Mythologis
The Inuit Mythology Book: Sedna, Sila, and the Sacred Stories of Ice, Hunger, and the Sea-Goddess at the Bottom of the World

Inuit Mythology

The Inuit Mythology Book: Sedna, Sila, and the Sacred Stories of Ice, Hunger, and the Sea-Goddess at the Bottom of the World

Shamans, Spirits, and Survival in the Arctic

The mythology of the Arctic peoples: Sedna at the ocean floor, Sila in the wind, and the angakkuq shamans who flew between worlds. Drawn from primary sources.

150 pagesPDFEnglishMythologis Library

$14.99

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Inside this book

What you will read

  • 11 chapters, primary sources
  • Instant PDF download
  • Original ink illustrations
  • Inline citations to original texts
  • Designed for print quality
See all chapters  +
  1. 01The Arctic World and Its Peoples
  2. 02Sila: Air, Weather, and Consciousness
  3. 03Sedna: The Sea-Goddess at the Ocean Floor
  4. 04Anguta, the Father, and the Origin of Sedna
  5. 05The Angakkuq: Shamans Who Flew Between Worlds
  6. 06Tornit, Qiviut, and the Spirits of Land and Mountain
  7. 07The Tupilak and the Art of Sorcery
  8. 08Souls, Names, and Reincarnation
  9. 09Taboo, Transgression, and the Refusal of Animals
  10. 10The Ethnographic Record: Boas, Rasmussen, and Rink
  11. 11What Survived: Inuit Mythology in the Modern Arctic

About this book

About this Inuit mythology guide

The mythology of the Arctic: Sedna at the ocean floor, shamans who flew in trance, and the spirits that governed ice, hunger, and survival.

The Inuit peoples of Greenland, Arctic Canada, and Alaska built a mythology around survival, transformation, and the spirits that governed ice, sea, and sky. At the center: Sedna, the sea-goddess who controls all marine mammals from her home at the ocean floor. Above her: Sila, the air itself, consciousness and weather made manifest. Between them: the angakkuq shamans who traveled in trance to negotiate with spirits, heal the sick, and restore balance when taboos were broken.

This book draws on the earliest ethnographic records (Boas, Rasmussen, Rink) and oral traditions collected across the Arctic. You will meet Anguta, Sedna's father; the Tornit giants; the Qiviut mountain spirits; and the tupilak, carved figures sent by sorcerers to kill enemies. Each chapter cites the original sources so you can trace the stories back to the communities that told them.

Eleven chapters, original ink illustrations, and inline citations to ethnographic texts.

What you will discover inside

  • How Sedna became the sea-goddess and mother of all marine mammals
  • What Sila is: air, weather, consciousness, and the invisible force that connects all living things
  • Why the angakkuq shamans traveled to the bottom of the ocean to comb Sedna's hair
  • The role of the tupilak: carved ivory figures sent by sorcerers to kill enemies
  • How the Inuit understood the soul, reincarnation, and the naming of children
  • What happened when taboos were broken and the animals refused to be hunted

Inuit mythology book at a glance

TraditionInuit mythology
Chapters11 chapters
Length150 pages
SourcesDrawn from the primary sources, cited inline
Reading levelBeginner-friendly. Every name and place is explained from scratch
FormatPrint-quality PDF
DeliveryPDF within 24 hours

Formats and editions

EditionWhat you getPrice
Instant PDFPrint-quality download, readable on any device. PDF within 24 hours.$7.99
PaperbackA paperback edition is on the way. Sign up on this page to hear when it lands on Amazon.Coming soon

About the author

Guillaume Henry, founder of Mythologis

Guillaume Henry

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Mythologis

Guillaume Henry founded Mythologis to make the world's mythologies readable without losing what makes them strange. Every Mythologis book draws on the primary sources first, cross-references multiple translations, and avoids inventing details that aren't in the originals.

More about the author

Keep exploring Inuit mythology

Prefer to read before you buy? These free, fully sourced guides cover the same gods, myths and sources you will meet in the book.

Read the complete Inuit mythology guide

Questions about the Inuit mythology book

When will I receive my PDF?

Within 24 hours of purchase. Your download link arrives in your inbox automatically.

Is this book based on primary sources?

Yes. The book cites the earliest ethnographic collections: Franz Boas's The Central Eskimo (1888), Knud Rasmussen's accounts from the Fifth Thule Expedition (1921–1924), and Hinrich Rink's Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo (1875). Each chapter includes references to the standard published editions so you can read the original stories in full.

How long is the book?

Eleven chapters, around 150 pages depending on the final layout. Designed to be read in evenings or in one long sitting.

Is this book for beginners or specialists?

Beginners welcome. The book explains every name, place, and concept from scratch. Specialists will find the source citations and translation notes useful for further reading.

Will there be a paperback on Amazon?

The PDF is available immediately. A KDP paperback edition follows once the book has been validated by readers.

Why is Sedna at the bottom of the ocean?

Sedna was cast into the sea by her father, Anguta, after she married a dog or a bird-spirit (versions differ). When she clung to the kayak, he cut off her fingers. They became seals, walruses, and whales. She sank to the ocean floor and became the mother of all marine mammals, controlling whether hunters could take game. When humans broke taboos, her hair became tangled with filth, and shamans had to journey to her house to comb it and restore the animals.

What formats is this book available in?

Every title is available as an instant PDF, downloaded the moment you buy it: the link appears on the confirmation page and lands in your inbox. Selected titles also have a paperback edition on Amazon. Where the paperback is not out yet, you can sign up to be notified the day it does.

What is the return policy?

The PDF is delivered instantly by Mythologis. If a download ever fails or a file looks wrong, get in touch and we will make it right. Paperbacks bought on Amazon are handled under Amazon's own returns and refund policy.

Can I order from outside the United States?

Yes. The PDF is a digital download, so it works instantly anywhere in the world, with nothing to ship. Where a paperback edition exists, it is sold across Amazon's international marketplaces, with shipping rates and delivery times depending on your country.

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