These figures were called tuurngait (also tornait, tornat, tornrait, singular tuurngaq, torngak, tornrak, tarngek). The Inuit believed that all things had a form of spirit or soul (in Inuktitut: anirniq - breath; plural anirniit), just like humans. Inuit traditional religious practices could be very briefly summarised as a form of shamanism based on animist principles. His or her role was to see, interpret and exhort the subtle and unseen. Traditionally used in all aspects of daily life, Inuit mythology has undergone a resurgence in popularity as community groups aim to preserve traditional teachings as a method of cultural and political solidarity. American Indian languages These imaginative, hardy and resourceful peoples are linked not only linguistically, but by a distinctly similar culture and way of life, as seen through Inuit art, song, dance, myth and legend. Sedna (also known as Sanna, Nerrivik, Nuliajuq, and many other regional names): The Inuit goddess of the sea. Back to Indigenous gods and monsters Living in a varied and irregular world, the Inuit traditionally did not worship anything, but they feared much. These spirits were held to persist after death - a common belief present in practically all human societies. Myths are usually seen as narratives used to explain characters, experiences or phenomena of religious or spiritual importance that are illustrative of a certain community’s belief system. Some Inuit looked into the aurora borealis, or northern lights, to find images of their family and friends dancing in the next life. support our organization's work with the Inuit Indian languages. Click on Instructor Login for more information. The anirniit were seen to be a part of the sila - the sky or air around them - and were merely borrowed from it. This is the root word for a number of other Christian terms: anirnisiaq means angel and God is rendered as anirnialuk - the great spirit.
The Inuit believed that all things had a form of spirit or soul (in Inuktitut: anirniq - breath; plural anirniit), just like humans. The angakkuq (Inuktitut syllabics ᐊᖓᑦᑯᖅ[6] or ᐊᖓᒃᑯᖅ,[7] also angakuq; plural angakuit) of a community of Inuit was not the leader, but rather a sort of healer and psychotherapist, who tended wounds and offered advice, as well as invoking the spirits to assist people in their lives, or as often as not fighting them off. Inuit mythology has many similarities to the religions of other polar regions. The spirit of the dead can only be placated by obedience to custom, avoiding taboos, and performing the right rituals. American Indian people Inuit Myths & Legends A collection of traditional stories that are central to Inuit culture. Some authors debate the conclusions we might deduce from Aua's words, because the angakkuq was under the influence of missionaries, and later he even converted to Christianity — converted people often see the ideas in polarisation and contrasts, the authors say. Songs and dances also enhanced the meanings of myths and legends, which upheld the existing system, bolstered the traditional customs of Inuit society, and verbalized a sense of right and wrong. Bird dreams forewarn of blizzards. Dreams have always played an important part in the lives of Inuit, perhaps serving as the basis for some myth forms. Signing up enhances your TCE experience with the ability to save items to your personal reading list, and access the interactive map. The Inuit cosmos is ruled by no one. According to a customary Inuit saying "The great peril of our existence lies in the fact that our diet consists entirely of souls." Their religion shares many similarities with religions of other North Polar peoples. [1][2][3] While the dominant religious system of the Inuit today is Christianity, many Inuit do still hold to at least some element of their traditional religious beliefs. By believing that all things have souls like those of humans, killing a… Myths are usually seen as narratives used to explain characters, experiences or phenomena of religious or spiritual importance that are illustrative of a certain community’s belief system. From the Interuniversity Centre for Aboriginal Studies and Research. Like all mythology, Inuit myths and legends are both entertaining and instructive. Thus, language and legend may give clues to ancient routes of migration. The stories reinforce a close relationship with all of nature, as well as the belief that animals have the magical power to hear and understand human words. The first sea mammals were said to be created from Sedna's severed fingers. There are no divine mother and father figures.

Legends and Folklore of the Northern Lights, Tales of Ticasuk: Eskimo Legends and Stories. Francophone Association of Nunavut. Also, click on Timeline at the top of the page for a chronology of events that politically shaped the Canadian North. Inuit traditional cosmology is not religion in the usual theological sense, and is similar to what most people think of as mythology only in that it is a narrative about the world and the place of people in it. Humans were a complex of three main parts : two souls (. By believing that all things have souls like those of humans, killing an animal is little different from killing a person. Would you like to help support our organization's work with the Inuit Indian languages?

Some mythologists, like David Leeming, are more relaxed in their approach to defining myths and legends, and include both in the category of mythology. Inuit religion is the shared spiritual beliefs and practices of Inuit, an indigenous people from Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. Some Inuit myths are thought-provoking in their deceptive simplicity.