What is Fødestedskriteriet?
The "fødestedskriteriet" (birthplace criterion) and "hjemstavnskriteriet" (residency criterion) were policies in Denmark and Greenland that institutionalized unequal treatment of Greenlandic workers compared to Danish workers. These policies were part of systemic discrimination tied to colonial and post-colonial dynamics.
Hjemstavnskriteriet (1958-1964): This rule required that Greenlandic workers spend at least ten years in Denmark to qualify for the same wages and benefits as Danish workers. It was intended to "motivate" Greenlanders to train in Denmark, but it effectively institutionalized a wage disparity that disadvantaged Greenlandic workers based on their limited opportunities to meet this criterion.
Fødestedskriteriet (1964-1991): Replacing the residency rule, this policy determined wages and work conditions based on birthplace. Danish workers in Greenland received significantly higher wages, better benefits, and housing allowances than their Greenlandic counterparts, even if both performed the same work. For example, Greenlandic teachers or healthcare workers educated to the same standards as Danish colleagues were still subjected to inferior contracts if they were born in Greenland. This led to widespread resentment and lasting scars among Greenlanders who were treated as second-class citizens in their homeland.
These policies were heavily criticized for reinforcing colonial hierarchies and were eventually abolished. However, they have left deep socioeconomic and psychological impacts that still resonate today in Greenland's struggle for equity and self-determination. The discriminatory treatment fueled Greenlandic demands for greater autonomy and recognition of their rights and culture
The "trauma of money" in relation to the fødestedskriteriet explores how systemic economic inequality, perpetuated by policies that privileged Danish workers over Greenlandic ones, has left a deep psychological and social scar. The fødestedskriteriet, which determined that Danish-born workers in Greenland received superior wages, benefits, and working conditions compared to their Greenlandic counterparts, created not only economic disparities but also a sense of inferiority and disempowerment among Greenlanders. This economic inequality became internalized, leading to trauma rooted in the perception that Greenlanders were less valuable or deserving of financial parity.
The project explores how this "trauma of money" is reflected in generational experiences of economic marginalization, where the constant reminder of unequal wages and benefits impacted not just financial stability, but also personal and cultural identity. It underlined the colonial mindset that equated economic value with racial and geographical origins, contributing to a broader sense of alienation from one's own land and community. Through this lens, the trauma of money becomes a symbol of powerlessness, where financial worth was tied to foreign standards and the subjugation of Greenlandic identity, contributing to the enduring struggles for economic justice and self-determination. Working alongside Tupaarnaq Kopeck, this project seeks to analyze the lasting impact of these policies and address how the trauma of unequal treatment still echoes in the economic and social realities of contemporary Greenlandic life.