RELIGIOUS IDEAS AND MYTHS. 5,S3 



RELIGIOUS IDEAS AND THE ANGAKUNIRN (PRIESTHOOD). 



Although the principal religious idras ni' tlic C'riiiral Eskimo and 

 those of the Greenlanders are identical, lln'ir myllidld^ii's dilln- in 

 many material points. I will only mention here that they believe 

 in tlie Tornait of the old Greenlanders, while the Tornarsuk (i. e. , 

 the great Tornaq of the latter) is unknown to them. Their Supreme 

 Being is a woman whose name is Sedna. 



The first report on this tradition is found in Warmow's journal of 

 his visit to Cumberland Sound (Missionsblatt aus der Brilderge- 

 meinde, 1859, No. I, p. 19). The editor says : 



Tlie name of the good spirit is Sanaq or Sana, and he seems to be worshiped as the 

 unknown deity. Nobody could give a de finite answer to Brotlier Warmow's frequent 

 questions as to what they believed he was. They only said they invoked his help 

 if they were in need. " Then we ask him," one of the men sail, "and Takaq (the 

 moon) gives us what we want, seals and deer." Another one said that Sanaq had 

 lived on the earth and afterwards ascended to the moon. 



In Hall's account of his explorations in Frohisher Bay it is men- 

 tioned that the tribes of that country, the Nugumiut, believe in a 

 Supreme Being, and the following statement is given (Hall I, p. 524) : 



Tliere is one Supreme Being, called by them Anguta, who created the earth, sea, 

 and heavenly bodies. There is also a secondary divinity, a woman, the daughter of 

 Anguta, who is called Sidne. She is supposed to have created all things laving 

 life, animal and vegetable. She is regarded also as the protecting divinity of the 

 Inuit people. To her then- supplications are addressed; to her Iheir offerings are 

 made; whUe most of their leUgious rites and supei stitious observances have refer- 

 ence to her. 



It is of great importance that in the journals of Hall's second jour- 

 ney Sedna is mentioned a few times (s| idled Sydney), this l)eing the 

 (mly proof that she is known amon-' tin' tiilies of Hudson Bay. 



The statements of the whalers visiting tlie Sikosuilarmiut and 

 the Akuliarmiut of Hudson Strait correspond with my own observa- 

 tions. Before entering into a comparison of this tradition with 

 similar ones belonging to other tribes, I will give the particulars of 

 the myth as I received it from the Oqomiut and the Akuduirmiut. 



SEDNA AND THE FULMAR. 



Once upon a time there lived on a solitary shore an Inung with his 

 daughter Sedna. His wife had been dead for some time and the 

 two led a quiet life. Sedna grew up to be a handsome girl and the 

 youths came from all around to sue for her hand, but none of them 

 could touch her proud heart. Finally, at the breaking up of the ice 

 in the spring a fulmar flew from over the ice and wooed Sedna M'ith 

 enticing song. "Come to me," it said; "come into the land of the 



