Men whose intestines have been devoured float up to the moon. A fox trades wives with a worm. A man grows sick from eating too many heads. A woman carves a replica of her dead boyfriend out of blubber, and he comes to life. In A Kayak Full of Ghosts, author Lawrence Millman collects a cross-section of the strange world of stories from the peoples of the north, primarily from Greenland and the eastern Canadian Arctic. We've all read books of folklore and traditional tales before, but I'd hazard a guess that none of them were quite as macabre as this. In an interview with the author a few years ago, I asked him why he thought the Inuit of the north told stories so filled with flesh, with blood, and dismemberment; he replied that "in places where the material culture is very bare, the need to imaginatively transform the world is well nigh overwhelming. Whereas, if you go to someplace verdant, you don't have to perform any transformations, because the wealth is already there. In other words, when you have at your fingertips a voluptuous world, the imagination tends to be more mimetic than it would be when the culture and landscape are austere. Also, the fact that people are often skinning and cutting up animals somehow translates into the rather different types of dismemberment you find described in the stories."
I realize that for some in the class, the content of some of these stories may be very strange, even disturbing. But I would remind everyone that there are quite a few scenes in the Western tradition which are nearly as awful: The evil queen in Snow White is invited to the wedding, but then forced to dance in red-hot iron shoes until she drops dead; the little girl in Hans Christian Andersen's "The Red Shoes" is forced to dance day and night until a friendly woodchopper cuts off her legs -- and even then, she is met at the door by her still-dancing limbs. In order to try to fit their feet into the glass slipper, Cinderella's step-sisters cut off parts of their heels. Of course, we don't usually think of the details of the original stories, as we are much more familiar with the Disney versions, which clean up all the blood and whistle a happy tune -- but nevertheless they are there.
None of the stories in Millman's book are ever likely to be made into Disney cartoons -- there would be too much that would have to be (if you'll pardon the pun) cut out. But they have secrets to tell us all the same, secrets about the inner life of a people who managed to extract a living in one of the harshest climates on earth, and who knew all too well that to sustain life, life must be taken.
A wide selection of the stories in this book is available here. Read them, then pick a story from this Kayak -- and describe your reaction to it, recalling that sometimes, that which is disturbing also is that which has the most vital truth to tell.
I must say that I'm both intrigued and disturbed by the stories in "A Kayak Full of Ghosts". As a reader, I'm drawn to the unique and unsettling themes that Millman has collected from the northern cultures. The stories are indeed gruesome but they also offer a glimpse into the imaginative and resourceful world of the Inuit people, who have had to adapt to one of the harshest environments on earth.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find particularly interesting is the way these stories tap into the human psyche, exploring the darker aspects of life and death. The stories are not just about gore and violence, but about the human condition, and how people cope with mortality, loss, and the struggle for survival.
While it's true that some of the stories may be disturbing, I think they also offer a valuable lesson about the importance of acknowledging and confronting the darker aspects of life. By exploring these themes, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the world.
I appreciate the author's comparison to Western folklore, which highlights the fact that similar themes and motifs can be found in many cultures. It's a reminder that our fascination with the macabre is not unique to one particular culture or tradition.
Overall, I believe that "A Kayak Full of Ghosts" is a thought-provoking book that challenges our assumptions about what is acceptable and what is not. By reading these stories, we can gain a new appreciation for the resilience and creativity of the Inuit people, and perhaps even gain a deeper understanding of ourselves.
Yes, Evelina this is so true. The Inuit people, as we have read about faced some extreme hardships and these stories, as disgusting as some of them are offer us insight into that darker world. I certainly agree that these stories also give us a better understanding of ourselves.
Delete“The Child Who Lived in All Things”
ReplyDeleteThe tales in this book are very interesting and they reminded me of the time I lived in Africa as a child. It was customary to light a fire outside at night and have food roasting over an open fire (usually some type of meat, cassava, plantains and coconut…) and listen to stories told most often by elders, farmers, or fishermen. These stories, like some of the stories in this book, always had a lesson hidden in there somewhere. Sometimes the stories were made up to keep children out of dangerous places and to help people get over a mourning period. Some of these stories have travelled across continents and cultures.
The story that I liked the most in this book is the one about “The Child Who Lived in All Things”. It speaks of reincarnation and how a person’s spirit can live on through other living animals and will even find their way back to their families. This story I feel has been told in different ways across many cultures around the world. Even here in present day America I hear people say, “when I die, I want to come back as a bird etc.”. They even make movies about things like this. I remember a version of this story from when I was little, about a mother who had desperately cried for her dead husband and that he came back to her in the form of snake. This was considered a bad omen. It was therefore said that after a person dies it was not wise to cry for them past the mourning period so that their soul can move on. Other stories suggest that after a person dies, they may show up in the form of their favorite animal whenever they felt that their loved ones that were still alive are in distress to protect them. I even heard a story (told to me by my aunt) about a woman she knew who had lost her child and that she was devastated and cried for him often. A year later she had gotten pregnant again and give birth to another son and it was said that the child looked exactly like his dead brother. They even had the same birth mark and behaved similarly. Everyone said her son had returned to her! A co-worker also once told me that her mother loved lady bugs and that after her mother died, she would aways see a ladybug whenever she was sad or felt alone. She was so sure it was her mother and would not let anyone kill a ladybug!
