The First Greenlandic Edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

The first—and only—Greenlandic edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is among the most elusive and valuable titles for serious translation collectors. Published in Nuuk in 2002 by Atuakkiorfik, Greenland’s former national publishing house, the book was translated into Kalaallisut (Greenlandic) by the respected author and linguist Stephen Hammeken (†2009). His translation, Harry Potter ujarallu inuunartoq, would become one of his final major works promoting Greenlandic language and literature.

This edition is exceptionally rare. According to Claus Erik Jordening, co-owner of Atuagkat Bookstore in Nuuk, no more than 1,000 copies were printed. The book sold out quickly and was never reprinted. After Atuakkiorfik’s closure, most remaining stock and internal materials were liquidated, with virtually no copies exported outside Greenland. No institutional holdings are currently known.

A Publisher’s Archive Copy

This particular copy originated from Atuakkiorfik’s internal archive and is marked as such on the title page with a bilingual five-line ink stamp reading:

TOQQORTAAT
Arkiveksemplar
PEERNEQASSANNGILAQ
Må ikke fjernes
ATAUAKKIORFIK

This translates to: “Archive copy – May not be removed – Atuakkiorfik.” The stamp confirms its provenance as part of the publisher’s retained holdings. In 2023, the copy was acquired by myself from Claus Erik Jordening, who had obtained it from a private source connected to the liquidation of Atuakkiorfik’s assets. The book remains in fine, unread condition—clean, square, and entirely without marks, inscriptions, or wear.

The Solander Box

To ensure archival preservation and presentation, the book is housed in a custom-made solander box by the Chelsea Bindery in London. The box features a red spine with white text and a red-and-white color scheme inspired by the Greenlandic national flag.

Collectibility and Value

With its extremely limited print run, lack of institutional presence, and the cultural rarity of Greenlandic as a minority language spoken by fewer than 60,000 people, Harry Potter ujarallu inuunartoq is one of the hardest and most expensive Harry Potter translations to find. Even incomplete or worn copies are highly sought after; complete archive-quality examples such as this are virtually unheard of on the market.

A true high point in international Harry Potter collecting—both symbolically and bibliographically.