Eskimo Folk Tales
1. A Coming of Men, A Long, Long While Ago - I love creation stories. I always love to see how other cultures believe that the earth and humans were create. Or I love to see the stories from there culture of what their people used to believe happened.
2. Nukúnguasik, Who Escaped From Tupilak - He didn't even describe the Tupilak and I was still terrified of it! To have it sitting there just sniffing and then to find it alive and nibbling on the dead body. It sounds super creepy.What I want to know is why the middle mother wanted to kill his brother. I like that this story is short but I am so curious!
3. The Women Who Had A Bear As A Foster Son - That was the sweetest story! I felt so bad when she made the bear leave! I bet the hunter attacked him first and so he killed the man just like the old foster mother told him to do! But it would be interesting to see a polar bear with a black spot.
4. Qalagangase, who passed to the land of ghosts - I want to know what the importance of him turning into a woman when he turned into a ghost was. That just seems so random. I am really enjoying these stories! They go by quickly and are entertaining.
5. Isigaligarssik - Yay! I was so happy that he got his wife back! SO far I have noticed that men who don't have wives do not get treated the same as others. They don't get treated poorly, just differently. And when they do finally get a wife, everyone rejoices! I find that very interesting.
6. The insects that wooed a wifeless man - I appreciate that this story notes that there is always a wifeless man to begin a story. In the stories the man seems to get a wife, lose the wife, and either live happily, or goes to get the wife back.
7. Makite - hunting is also a very important and necessary skill for all men to have. I like that they always refer to the other men as 'brothers'. It shows how close they consider themselves to be. After reading the very first story, I could see how they believe that they are all related and came from the earth.
8. Atungait, who went A-wandering - I laughed when "the lame ones" called for their copper plaything back because it was like they didn't know what it was either! I know they do, I just thought it was funny. Oh but of course the big strong man who leaves massive footprints in the ground is a wizard! It only makes sense. I like the message that speaking the truth is a good thing, but I am not too fond of the fact that he killed his wife...
9. The Giant dog - I like how at the end of the stories the narrator, I suppose that is who it is, is like, "That is all I know," as if s/he has been telling us the story the entire time. I am not sure what to say about this story except that it was interesting for sure.
10. Papik, who killed his wife's brother - This story was a little confusing. I didn't know that the monster was a bear for a good while but I figured it was the old woman. After reading this story I think I know why the men call each other brothers. All of the people have been raised on stories that teach them to be close to those around them. To not kill others without cause. That those around you are really your brothers and sisters and you have to live together so you might as well get along.
11. Patussorssuuaq, who killed his uncle - I haven't finished the first paragraph and I am pretty sure that the nephew is going to kill the uncle for the pretty woman. I like how the meaning of the story is written in the last line. It also shows the idea that the Eskimos have, do not kill another man. Unless of course he kills you first or does something to you while you are alive, then you have to go back as a bear and then you can kill the other man. Obviously.
12. The wife who lied - Again, they put the moral of the story at the end. Liars get killed. So, you aren't supposed to kill others unless they lie? But I guess her lies did cause lots of people to die so it makes sense.
13. The Eagle and the Whale - What! The brothers find their sisters husbands and then kill them great creatures when they begin to miss their sister? WHAT? I feel like this story goes against all of the other stories I have read so far! And it makes me a little sad...
14. Atdlarneq, the Great Glutton - That story was a little odd. It didn't quite fit in to the theme of the other stories, but I did enjoy it! I love that there are always stories in almost every culture that are made up to scare children into behaving. They are always so interesting!
15. Angangujuk - So from this story I am getting that the inlanders and the ones who live on the ice do not get along so well? I wonder why that is. I have noticed that sort of running through this reading. The outlanders and the inlanders always seem to be a little wary of each other.
16. Atarssuaq - I'm not sure what it was about this story but I really liked it! I was terrified that the boy would drown when the dad threw him into the water. I thought it was cool how the boy basically got a seal swimming suit and how he became so skilled in swimming. I'm not sure how he didn't die of hypothermia, but it was still an interesting story!
17. Tungujuluk and Saunikoq - I don't think a shame should be felt at all for getting the man who could turn into a bear to leave. He almost killed the walrus-man's son. Walrus-man just took the other guy's bladder float.
18. Kanagssuaq - Okay, so this story was a little harder to follow. I get that there was a freeze, villagers couldn't get any food. One guy went out and got food. I think there might have been a deity somewhere in there? I'm not actually sure... I thought that the main character had stolen the seal but it turns out he didn't... I was worried he was going to die at the end and so was very confused when he got a bunch of presents from the other character.
No comments:
Post a Comment