The northern lights. The Mother of the Sea. The wandering spirit known as Qivittoq. Myths and legends have long played an important role in the daily lives of Greenlanders. In the past, moral lessons were passed down through oral traditions, and today they remain a vital part of the social and cultural heritage that unites the Greenlandic people. On our expeditions to West or East Greenland, you’ll have the chance to learn more about these myths and legends.
Northern Lights
The northern lights are not only a breathtaking sight to behold, but they also hold spiritual meaning. When the aurora danced across the winter sky, creating its wonders, the ancient Greenlanders believed it was their ancestors playing football with a walrus skull in the sky.
The Mother of the Sea
According to one version of this myth, the girl Sassuma Arnaa was thrown overboard by her father. In her desperate attempts to save herself, he cut off her fingers and then her hands. Her fingers turned into smaller sea creatures such as seals and fish, while her hands became polar bears and whales. She sank to the bottom of the sea and transformed into the Mother of the Sea.
The myth says that when an Inuit breaks a social taboo, the Mother of the Sea’s hair becomes dirty, and entangles the animals so that the hunters cannot find any prey. A shaman must then travel beyond the horizon to the bottom of the sea to clean her hair and release the animals, ensuring that the people do not starve. The shaman then returns to the community to share the lessons of the broken taboos so that the people may learn.
The Mother of the Sea is depicted in many works of art found throughout Greenland’s towns and villages.
Qivittoq – Modern Legends
If there’s one thing Greenlanders love, it’s a good and frightening ghost story. Many of today’s tales revolve around the infamous wandering spirit known as Qivittoq, who has been forced into—or has chosen—exile in the wilderness. It was believed that those who were banished turned into spirits because they managed to survive Greenland’s harsh climate. The legends live on, and don’t be surprised if you meet a Greenlander who claims to have seen a Qivittoq out in nature.
Source: Visit Greenland