Traditional Inuit Stories by Noel K. Mcdermott a Thesis
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Unikkaaqtuat: Traditional Inuit Stories By Noel K. McDermott A thesis submitted to the Graduate Program in Cultural Studies in conformity with the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada April, 2015 Copyright © Noel McDermott, 2015 Abstract Commentary on Inuit language, culture and traditions, has a long history, stretching at least as far back as 1576 when Martin Frobisher encountered Inuit on the southern shores of Baffin Island. The overwhelming majority of this vast collection of observations has been made by non-Inuit, many of whom spent limited time getting acquainted with the customs and history of their objects of study. It is not surprising, therefore, that the lack of Inuit voice in all this literature, raises serious questions about the credibility of the descriptions and the validity of the information. The Unikkaaqtuat: Traditional Inuit Stories project is presented in complete opposition to this trend and endeavours to foreground the stories, opinions and beliefs of Inuit, as told by them. The unikkaaqtuat were recorded and translated by professional Inuit translators over a five day period before an audience of Inuit students at Nunavut Arctic College, Iqaluit, Nunavut in October 2001. Eight Inuit elders from five different Nunavut communities told stories, discussed possible meanings and offered reflections on a broad range of Inuit customs and beliefs. What emerges, therefore, is not only a collection of stories, but also, a substantial body of knowledge about Inuit by Inuit, without the intervention of other voices. Editorial commentary is intentionally confined to correction of spellings and redundant repetitions. A detailed account of the editing process highlights some of the problems of translating from Inuktitut to English. This is followed by a discussion on the possibility of developing a theory of Inuit literature, based on remarks about unikkaaqtuat made by the elders. The appendices provide background information on the subject of traditional stories and the development of Inuktitut in written form. ii Acknowledgements There are many people to thank for all kinds of assistance in bringing this project to a conclusion. First, the elders who spent five days telling stories and talking about them in the unfamiliar setting of a classroom, without one word of complaint: Mariano Aupilaarjuk, Ollie Itinnuaq, Herve Paniaq, Simon Tookoomee, Tulimaaq Aupilaarjuk, Qaunnaq Uquutaq, Henry Isluanik and Barnabas Pirujuaq. Second, my students at Nunavut Arctic College, who listened attentively, asked questions, and worked on the transcriptions: Della Ootoova, Mavis Kowtak, Tommy Amaroalik, Kitty Aarlooktuk, Nancy Makpah, Louise Ujarak, Annie Manning, Celine Petit, Caroline Appaqaq, Anna Nakasuk and Marjorie Havioyak. Former students, colleagues, and friends: Uvinik Qamaniq (Iglulik), Alexina Kublu (Iqaluit), Louise Flaherty (Iqaluit), Nellie Kusugak (Kangiq&iniq), Monica Ittusarduat (Iqaluit), Rebecca Hainnu (Kangiqtugaapik), Annie Manning (Kinngait) and David Serkoak (Ottawa), some of whom provided valuable information about the elders, while others assisted with the transcriptions and provided help with difficult translations. The late Dr. Susan Sammons suggested the project and provided constant encouragement and assistance. Professor Sam McKegney’s enthusiasm and guidance from the beginning gave me confidence and much needed assistance. I am truly grateful for all his help. iii Sarah McDermott BA, LLB, read the manuscript with a forensic eye, adding and deleting commas, correcting spellings and other inconsistencies. All errors that remain are mine. I acknowledge with thanks, permission to use the following material: “A General Introduction to Unikkaaqtuat,” in Appendix A, appeared in slightly different form in Unikkaaqtuat: An Introduction to Inuit Myths and Legends, edited by Neil Christopher, Louis Flaherty and Noel McDermott, and published by Inhabit Media in 2012. The account of “Inuktitut in Written Form,” in Appendix B, is part of my article “Canadian Literature in Inuktitut,” which was published in From Oral Tradition to Rap, edited by Karen Langgard and Kirsten Thisted, and published by Ilisimatusarfik/Forlaget Atuagkat in 2011. The section on Orpingalik’s theory of creation in “Towards an Inuit Literary Theory,” is a version of my article, “Orpingalik: the Wordsworth of the North,” which was published in Linguistic and Cultural Encounters in the Arctic: Essays in Memory of Susan Sammons, edited by Louis-Jacques Dorais and Frederic Laugrand, and published by CIERA, Laval University in 2012. Finally, to my dear family, I owe all the best things in my life: Kate, Simon, Sarah and Jane. Thank you. Qujannamiik. ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ iv A Note on the Use of Inuit, Inuktitut and Italics Inuit, meaning people, (singular inuk), is used throughout the text as a collective noun, such as Irish or English, which refers to the people as a whole. In Inuktitut, the word inuk literally means a person, as opposed to an animal, and can be used to refer to any man woman or child, Inuit or non-Inuit.1 Inuit is the word Inuit use to distinguish themselves from other groups. This meaning is retained here in phrases such as, the Inuit people and an Inuit person. To an Inuktitut speaker, the use of “Inuit” together with “people” will sound odd, as will the use of the plural “Inuit” with the singular “person.” However, the precision gained by the use of the plural form “Inuit,” and avoidance of the less precise inuk, should be helpful for non-Inuktitut speakers, for whom the use of the collective noun is normal practice. Inuktitut words that are retained in the text are written in italics, for example, qajaq and ulu, with the exception of proper nouns, the names of people and places, as in, Kiviuq, Nuliajuk, Iqaluit and Qamanittuaq. Words not translated in the text are to be found in the Glossary. In this way, I hope to encourage the reader to make an effort to find the meaning for him or herself. The translation for place names is given after its first usage only, as in Kangiq&iniq (Rankin Inlet). Again, this is intended to have the reader pay more attention to the Inuktitut than to the English. Italics are also used to distinguish between the questions and comments of the moderator and students, and those of the elders. This should allow the reader to be aware of who is speaking at all times. This may be particularly helpful in the longer sections, where there are fewer interruptions and questions. ____________________________ 1. Inuktitut is the generic name given to the language of Canada’s Inuit. Dialectical variations include, Inuttitut, Inuttut, Inuktun and Inuinnaqtun. v Table of Contents Abstract ii Acknowledgements iii List of Photographs, Elder Biographies and Maps. (All photographs property of Noel Mc Dermott) Photographs of Mariano Aupilaarjuk and Tulimaaq Aupilaarjuk viii Photographs of Henry Isluanik and Ollie Itinnuaq ix Photographs of Barnabus Pirujuaq, Herve Paniaq and Simon Tookoomee x Photograph of Uquutaq Qaunnaq xi Photographs of the Whole Group and The Elders xii Map 1 Nunavut Territory in Canada (Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated 1993) xiii Map 2 Inuit Nunangat Inuit Homeland (Inuit Tapariit Kanatami 2011) xiii Map 3 Different Inuit Groups of Nunavut (Bennett and Rowley 2004) xiv List of Inuit Comments on Stories: Unikkaaqtuat Miksaanut xxiii Glossary of Inuktitut Terms xv Chapter 1 Introduction. 1 Chapter 2 “The real meanings are hard to understand.” Aupilaarjuk 12 Opening remarks and talking about stories. Chapter 3 “I believe in the Unikkaaqtuat, and I take them as truth.” Itinnuaq 48 Uinigumasuittuq, Nattiqsuittuq, Akturaarnaaq, Aninga and Aliqa, Aliqagiit, Akiliktuarjuk, Ikuutajuuq. Chapter 4 “This is not a tale, it actually happened.” Paniaq 81 Asasa, Kupaatannguaq, Kiviuq 1, Nakasungnaittuq. Chapter 5 “They made a difference in our lives.” Tookoomee 122 Kaugjagjuk, Inukpaujaq, Ijirait 1, Illimiaq, Nuliajuk. Chapter 6 “Should I start the Kaugjagjuk story?” Qaunnaq 157 The Man on the Moon, Ilimagusugjuk, Origin of Mosquitoes, Tuniit, Inukpasugjuit, Qungalukkakkiit, Origin of Fog, Kiviuq 2, Owl and Siksik/Lemming, Fox Dens. Chapter 7 “Nobody else really told stories, except my mother.” Tulimaaq 191 vi Skeleton in the Cave, Walrus and Muskox, Caribou and Fox, Nanuluarjuk, Iglugaarjuk and Alukaqtugjuaq, Pullaqsat, Kiviuq 3, Pretend Husbands, Uqsuriak, Stars. Chapter 8 “It’s what’s inside the mind that is still alive.” Pirujuaq 226 Qallupilluit, Amajurjuit, Ulikappaalit, Ijirait 2, Amautaliit 1, Inugarulliit, Aarluarjuit, Qungalukkakkit/Mahaha, Anautaliit, Amautaliit 2, Scary Old Man. Chapter 9 “We should do this more often.” Isluanik 244 Bestowing qualities on newborns, Arranged Marriage, Pittailiniq, Aarnguat, Importance of Storytelling. Chapter 10 Methodology: Editing and Translation. 263 Chapter 11 Towards an Inuit Literary Theory. 272 Bibliography 317 Appendix A: A General Introduction to Unikkaaqtuat 343 Appendix B: Inuktitut in Written Form 356 Appendix C: “My Breath” by Orpingalik 361 Appendix D: Ethics Approval Letter 365 vii Photographs, Elder Biographies and Maps Mariano Aupilaarjuk was born on July 22, 1919, at a place called Avalatitquarjuk, near Arviligjuaq, now known as Kuugaarjuk (Pelly Bay). He and Marie Tulimaaq were married in 1942 and together they had six children, one of whom was adopted according to Inuit custom. Aupilaarjuk has had a full and remarkable life during which he was: a noted carver, a mapping informant near Naujaat (Repulse