The Mythology of the Inuits is fascinating, it is like going back in time, a time before gods, before large civilizations, when people were at one with nature. This video looks at the most well-known myth, other motifs, and rituals of death to gain a basic understanding of Inuit culture and their beliefs.
*Correction: Algonquin isnāt a local dialect of the Inuit, itās from the Algic language family.
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Mythology Database: https://www.mythologydatabase.com
š§” Please respect otherās cultures and beliefs. Racism, discrimination or threatening speech will not be tolerated.
š References
Boas, Franz. 1894. Eskimo Tales and Songs.
Boas, Franz. 1904. The Folklore of the Eskimo.
Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. Vol XV, Part II, 1907.
Various. 1917. Folktales of Salishan and Sahaptin Tribes.
Pivut Magazines, Sept 2007.
Taiksumani Inuk 2004-2006.
š Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:58 Who are the Inuit?
3:50 Sedna, Ruler of the Sea
10:05 Angakkuq, the Inuit Shamans
11:12 Dreams
12:42 Creation Myths
17:40 Giants, the Tunit
18:42 Alainang the Giant
21:23 Death
22:21 Death of a Walrus
26:12 Death of a Human
30:09 Inuit Culture and Ritual
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Let me know if you want me to dive deeper into Inuit myth, or native American, or any culture for that matter. I thoroughly enjoyed researching this, and thank you for all your support.
It's an interesting video about a culture I barely know anything about. Are there many differences between the Inuit people and the SĆ”mi people, in their stories, myths,…?
Also, getting to know the native American folklore better would be great too.
Where/when in our imagination do the first gods appear? As ringleaders of certain groups of spirits? Or maybe as a twice distanced substitute for them?
very nicely done, thanks.
This was a great video and I'd love to hear more about Inuit mythology and culture.
If, like you said, to the inuit, killing a human was just like killing a rat or any other animal… and these were the "I ā§ seals" people, hard-core hunters… and they're relatively recent arrivals from Asia who "displaced" the native cultures in a very similar way to what the Europeans did (almost completely, using superior technology to reduce them to a few remnants on small areas of bad land)… and in their own version of the Abraham & Isaac story, the father repeatedly actually tries to kill the kid, like he's got rooster-brain, yet she survives despite him, and grows up to be an angry whiner… some interesting stories, that's for sure. You can't ask if we want MORE native american stories, because we haven't had any. We've had inuit stories, and that's different from algonquin stories, as other people have pointed out. There are many distinct indigenous populations here, and inuit is the most different from all of them.
I have come across the Sedna myth before, this is the first time I have come across this version, usually she sinks to the bottom of the sea, she accepts her fate and in doing so she becomes 'the deity of the sea', the picture at 8.18 shows Sedna with fingers at a point the timeline suggests she no longer has them. I really appreciate your channel and everything it teaches me, so I thought you should know of the consistencies in what I'm sure has been a time consuming labour of love.
Please go further into America Native culture. It feels home to me. Thank you!
Great stuff! Anything about the myths of hunter/gathers from the Paleolithic until now is interesting to me.
Please do !
I'm hoping you're feeling better. I have enjoyed this posting. Can you do a video on Native American myths?
31:38 where's the link to the story? Can't find it š
I live in the Pacific Northwest of 32:51 32:51 32:51 North America where local tradition was largely unbroken well into the 19th century. It was a rich environment dominated by the salmon runs and although semi sedentary in the coastal areas agriculture did not develop here. In the late 19th/early 20th centuries concerned anthropologists were able to collect traditions of the area before some of the smaller tribal cultures disappeared. There is a large corpus of stories around Coyote, who is not a god but something of a Demi-urge. Many of the tales are place name stories similar to the Irish dinsenchas. The signal story from the lower Columbia River is the tale of the Tamanowas Bridge which involves the naming of the stratovolcanoes in the area and the collapse of a great stone arch across the river for which there is geologic evidence in the Columbia Gorge. I think Jon would like this story. There is evidence of salmon fishing at The Dallas in the gorge going back to 11,000 BCE which is several thousand years prior to evidence of a human population in Ireland after the retreat of the glaciers. Although the evidence is scant because wood deteriorates quickly in the climate the people of the lower Columbia were accomplished architects. Their long houses were limited in width by the length of the tree trunks used as cross beams but at least one whose remains have been discovered was 200 feet long. To build such an edifice takes a fairly high degree of organization, so although they were not agricultural to simply dismiss them as primitive seems misplaced. Unfortunately much of this culture was wiped by the introduction of infectious disease. If the knowledge of plants by the women further up river that was still retained into the middle 20th century is any indication, these women were astounding botanists using up to 200 different plants, many of which were poisonous except at very specific times of year. I would guess that much of this lore was passed on by stories that have now been lost.
Thanks. I wonder if there is mention of 5h3 previous inhabitants in their tales?
Wonderful video! Thank you.
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The Algonquin were neighbors…..and something that sounded like "Eskimo" was their word for the folks who call themselves Inuit. The Europeans met Algonquin speakers first, and so called the Inuit "Eskimos" from their neighbors' name for them— not the name they called themselves. Like Germany vs Deustchland.
It might be extremely interesting to study the agricultural myths of the Americas—many of the legends and stories about farming and harvests in the northern reaches of the Americas revolve around Hero Twins. In maize farming areas the twins theme is unavoidable. Potato farming places are more about the sun and mountains.
Yes, I will love more videos about peoples I'm the Americas
Howard Norman's retelling collection Northern Tales is one of my favorites.
Iād be keen on more Sumer stuff
Fascinating, would love more videos on the non-agricultural mindset from any culture
The inuit people are more important to the world than we know. 'The raven had the power to turn into man or bird simply by pulling his beak up over his head as one lifts a mask . " this proves all our ancestors was duped by advanced beings all over the world . How many stories with body parts falling into the water turning into land , animals or gods. š¤ people are dumb
Another fascinating video, thank you!
I was interested in the idea that flesh shoukd be removed from a body as quickly as possible.
There are many Stone Age human bones that have cut marks on them. Sonetines, these are interpreted as evidence of cannibalism, which may well be true as some have evidence of bone marrow removal. However, many could equally be evidence of de-fleshing.
Also, some neolithic sites have areas in front of tombs which are enclosed spaces that may have been used for ex-carnation.
It makes one wonder if the desire for flesh removal was similar to the Inuit's 'freeing of the soul.'
Additionally, at the site made famous as 'The Tomb of the Eagles' there were numerous sea eagle skulls amongst the human remains. If there was a sense of equality with at least some animals that would potentially provide an explanation for theur burial along with humans.
May I share a thought with you? First, I love your content. But, second, I have trouble with any videos which are dominated by the narrator's face. Your face is fine, quite handsome in fact. But there's something difficult about having nothing but this person's face in my face while I'm trying to listen and learn. Would you consider modified approach to your videos in which your face is place in a corner picture-in-picture while something thematic to the topic dominates the screen? Just one person's issue. You do fine work.
Great video have you read the book " The Serpent and the swan" animal bride in folklore and literature by "boria sax" interesting read all I'm saying
Thanks so much!! This is si interesting!
More Inuit please šš½
My favorite story from a book called red swan a collection of American indigenous stories, about why the bear walks the way they do, I need that book I got it from the school library a long time ago and I remember that and other stories especially about the coyote the trickster .