In Greenland, the traditional Christmas dish made from whale skin and blubber is called mattak.
Mattak is an Inuit food consisting of the whale’s tough outer skin with a layer of blubber attached. In Greenland it is particularly associated with narwhal and beluga, although whale products vary by region and catch. It may be served raw, frozen, cooked, or preserved, with raw or chilled pieces especially valued for their distinctive texture.
The dish reflects Greenland’s hunting culture and the practical importance of using many parts of an animal in an Arctic environment. The blubber supplies concentrated energy, while the skin gives mattak its firm, chewy bite. It is served at celebrations and special gatherings, including Christmas, and offering it to guests can express hospitality.
Mattak is related to muktuk, the broader Arctic term used in several Inuit languages and commonly associated with Canada and Alaska. Lutefisk is a preserved fish dish, hákarl is fermented shark from Iceland, and surströmming is fermented herring from Sweden—none is the Greenlandic whale-skin specialty.