Knud Rasmussen was one of the first Danes to study indepth the Inuit. He lived with them and did the most and earliest research. My favorite films are on the Isuma TV website. This where I learned of Knud Rasmussen. This is a webpage I found from one of his interviews.
http://www.eastgreenland.com/database.asp?lang=eng&num=806
In 1924, Knud Rasmussen interviewed the shaman Najagneq.
Knud Rasmussen asked:
- What is your impression of the way people live?
Najagneq answered:
- They are at odds with themselves, because they mix everything together, and weak, because they can no longer do one thing at a time. A great hunter must not at the same time be a great lover of women. But no-one can stop.
- Animals are inscrutable. So he, who lives off them, must be careful. But people arm themselves with amulets and are alone in their powerlessness.
- There must be as many different amulets as possible in a settlement. Similarity splits the power, likeness makes worthless.
These are strong words from an old shaman. The rest of us can understand the need of the Arctic peoples to seek protection against constantly lurking dangers and the ever-present threat of death. If there was help in an amulet, then it must be tried.
The use of amulets was widespread throughout the entire Eskimo region, including the Ammassalik area.
What could become an amuletJust about anything. Amulets were not necessarily beautiful, valuable or rare things. They were objects recommended by others in the settlement as being especially useful in an given situation. Bits of wood, feathers, something from an animal, stones, beads, even dirt was mentioned as a possible ingredient in an amulet. An infinite number of things could be used.
The amulets were worn on the body, either sown into a strap (as the boy on the picture) or into clothing. Other amulets could have their own special place in the skin tent, the kayak or the umiaq.
Who used amulets
Amulets were used by men, women and children for a long life, good hunting and safety at sea, against sickness and its after-effects, but could also be used by mothers to ensure their children a good life, with good hunting, luck with a harpoon and much more.
The amulets were always carefully looked after and they were well hidden. An amulet was a very secret and personal thing.
Knud Rasmussen mentions an expression of parental love shown by the Netsilik people of Canada. Here he met a seven-year old boy with more than 80 amulets sown into his clothing. The boy's play was somewhat constrained by such concern for his well-being.
Material and symbolism
The symbolism of an amulet and its assumed effects is usually very direct, as an old Eastgreenlandic Inuit explains:
- You find an Arctic willow that grows straight up and you carve a doll from the thickest part of the stem. You tie the doll under the hat of a boy.
- For the willows that grow straight up have a stronger vitality, than those that creep along the ground and such an amulet not only makes the boy grow quickly, but he will also have a strong back and he will be able to go through life without being afraid of anything.
The security and strength of an amulet can also be recognized in present day life. We call it something else, but many people have a lucky coin or some other small thing in their pocket or purse.
Most visitors to Ammassalik take home a necklace or some other piece of handicraft, such as a little carving of a polar bear head or claw.
Even though the handicraft is mainly a lovely souvenir of Ammassalik, it just might also impart a little of the bear's strength!
Knud Rasmussen asked:
- What is your impression of the way people live?
Najagneq answered:
- They are at odds with themselves, because they mix everything together, and weak, because they can no longer do one thing at a time. A great hunter must not at the same time be a great lover of women. But no-one can stop.
- Animals are inscrutable. So he, who lives off them, must be careful. But people arm themselves with amulets and are alone in their powerlessness.
- There must be as many different amulets as possible in a settlement. Similarity splits the power, likeness makes worthless.
These are strong words from an old shaman. The rest of us can understand the need of the Arctic peoples to seek protection against constantly lurking dangers and the ever-present threat of death. If there was help in an amulet, then it must be tried.
The use of amulets was widespread throughout the entire Eskimo region, including the Ammassalik area.
What could become an amuletJust about anything. Amulets were not necessarily beautiful, valuable or rare things. They were objects recommended by others in the settlement as being especially useful in an given situation. Bits of wood, feathers, something from an animal, stones, beads, even dirt was mentioned as a possible ingredient in an amulet. An infinite number of things could be used.
The amulets were worn on the body, either sown into a strap (as the boy on the picture) or into clothing. Other amulets could have their own special place in the skin tent, the kayak or the umiaq.
Who used amulets
Amulets were used by men, women and children for a long life, good hunting and safety at sea, against sickness and its after-effects, but could also be used by mothers to ensure their children a good life, with good hunting, luck with a harpoon and much more.
The amulets were always carefully looked after and they were well hidden. An amulet was a very secret and personal thing.
Knud Rasmussen mentions an expression of parental love shown by the Netsilik people of Canada. Here he met a seven-year old boy with more than 80 amulets sown into his clothing. The boy's play was somewhat constrained by such concern for his well-being.
Material and symbolism
The symbolism of an amulet and its assumed effects is usually very direct, as an old Eastgreenlandic Inuit explains:
- You find an Arctic willow that grows straight up and you carve a doll from the thickest part of the stem. You tie the doll under the hat of a boy.
- For the willows that grow straight up have a stronger vitality, than those that creep along the ground and such an amulet not only makes the boy grow quickly, but he will also have a strong back and he will be able to go through life without being afraid of anything.
The security and strength of an amulet can also be recognized in present day life. We call it something else, but many people have a lucky coin or some other small thing in their pocket or purse.
Most visitors to Ammassalik take home a necklace or some other piece of handicraft, such as a little carving of a polar bear head or claw.
Even though the handicraft is mainly a lovely souvenir of Ammassalik, it just might also impart a little of the bear's strength!
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