Tété-Michel Kpomassie

A Togolese explorer who defied colonial-era stereotypes by journeying to Greenland and documenting his cross-cultural experiences.

Tété-Michel Kpomassie, born in 1941 in Togo, embarked on an extraordinary journey that shattered preconceptions about African mobility and curiosity. After encountering a book about Greenland as a teenager, he spent eight years traveling across West Africa and Europe, working odd jobs to fund his voyage to the Arctic. His 1965 arrival in Greenland made him one of the first Africans to live among the Inuit, chronicled in his memoir An African in Greenland.

Kpomassie’s work challenged Eurocentric narratives of exploration. Unlike colonial-era adventurers, he approached Greenland not as a conqueror but as a learner, immersing himself in Inuit traditions. His writings reveal a reciprocal cultural exchange, highlighting Inuit resilience while reflecting on his own Togolese heritage. This bidirectional perspective remains rare in travel literature.

By documenting environmental changes in Greenland’s ice sheets decades before climate activism gained momentum, Kpomassie’s observations acquired unexpected relevance. His legacy lies in redefining what it means to be a global citizen – proving that curiosity and empathy can bridge even the most improbable divides.