Out in the dark with yellow jackets, sweets and condoms

– The idea with the sweets is of course that it is a good way to create contact – especially now that they all know that we have them, says Niels Nielsen, while the yellow jackets are filled with sweets.

We have gathered at Hotel Hans Egede in Nuuk, where tonight's Night Ravens are getting ready for another trip out into the night. We will hear more from Niels, who is the chairman, as we follow them in their volunteer work and hear more about the Night Ravens, whose purpose is to create safety through visibility and conversation.

Niels is the chairman, and with him this Friday evening he has Pernille, Thomas and Jørgen.

Even though they wear uniforms, Night Owls still walk around like ordinary people with the same rights and duties as other citizens, Niels emphasizes.

– We are not here to be social workers or police. But we would like to help contact them if we see a need for it. For example, if we meet some very small children out there, we can contact the municipality's environmental patrol, he says.

The Night Ravens also call the Greenland Police and say that they are now on their way to the city.

– The police say that things will be calmer during the hours we walk around here, says Niels.

It's a cold, clear and windless night in Nuuk, waiting for us behind the sliding doors of the hotel. The weather is one of several factors that determine how many people we will meet out on the street, says Natteravnene. Right now, Nuuk seems calm, even though this Friday is both payday and the peak season for Christmas parties.

– It also depends on the season and time of the month, and whether there are activities in the city. It makes a difference especially later in the evening that people have money in their pockets. We aim to be out on all weekends after paydays, says Niels.

It only takes a few minutes from the time we leave the hotel and enter the pedestrian zone before the first four children pass us at Brugseni and show that they know the Nighthawks. Yellow jackets equal sweet treats, and the children know the assortment in advance.

– Do you have any candy? The children shout and come excitedly to the Night Ravens.

– Can we have some of the yellow ones, asks one of the boys.

– The black ones are better, his friend corrects.

They each get their favorites, and then they're on their way again.

– That's often the case, where they just want to get some candy and then run away. But they gain the confidence to seek us out. They also remember that on the day when there might be a little extra they want to talk about, says Niels.

A little later, after the first candies have been handed out, we walk along Aqqusinersuaq and hear more about the Night Ravens.

– I have been chairman for seven or eight years and have been on the board of directors almost since the Night Ravens started in Greenland, and a citizens' meeting was held in Katuaq, says Niels.

The Night Ravens in Nuuk have just celebrated their 25th anniversary, and there is an extra reason to raise the flag this year, adds the chairman.

– Every year there is a national meeting in Denmark for the approximately 130 associations in Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The association of the year is chosen there. They look at how the association functions, what it does for the local community and so on – and this year it was us from Nuuk who won, says the proud chairman.

Unfortunately, bad weather made it impossible to get anyone from the association flown to the national meeting in time to receive the award.

– But I have an agreement that we can celebrate it next year, says Niels.

Niels also says that the Night Ravens work a little differently in Greenland than in Denmark.

In Denmark, the target group is to get in touch with 16-18 year olds. Our target group up here is somewhat younger, says Niels.

There are 43 active Night Owls in Nuuk, says Niels. There are a smaller number in Sisimiut, and there have been in other towns in the past. Unfortunately, it is difficult to keep the associations alive on the Coast, explains the chairman. It typically requires 15-20 active members who will go once in a while.

All four of the evening's Night Names are in Danish, and it is important for Niels to emphasize that this is a coincidence.

– Fortunately, we have had more Greenlandic speakers join us in recent years, and more are welcome. It is clear that it is easier to get in touch with children and young people when some of us can speak their own language. So we just talk more in Greenlandic.

Fortunately, children's curiosity and sweet tooth can help bridge the language barriers. Now there is another group of children who have caught the yellow ravens' attention and are getting closer.

– The ones without licorice!

– Candy for me too, here!

– Can I have a condom?

The last question was a surprising one, at least for some of us. The kid asking seems too young for that kind of thing. Niels takes it easy and gives him the condom.

He adds, after the children have moved on: 

– I don't think he really needed a condom. We have an idea that some of them might use them for water balloons.

In any case, it's good that the boy can talk naturally about condoms and get hold of them, tonight's Night Names agree. Then he'll have it under control when it really matters, sooner or later. Others have also discovered that part of the Night Names' packaging.

– One day a car pulled up next to us with some adults in it, asking if we had any condoms. It was a bit unusual… but we did, says Niels.

When you're out in the cold for three hours, it's good to take a short break. We take it at the Greenland BANK, where both Niels and Pernille work. It also gives the volunteers the opportunity for a little adult conversation for a short remark.

But we can't go to the bank unnoticed either. It's right across from the library – a popular gathering place for children and young people (perhaps because the free WiFi reaches right out into the street). Now it's time to hand out candy again.

The evening ends with a bus tour around the city. The night owls say that many children hang out on the buses, especially if the youth clubs are closed. So it might be good to have a few extra adults on the buses to keep everything under control.

The bus driver probably thinks so too, because he greets the Night Ravens warmly. Nuuk Bussi is a sponsor, as are the hotel and the bank.

Another man greets the yellow crowd on their way out. At the other end, a drunk woman falls into the bus. We think she'll make it home. But it has happened that Night Owls help people who have fallen asleep in the snow on their way home from the pub, says Niels.

– I hope that's what everyone would do in such a situation, he says.

We hardly see any children on the bus as we drive around and end up back in town. On our last stroll, it turns out that at least one youth club is open.

There is shouting and screaming from inside the club - in a festive way, that is. We are not going to go there, though. Being a Nighthawk is an outdoor activity, says one of the Nighthawks' "golden rules". The rules also say that they should always go in groups and that they should not get involved in disturbances.

– Hey, can you hear there's life over there – let's go into the schoolyard, says Niels.

Schools are a natural place for children to meet in the evenings too. It's popular when some of the younger adult night owls take a game of football, says Niels. It's also a way to build a bridge across generations, languages and social differences.

– There go the heroes, a woman shouts from a window.

She is a night owl herself and will be out one of the next few days, we are told.

Niels says that in his opinion, more children have been out on the streets in the evenings over the last 10 years.

– I personally think it's generally okay. It's good that they would rather socialize with each other than sit at home and play computer games. Of course, it can also be bad in some cases if it's because the children don't feel like they have room at home.

As the evening progresses, the party gets bigger and more drunk people start to appear on the streets. Fortunately, it's only adults who are drunk, and they're happy, not aggressive.

– On tours with the Night Ravens in Denmark, I have unfortunately seen many young people standing outside the discos and being very drunk. Fortunately, it is much more unusual to see children and young people here in Nuuk like that. It is generally rare that we experience anything really bad, says Niels.

There is time set aside to talk about things if something has happened during the evening. There is no time tonight. The night owls return to the hotel to put away their jackets. The lobby is full of people in a festive mood, and we say goodbye and thank you to the volunteers.

– I can understand if you wonder how walking around in yellow jackets and handing out some candy and talking to the young people can make a difference. We have also asked ourselves that, says Niels.

– But you could see for yourself that people were happy that we were here – both children and young people and others. And the police appreciate that we are here. So there is a value in the fact that we are just here and we are visible. I am happy to be part of that.