Angakkuq
Encyclopedia
The Angakkuq (Inuktitut syllabics
Inuktitut syllabics
Inuktitut syllabics is a writing system used by the Inuit in Nunavut and in Nunavik, Quebec...

 ᐊᖓᑦᑯᖅ), Angatkuq (Inuvialuktun
Inuvialuktun
Inuvialuktun, or Western Canadian Inuit language, Western Canadian Inuktitut, Western Canadian Inuktun comprises three Inuit dialects spoken in the northern Northwest Territories by those Canadian Inuit who call themselves Inuvialuk .Inuvialuktun is spoken by the Inuit of the Mackenzie River delta...

), Angakok (plural angákut) or Ilisitsok (Kalaallisut
Kalaallisut language
Greenlandic is an Eskimo–Aleut language spoken by about 57,000 people in Greenland. It is closely related to the Inuit languages in Canada, such as Inuktitut...

) is the intellectual and spiritual figure among the Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...

 and corresponds to a shaman. Not only the Inuit, but also other Eskimo
Eskimo
Eskimos or Inuit–Yupik peoples are indigenous peoples who have traditionally inhabited the circumpolar region from eastern Siberia , across Alaska , Canada, and Greenland....

 cultures know similar mediator persons. Shamanism among Eskimo peoples
Shamanism among Eskimo peoples
Shamanism among Eskimo peoples refers to those aspects of the various Eskimo cultures that are related to the shamans’ role as a mediator between people and spirits, souls, and mythological beings...

 has many forms and variants, like Eskimo cultures themselves.

Role in Inuit Society

Both women and men could become an Angakkuq, although it was more rare for women to do so. The process for becoming an Angakkuq varied widely. The son of a current Angakkuq might be trained by his father to become one as well. Alternatively, a young man or woman who exhibited a predilection or power that made them stand out might be trained by an experienced mentor. There are also instances of Angakkuit claiming to have been called to the role through dreams or visions. Mistreated orphans or people who had survived hard times might also become Angakkuit with the help of the spirits of their dead loved ones.

Training to become an Angakkuq consisted of acculturation to the rites and roles necessary for the position, as well as instruction in the special language of the Angakkuit, which consisted largely of archaic vocabulary and oral tradition that was shared across much of the Arctic areas the Inuit occupied. During their training, the Angakkuq would also gain a familiar or spirit guide who would be visible only to them. This guide, called a tuurngaq, would at times give them extraordinary powers. Inuit stories tell of Angakkuit who could run as fast as caribou, or who could fly, with the assistance of their tuurngaq. In some traditions, the Angakkuq would be either stabbed or shot, receiving no wound because of the intervention of their tuurngaw, thus proving their power.

Until spiritual guidance or assistance was needed, an Angakkuq lived a normal life for an Inuit, participating in society as a normal person. But when sickness needed to be cured, or divination of the causes of various misfortunes was needed, the Angakkuq would be called on. The services of an Angakkuit might also be required to interpret dreams. If they were called to perform actions that helped the entire village, the work was usually done freely. But if they were called to help an individual or family, they would usually receive remuneration for their efforts.

Amongst the Inuit, there are notions comparable to laws:
  • tirigusuusiit, things to avoid
  • maligait, things to follow
  • piqujait, things to do

If these three are not obeyed, then the Angakkuq may need to intervene with the offending party in order to avoid harmful consequence to the person or group. Breaking these laws or taboos was seen as the cause of misfortune, such as bad weather, accidents, or unsuccessful hunts. In order to pinpoint the cause of such misfortune, the Angakkuq would undertake a spirit-guided journey outside of their body. They would discover the cause of the misfortune on this journey. Once they returned from the journey, the Angakkuq would question people involved in the situation, and, under the belief that they already knew who was responsible, the people being questioned would often confess. This confession alone could be declared the solution to the problem, or acts of penance such as cleaning the urine pots or swapping wives might be necessary.

The Angakkuit of the central Inuit participate in an annual ceremony to appease the mythological figure Sedna
Sedna (mythology)
In Inuit mythology, Sedna is the goddess of the sea and marine animals such as seals. A creation myth, the story of Sedna shows how she came to rule over Adlivun, the Inuit underworld...

, the Sea Woman. The Inuit believed that Sedna became angry when her taboos were broken, and the only way to appease her was for an Angakkuq to travel in spirit to the underworld where she lived, Adlivun
Adlivun
In Inuit mythology, Adlivun refers to both the spirits of the departed who reside in the underworld, and that underworld itself, located beneath the land and the sea. The souls are purified there, in preparation for the travel to the Land of the Moon , where they find eternal rest and peace...

, and smooth out her hair. According to myth, this was of great assistance to Sedna because she lacks fingers. The Angakkuq would then beg or fight with Sedna to ensure that his people would not starve, and the Inuit believed that his pleading and apologies on behalf of his people would allow the animals to return and hunters to be successful. After returning from this spirit journey, communities in which the rite was practiced would have communal confessions, and then celebration.

External links

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