Tag Archives: Inuit mythology

TWELVE DEITIES FROM INUIT MYTHOLOGY

 Inuit mythology is almost criminally neglected. Personally I find it  fascinating and there is a  wealth of underappreciated information to be passed along. Inuit is the term used now, largely replacing  ”eskimo”  which was a pejorative term coined by the Algonquin Indians long ago. The geographical area of the Inuit myths ranges from Siberia across the Bering Strait through Alaska, Canada and Greenland. Names used for the following deities vary across that vast area. Some Inuit settlements like Ayaatayat (near present- day Cape Denbigh) date back 10,000 years. The Inuit were often at war with various Native American tribes and, as a testament to the  fighting  ability of the ancient Inuits they drove the Vikings themselves out of part of Greenland. The Inuit deities are as fascinating as the figures in any other pantheon.

12. NARSSUK – The god of the west wind and a son of the god Sila. Narssuk was depicted as an enormous infant whose winds were generated by the flapping of his caribou- skin diaper. In some versions the goddess Pukimna made the diaper for him. Narssuk supposedly would Continue reading

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ANGUTA: INUIT DEITY

Detailed entry on the father of the sea goddess Sedna. For more entries on the gods and goddesses of Inuit mythology click here: https://glitternight.com/inuit-myth/

Inuit regionANGUTA – This father of the sea goddess Sedna was originally the god who ruled over Pugtulik Island. He was responsible for inflicting punishments on deserving souls when they reached Sedna’s subaquatic realm of the dead.

At the dawn of time, after his unruly daughter devoured both of her mother’s arms and had consumed one of Anguta’s own, he took her out in a canoe to abandon her at sea in the apotheotic event that saw Sedna’s ascension to sea goddess. Continue reading

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ULULIJARNAQ: THE INUIT DISEMBOWELING GODDESS

igloos_450x290For more entries on the gods and goddesses of Inuit mythology click here: https://glitternight.com/inuit-myth/

ULULIJARNAQ – The disemboweling goddess who lived in Udlormiut, the supercelestial afterlife. Originally Ululijarnaq roamed the Earth in Continue reading

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KIVIOQ: INUIT MYTHOLOGY’S PREMIER MONSTER SLAYER

For more of my entries on Inuit myths click herehttps://glitternight.com/inuit-myth/

KIVIOQ – The greatest hero and monster- slayer of Inuit mythology. The exact structure of Kivioq’s saga varies wildly from region to region, some of them with a fully Continue reading

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SEDNA REBORN AS THE SEA GODDESS

Sedna rebornAnguta, the god of Pugtulik Island in the Inuit pantheon of deities had had it with his daughter Sedna. Originally he had shown patience with her since she had not yet reached her apotheosis, had not yet manifested her true level of godly power or given evidence of what aspects of the world she was destined to control.  

Enough was enough, however. First she had refused all suitors, dismissing gods and heroes alike when they had tried to court her and thus embarrassing him and his wife Isarrataitsoq. Magnifying that insult she had taken to Continue reading

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MYTHOLOGY: THE INUIT DEITY KALLAK

Inuit regionKALLAK – Kallak was the first-born son of the Inuit Earth goddess Nunam and the wind and weather god Sila. When he came of age Nunam mated with Kallak and the two had a daughter. When that daughter came of age Kallak mated with her and the pair produced all of the original Inuit people. 

This myth is at odds with another myth which claims that Kallak and his daughter’s union produced the race of giants who warred with Sila and were killed by him in the end. Nunam brought the slain giants (who are her brothers, not her children in some versions) back to life. Sila insisted they be punished however, and shrunk the giants, who became the Ishigaq, the one meter tall Inuit version of elves.

Still another Inuit tradition says that Continue reading

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INUIT MYTHS: KIVIOQ

 For more of my entries on Inuit myths click here: https://glitternight.com/inuit-myth/

KIVIOQ – The greatest hero and monster- slayer of Inuit mythology. The exact structure of Kivioq’s saga varies wildly from region to region, some of them with a fully Continue reading

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INUIT MYTH PAGE – KANAJUK

For more Inuit deities click here: https://glitternight.com/inuit-myth/

KANAJUK – This god was the giant sea scorpion who was the husband Sedna shared with her armless mother, Isarrataitsoq. Kanajuk often Continue reading

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INUIT MYTH PAGE: THE GODDESS KADLU AND HER SISTERS

For more Inuit deities click here: https://glitternight.com/inuit-myth/

KADLU- The goddess who makes lightning by rubbing pieces of dry seal skin together. She dwells in Sedna’s subaquatic realm along with her sisters, Ignirtoq and Kweetoo. Inuit women would make offerings of Continue reading

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INUIT MYTH PAGE – ISITOQ

For more Inuit deities click here: https://glitternight.com/inuit-myth/

ISITOQ – This god was depicted as a giant winged eye, constantly flying through the sky and observing every violation of a Continue reading

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