U-N-I-K-K-A-A-Q-T-U-A-T

AN INTRODUCTION TO INUIT MYTHS AND LEGENDS

Although the book has wondrous tales and legends from ancient times which teach an understanding of the Inuit of the Canadian terrain, the Inuit people also inhabit countries such as Denmark, Greenland, Labrador and the United State of Alaska just to mention a few. The Aleut language they speak is known as Inuit-Yupik-Unangan and Eskaleut. But, when you read the traditional multi-regional stories behind the belief system of these enchanting souls you find that a lot of the names sound Russian in dialect. These individuals saw no difference between people and animals. They saw themselves as able to become an animal. They often see human beings among them who may be an animal. In short, the transitional belief system they formed supports the lifestyle of an appreciation and a sacred honor given to food and clothing and a tundra on which relationships represent mutual support. They have one God and while female humans among them are most abundant, the one God they honor is female by nature.

Some of the stories passed down much as those of other countries throughout the globe sound the same as parable stories heard and told by other religions. There are stories that enfold that describe real events experienced by the Inuit such as whole islands which just submerged below the ocean.A lot of stories describe adventures where sea lions and whales and even hares and other creatures of the ground speak as sophisticated humans, reasoning and planning ways to find food. And while food and warm clothing and protective coverings and close relationships are a necessity and not a luxury for the best survival according to the Inuit, oppression of others among the tribes and the moral consequences which would befall antagonists dominate the majority of the traditional passed down by word-of-mouth mostly stories they tell among themselves. In short, emotional or physical mistreatment of others and the prevention of such social demeanor ranks high among the spiritual values of the Inuit. And not just as something they either ignore or make any excuses for. The Inuit both dislike and confront evil as soon as a problem of peace disturbance or misconduct or unkindness arises. This is especially true among the tribes of today. After all, goodness and abundance is a part of that same basic belief system that has insured them joy and happiness and food, shelter and clothing for years.

The most refreshing water you ever had comes from a melted ice floe or frozen fresh water when it melts from an iceberg. The strangest sounds besides those of chanting whales you ever heard come when the largess frozen ice of the ocean begins melting and breaking against the bow of each other during the springtime meltdown. Strangely while one Inuit parable folk tale sounds just as the story of Cain and Abel, but with Inuit names, another story named 'The Man Who Did Not Observe Taboos' sounds just like something right out of the Hebrew Torah of Leviticus (Or Vayikra). When a man ignores the purity rules of keeping physically clean after the burial of his loved one and eats and touches meat, he violates another taboo of the culture by going up the mountain of sparkling ice and drinking the delicious water flowing down there. One day he goes out fishing and spirits surround him, giving him no option but to confront his transgressions.

And while many of the stories told teach proper tribal behavior and faithful adherence to good morals, there are also those stories which illuminate and encourage and reward good spiritual growth such as, 'The Soul That Let Itself Be Born Again In All The Animals Of The Earth.' Other stories while very fantasy structured and a lot more fairy tale by nature of the persons and the plot and outcome of the stories, do follow the soul intention of the Inuit when it comes to all of the stories they tell, which is to both teach and entertain. However, honestly the life of the Inuit meant facing famine at times such as the tale of 'Ijimagasukdjukdjuaq' describes where during just such a time the wife of the man named after this story makes plans to run away from her forceful, brutal spouse. "One day he sent her out to gather heather. The woman, however, was afraid of her husband, and resolved to flee from him. She filled her jacket, her boots, and her trousers with heather and arranged the stuffed garments to look like a person sitting on the ground." The story goes on to describe how the woman found good people among her own family to be among and how one day while they were all laughing and celebrating they engaged in a fun activity of tying their hands to a stick which they would hang over a tightrope to swing from for fun.