An angakok, craving eggs, stole a merganser’s nest and harpooned a seal. On his return, he encountered seals plotting revenge as umiarissat, disguised as a boat. He repelled them with filth, exposing their illusion as ice. Later, the merganser confronted him, demanding its eggs, which it had made him forget in his kayak through a charm, sparing his life. Another angakok lost his powers for similar theft.
Source:
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo
by Henry Rink
[William Blackwood and Sons]
Edinburgh and London, 1875
► Themes of the story
Divine Intervention: The merganser employs supernatural means to influence the angakok’s actions, reflecting the theme of higher powers affecting mortal affairs.
Revenge and Justice: The animals’ actions serve as retribution for the angakok’s thefts, highlighting the consequences of wrongdoing and the restoration of moral balance.
Moral Lessons: The story imparts ethical teachings about respect for nature and the repercussions of greed, emphasizing the importance of harmonious coexistence with the natural world.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Inuit peoples
Abridged version of the story.
A great angakok, while kayaking about at midsummer, suddenly took a longing for eggs; and landing upon an island, he found a merganser’s nest with plenty of eggs, all of which be carried away. On his way home be met with a flock of seals, of which be harpooned one; but after having taken it, he heard voices from among the rest encouraging each other to go and get hold of a piece of ice, and return as umiarissat. On getting home he walked up to his house, forgetting the eggs in his kayak; but he ordered his housemates to throw down on the beach all manner of filthy stuff to frighten away the umiarissat. In the evening a boat was seen to arrive manned with seals, but as soon as they scented the filth they all jumped into the water, and the boat appeared as a piece of ice.
► Continue reading…
Later in the evening a voice was heard outside, and the head of the gooseander emerged from the entrance with dreadfully enlarged eyes. Addressing itself to the angakok, it scolded him for having robbed it of its descendants, but now it had come to fetch its eggs back, having by help of a charm caused him to forget them and leave them in his kayak. If he had not left them it certainly would have frightened them all to death. Another angakok in a similar case was bereft of his angakok power by the merganser.
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Dreamtime Whispers 