Superguksoak created the walrus from her boots and the caribou from her breeches, with the deer’s spots mirroring the marks on the fabric. Initially, the walrus had antlers and the caribou tusks, but their destructive behavior led Superguksoak to switch them. She sent the caribou inland, calling “kaite, kaite” when needed, shaping the animals and their roles in the environment.
Source:
The Labrador Eskimo
by E.W. Hawkes
[Canada, Department of Mines]
Geological Survey, Memoir 91
Anthropological Series no. 14
Ottawa, 1916
► Themes of the story
Creation: It explains the origins of the walrus and caribou, detailing how Superguksoak formed them from her garments.
Transformation: The narrative describes the physical changes in the animals, particularly the swapping of antlers and tusks to restore harmony.
Conflict with Nature: The initial assignment of antlers to the walrus and tusks to the caribou led to disruptions, highlighting the challenges and resolutions in human interactions with the natural world.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about Inuit peoples
Superguksoak made the walrus from her boots and the caribou from her breeches. The spots on the deer correspond to the marks on her breeches.
When first made, the walrus had antlers on its head and the caribou had tusks. But the walrus upset the kayaks with its antlers and the caribou killed the hunters with its tusks, so Superguksoak changed them.
She told the caribou to go inland and stay there. When she wants the caribou, she calls kaite, kaite, “Come, come.”
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Dreamtime Whispers 