How many people does it really take to create a fully functional settlement? The town of Oqaatsut is located about 15 km north of Ilulissat as the crow flies. Longitude and latitude: 69.3291470°, -50.9692001°. Population figures are inconsistent. According to the captain of a boat that sails between Ilulissat and Oqaatsut, there are 28 inhabitants. Another “heard” source claims there are as many as 35 settlers. So, let’s count: there’s a halibut factory in the town, which employs twelve people. There’s a post office right next door, but it doesn’t seem to provide employment, as it’s simply a mailbox. There’s also a shop where a single saleswoman works. The shop is supposedly very well-equipped, but it was closed at the time. There are seven children, all closely or distantly related. Two teachers oversee the education of the youngest. There are no class divisions; all children, regardless of age, study together. And when they reach the appropriate age, their next stage of education will be Ilulissat. The school in Oqaatsut shares the building with the church, where a single priest takes care of his congregation and, apparently, also of entertainment, as the temple offers games like table football. So, we now have twenty-three residents.

In the center, there’s a small sports field and a stage where festivals are held. The most famous is the Sun Salutation, which, after a long night, timidly reappears on January 13th. There’s no running water in the settlement; residents draw their water from a special well. Right next door is a public shower, which anyone can use for a small fee. The shower house is overseen by a man who, as you can see, is very familiar with the residents’ hygiene. We also have a hotel with four rooms available. The owner and hotel guests have access to running water, and there’s even a shower inside.

We’re counting. One man, who can also be seen at the cash register from time to time, is responsible for taking the waste to the small incinerator. But doesn’t burning waste pollute the environment, and isn’t it inconsistent with the local belief in living in harmony with nature? After some thought, transporting waste by boat to nearby Ilulisset on such a small scale would likely cause greater climate damage. So, we’ve already counted twenty-six inhabitants. The settlement also has one restaurant, H8, and it’s not just any restaurant, where you can enjoy incredible reindeer stew. The restaurant employs one chef and one waitress, who is also a local guide. Both of them live temporarily above the eatery. The restaurant’s name can be misleading and doesn’t come from the English word “hate,” which is pronounced the same way as “H-eight.” H8 is an old designation for a helicopter landing pad. In Ilulissat, on the other hand, there’s a landing point called H9. And so, I counted twenty-eight inhabitants.

There are no roads in Oqaatsut, but there is a gas station where residents get fuel to heat their colorful houses and scooters. In winter, scooters are the main mode of transportation, and you can get to Ilulissat in just one hour. That’s significantly faster than a dog sled. Here, you need to allow at least two hours. Near the gas station, there’s a mysterious blue building making strange noises, but that’s good because it means the residents have electricity. Hell, there’s even internet.

The “fire station” is nothing more than a small storage room with fire extinguishers. However, you won’t find a firefighter in the settlement. Seven men have been trained in the use of firefighting equipment. Where did this idea come from? Some time ago, a fire broke out in a small village nearby, and unfortunately for the residents, no one knew how to operate the extinguishers.

Life in Oqaatsut is simple; everyone knows their role and works hard, and the reward is the surrounding nature. My calculations show that twenty-eight people are enough to create a fully functional settlement.