Inuit Myths and Legends

Wednesday, October 1, 2008
As a teacher in the North, I often get emails from teacher friends down south asking about Inuit Mythology and if I know where they can find some resources to share with their colleagues and students. Here's several that I've found pretty useful in planning for courses next term.

Inuit Myths A site developed through QIA (Qikiqtani Inuit Association) and a variety of Government and Non Government organizations, to provide a resource for Nunavummiut and people from around the world who want to learn more about the Inuit storytelling tradition. There are downloadable copies of Taiksumani (a publication of Inuit Myths that are distributed to schools and libraries) and information of Mythological beings.

Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo a digitalized version of Henry Rinks 1875 collection of Myths and Legends.

Eskimo Folk-Tales a digitized version of Eskimo Tales collected by Kund Rasmussen (1921).

First People an online collection of American Indians, First Nations and Inuit Mythology.

If anyone has any other ones that they would like to add to this list, send them my way.

6 comments:

Kassy said...

hi9 um i was just wondering...is Inuit mythology the same as arctic mythology???? i have a project to do for a class and i was wondering if im looking at the right place?

Anonymous said...

Hi Kennie, thanks for the information on your blog. I am a fourth year student at Nunavut Teacher Education Program. I was looking for links to Inuit Legends and Myths and I came across your blog. Do you allow your pictures used in a classroom activities? you can email me back to rchurchill@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

vary good info

medibujitos said...

Hello, my name is María Eugenia, I am from Ecuador, in South America. I am very interested in reaching the origin of an Inuit tale that I read in a book, it is called the Skeleton Woman, but I have seen more versions of this tale in youtube that re a little different. If you have some information about this tale, please would you tellme if that is really a popular inuit tale. I would thank you very much
María Eugenia

JohnnieSue said...

I'm looking for a story I read several years ago. It was in a book of Alaska legend/story collections that was in Mendenhall branch of Juneau Library Don't know if it's Inuit, or ? but definitely Alaska. People living maybe on an island but storms, famine, no food. Men get in boats to go hunt for food leave women, children, and elders. Seems like water keeps rising forcing those left behind to keep moving inland or uphill. One morning they find boats on beach/shore. Get in boats and boats take them to men. They get out of the boats and when they look back at boats, all they see are whales swimming away.
If anyone knows where I can get the entire story I would really appreciste some info. Thanks!!

Michael said...

Hello, I was wondering if the stories listed above are typical of the Inupiaq people in Northern Alaska, many of them seem to be from as far away as Greenland. I understand that there may be some overlap, but are stories from one side of the continent really consistently present on the other side?