A widow and her son, Kongajuk, faced neglect and hunger from their housemates. After the widow’s death, the ailing Kongajuk was left alone, hearing eerie grave sounds. The spirits of his mother, father, and others emerged, taking him to join them in their otherworldly realm. The tale intertwines themes of suffering, abandonment, and reunion in the afterlife.
Source:
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo
by Henry Rink
[William Blackwood and Sons]
Edinburgh and London, 1875
► Themes of the story
Underworld Journey: Kongajuk is visited by the spirits of his deceased family members, who take him to their otherworldly realm, indicating a journey into the afterlife.
Family Dynamics: The narrative centers on Kongajuk’s relationship with his mother and father, highlighting themes of familial neglect and eventual reunion in the afterlife.
Community and Isolation: Kongajuk and his mother experience neglect and isolation from their community, leading to their suffering and abandonment.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Inuit peoples
Abridged version of the story.
A widow and her son were despised by their housemates, and suffered want of food.
At last she died, and the child, named Kongajuk, being very sick, was left alone in the house.
There it heard the bones of the graves rattling, and in came its mother, leading another child in her hand, and afterwards its father, accompanied by other deceased people, who took Kongajuk along with them to their abodes.
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Dreamtime Whispers 