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From: Mattson, Timothy G <timothy.g.mattson_at_intel.com> subject: RE: [Paddlewise] ACA Greenland certification Date: Thu, 8 Jul 1999 09:42:51 -0700 · This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:00 PDT

I don't like the name Free-style 'cause it is devoid of information.

How about calling the ACA program "Traditional Paddling"?  That way, the
word Greenland is removed but the idea of paddling using traditional
techniques is kept.

--Tim

P.S. Here comes a politically incorrect statement.  Frankly, I think some
Greenlanders are being a bit too sensitive.  My roots are in Scandanavia.  I
can assure you, I am  in no way offended by  courses in "Swedish massage".
What do those of you from France think of "French Fries"?  Why can't I call
my foot ball team the "Red skins".    Any of you in Ireland offended by the
"fighting Irish" of Nortre Dame? I mean, I am not a racist and I believe in
respecting diversity and all that, but I think sometimes people get a bit
too worked up over issues of nationality and race.

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Nick Schade [SMTP:schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com]
> Sent:	Thursday, July 08, 1999 9:09 AM
> To:	paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
> Subject:	Re: [Paddlewise] ACA Greenland certification
> 
> At 9:50 PM -0400 7/7/99, Michael Daly wrote:
> >Jack Martin wrote:
> >
> >> An interesting thread.
> >
> >Agreed
> >
> >>  Why
> >> should we, as a worldwide paddling community, even attempt to
> stardardize,
> >> package, wholesale and retail some self-styled "Greenland style" when
> it
> >> appears that there is such a diversity of style and technique at the
> source?
> >
> >Because we have to start somewhere?
> >
> >This reminds me of my other sporting fanaticism, Nordic skiing (cross
> >country to some).   The advent of freestyle techniques in the early
> >eighties threw everything in the air.  It took a long time to sort out
> >the good and bad techniques.  Now there are standard techniques
> >that are being taught.  However, not all the top racers use them!
> >
> <snip>
> >
> >I don't have a serious problem with taking a standard approach to
> >a "Greenland" paddle stroke.  Get people started.  Some will use
> >it forever, others will investigate other variations.  The variations
> >will come from the Greenlanders.  And from others.
> >
> >Mike
> >
> 
> I don't think the debate here is so much whether there should be
> certification for techniques. That is another interesting debate, but the
> question is should this particular certification be called "Greenland".
> There are valid reasons to create some standards for paddling technique.
> There seems to be only one reason why these standards need to be called by
> a name whose rightful owner finds insulting.
> 
> The reason for calling the techniques in question "Greenland" seems
> primarily to be marketing driven. The idea that you are learning the very
> same techniques used by the original kayakers has a lot of appeal. The
> people who want to teach those techniques know that. Classes in
> "Greenland"
> technique will sell well. Being certified in Greenland technique gives the
> impression that you are as good a paddler as an Inuit. If you sell
> classes,
> this is good for business. If you are interested in becoming the best
> paddler you can be, you will want to learn the skills of the Inuits since
> they originated kayaking, they must be the best.
> 
> Now imagine you are a native greenlander and you hear someone is proposing
> a scheme to make money based on your reputation and they are leaving you
> completely out of the loop. I think you would feel a little put-out.
> 
> Calling the techniques in question "Free Style" would provide all the
> benefits of a certification process without insulting anyone. However, it
> would be harder to sell. "Free Style" does not have the impact as
> "Greenland" so even if the techniques were exactly the same the
> certification would not sell as well.
> 
> Nick
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nick Schade
> Guillemot Kayaks
> 10 Ash Swamp Rd
> Glastonbury, CT 06033
> (860) 659-8847
> 
> Schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com
> http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/
> 
> >>>>"It's not just Art, It's a Craft!"<<<<
> 
> 
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