Moving on from AI-generated romance novels...
From High North News, January 30:
Greenland Is Shaping the Next Crime Fiction Genre, Says Professor Annemette Hejlsted
Nuuk, Greenland: The dark, gloomy, and cold surroundings of the North have provided fertile ground for the Nordic Noir genre in both literature and film. In recent years, a subgenre has emerged, Arctic Noir, featuring both the natural and societal characteristics of the Far North, says Professor Annemette Hejlsted.
The cold nights, the long dark days, and the melancholic ambience of the Nordic region have been made world-famous by countless Scandinavian writers and producers in the crime genre, Nordic Noir.
Like other crime genres, Nordic Noir revolves around a crime, usually a murder, and its investigator. The investigator is often attempting a cumbersome balancing act between the heavy burden of the work and their personal demons. Often, the investigator is female and morally complex.
At the same time, the genre sheds light on social issues in the North, revealing cracks in the picture-perfect Nordic social democracies.
Now, a new subgenre is emerging under the name Arctic Noir, characterized by an even harsher climate and bleaker environment, which first developed in Greenland. But it's not just about the environment, says researcher Annemette Hejlsted at Ilisimatusarfik, the University of Greenland.
"It allows the writer to play with new elements, such as how everyone knows each other in small communities. In addition, it often includes Indigenous culture, which is unique and has kind of developed on the outskirts of the dominant Western culture."
She says this is one of the ways Arctic Noir differs from Nordic Noir: the portrayal of the clash between traditional and modern cultures and knowledge, which is so often found in the Arctic.
"Arctic Noir provides a new setting, not just in terms of climate, but also in the uniqueness of Indigenous cultures that have developed across mainstream cultures," says Hejlsted.
"Greenlandic culture is naturally similar to a lot of other cultures. We study at the university, go to the swimming pool, and drink coffee at cafes. Yet, there is another unique element present here."
Not necessarily meant for a local audience
In 2024, HBO's acclaimed True Detective's fourth season was set in Alaska, showcasing the global appeal of the Polar Night and the allure and mystique of Indigenous knowledge and ways of living....
....MUCH MORE
Also, the article at High North News that I was originally going for, February 13:
Russia announces new Arctic oil discovery
Russian energy major Gazprom Neft has discovered a new oil field on the Yamal Peninsula that is the largest discovered in the region in three decades, according to a company release....
....MUCH MORE
Now, if we can get the AI to write a Russian - Norwegian - Sami mashup of the two stories...
