Sedna, A Moving Myth Of The Eskimos

The Sedna story is an Eskimo myth that explains the fury of the sea. When Eskimo fishermen have a good job, they must take some of the water that comes with the fish and throw it into the ocean. If asked why they do it, they reply that it is an offering to Sedna, the goddess of the sea.

This myth of the Eskimos has several versions. We will have one of the most complete. It is said that in ancient times an old man lived at the North Pole, who was accompanied by his daughter, Sedna. She was a very beautiful woman and she only wanted to find a man who would marry her and make her happy. However, there were not many who came that way.

This myth of the Eskimos tells that one day a very tall and muscular man appeared in those far distances . He was covered in fine furs and wore beautiful jewelry. Sedna couldn’t believe it. When he saw him in the distance, he ran to comb his long hair and thus look beautiful to that stranger.

Sedna gets married

Sedna’s father didn’t really want to be separated from his daughter. However, food was scarce and he thought it better to watch her leave with her husband  rather than allow him to stay and the two of them starve.

The strange man was covered by a long robe and his face was not visible . Still, Sedna’s father went to meet her and asked if she was looking for a wife. The man nodded. Then the old man told him that he had a beautiful daughter of marriageable age and that if he so desired, he could take her with him.

The man accepted. The father communicated this to his daughter Sedna, who was somewhat surprised that her father had made the proposal. Shouldn’t she meet this stranger first and know if he was a good match for her? Despite this, she obeyed her father and got into her new husband’s boat. The two set out on the road to the new home.

A scary home

The myth of the Eskimos says that when Sedna arrived at her new home she was horrified. There was just a bunch of animal hair on a cliff and next to it a cluster of bird feathers. All this was situated on the edge of an abyss. It was cold and the place looked run down and ugly.

The worst thing of all happened when her husband took off his robe. It had no face, but its head was like that of a raven. Sedna realized that this was an evil wizard she had already heard about. He walked the roads alone and had wanted a wife for a long time, but no woman had agreed to go with him because he had a reputation for wickedness.

The place was off the beaten path. In the morning, the witcher turned into a raven, went fishing, and in the afternoon brought food for himself and Sedna. She should eat raw fish, just like him. He kept crying and lamenting. Her cries of pain were so terrible that, even when he was far away, her father heard her. Then he regretted what he had done and went looking for her.

The origin of the Eskimo myth

Sedna’s father came to where she was and managed to rescue her. He got her into his boat and started back. However, a black shadow began to fly over them. It was the witcher, who had turned into a raven and flapped his wings to stir the sea. Suddenly a great storm formed and the boat began to capsize. The father, fearful of what the witcher might do, threw Sedna overboard.

The sea was frozen. Sedna managed to swim and hold onto the ship. However, her father just wanted to get rid of her and so he took an ax and cut off her fingers. These fell into the sea and became seals and fish. Though she was injured, Sedna tried again to hold onto the boat with the remaining part of her hand. But the father cut off his hands, they fell into the sea and became whales. Thus, Sedna sank.

This myth of the Eskimos tells that Sedna did not die. On the contrary, she became a goddess. Legend has it that when their hair becomes tangled, great storms form in the Arctic that affect all fishermen. To keep her calm, shamans must dive in and comb her. They should also remind everyone that women and the sea must always be respected.