are far away.
The port of Qaqortoq, Greenland
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