The idea of reincarnation has been visited throughout time in religion and even in science (but in the form of energy of course, that it can neither be created nor destroyed). I believe the stories in this book are metaphoric and like I said earlier, there is always a lesson, truth, or warning in there somewhere.
~Jaycee~
"A Kayak Full of Ghosts: Eskimo Tales" by Lawrence Millman is a book full of Inuit folklore and legends. It provides insight into the Inuit people's rich oral traditions, showcasing their strong bond with nature and their spiritual beliefs.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the book, I picked the following story: "The Unwanted Child". It is a story that mixes horror, and moral lessons. It shows the terrible consequences of a mother's desperate choice to abandon her eighth son after she gave birth due to extreme poverty and hunger. This story shows the tough ethical decisions people make in desperate times. What surprised me if the story, it is that includes supernatural elements, like the child using a dog's skull as a kayak. It also tells a story of revenge, with the child’s spirit causing others to drown as payback for its own death, showing how violence can lead to more violence. The mother's guilt and eventual confession emphasize the emotional burden of her actions, and the child's final scream and death seem to release that tension. I think that the last part of the story leaves a lasting impression, making us reflect the complex consequences of human actions in extreme situations.
Yeison De La Rosa
Excellent detection of themes, Yeison! They are very true to life, especially the one about violence leading to more violence. I thought of that movie "Carrie II" when you described the final scream and death of the child, where at the end of the movie the girl who was possessed shriveled up and disappeared into nothing.
DeleteAlex Logan
ReplyDeleteOverall, I found many of the stories in this book disturbing for obvious reasons. Many of them are horrific, to say the least. The one story that I found to be the least disturbing one was “The Origin of Daylight.” One thing that spoke to me in this story was when the fox said, “Let there be light” because it reminded me of the account of Creation in the Book of Genesis where God is described as hovering over the earth commanding the earth to form (Genesis 1:3). I found it interesting that the fox wanted light and the bear wanted darkness. It reminded me of the spiritual battle that takes place between God and Satan. God is trying to bring light and truth to the world, while Satan tries to bring about darkness and disharmony. The fox was representative of God, who brings love, truth, and light and the bear was representative of Satan who wished to bring darkness, chaos, and disorder into the world.
It is interesting to note in this story that the fox won when daylight came into the world, and the bear ran and hid in his cave. This reminds me of how Jesus defeated death on the cross and defeated Satan and his authorities, which is mentioned in Colossians 2:15. It is also mentioned in the Book of Revelation that Jesus defeated Satan (Revelation 20:7-10). In the last paragraph, where it says that people were grateful to the fox for making daylight, I was reminded of how grateful we are to Jesus for the sacrifice He made for us by defeating death and overcoming darkness. I thought of that Scripture where it says, “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). I saw this Scripture being brought to life in this story because in the end, the light prevailed over the darkness which was exactly God’s plan for our world.
Overall, I found these folk tales amusing. Some of the stories and their language caught me off guard. There were times where I found my jaw dropping or laughing out loud and felt the need to share with someone what I had just read. I found that their culture and beliefs aren’t so different from others. My favorite is “The Northern Lights Children” it was believed that the northern lights that can be seen in the sky were the spirits of infants who died at birth. They turned something tragic and sorrowful into something beautiful. The ribbons of light were the children playing and dancing in the heavens.
ReplyDeleteMariah D.
I completely agree with you, these stories are surprisingly attention grabbing and even made me re-read parts of it to make sure I was reading it correctly because it was out there. It seems that all of the stories are looking for an explanation for what occurs around them in the world they live in.
DeleteOut of all the stories I have read, The Northern Lights Children was by far my favorite. Before reading, I thought it was going to be gory or disturbing like the other stories I read but instead it was complete opposite. A hunter who sacrificed his meats to share with others. When the hunter realized that there were no Northern Lights because of spirits that were hungry, the hunter realizes had to spare some meat for spirits. When the hunter does, the Northern Lights in the sky formed into the sky. Overall, the message I see here is do not be greedy, sharing can turn into something beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to add that in my culture, specifically the Hmong culture, we have a similar children folklore story. This story consists of a Hmong man who collected the stars because of their value. Because he took the stars from the sky, the sun would not come out. Without the sun, he couldn’t grow his rice and vegetables for his family. Anyways, it was told by my father and grandparents, and I remembered that it was about not being greedy and sharing with others is caring.
Weird to some, but most of these wise tails gave me an interesting river of emotions making me both weirded out but intrigued. The perfect amount of “what am I reading” and “why cant I stop reading it”. I find a lot of these stories interesting like “the child who lived in all things”, but the one that I thought was interesting concept to think about was “Kivioq, whose kayak was full with ghosts”.
ReplyDeleteKivioq, the inuit kayaker, goes through a lot of trails and tribulations overcoming adversity and supernatural occurrences. His kayak becomes filled with ghosts, representing the spirits of those who have died but remain restless. Throughout the story, I got the feeling that the inuit people are shows a lot of respect and caution with they approach the spirit world; The story acknowledges its power and unpredictability. This remains me of Hispanic culture where they celebrate their long lost family members and friends on The Day of The Dead. It shows their close relationship to the spiritual world and the powers of the supernatural if not honored. I see kivioq’s journey with the ghosts as a metaphor, for enduring and overcoming adversity. The resilience that Kivioq showed in the face of the supernatural and physical challenges can serve as a model of perseverance.
Madison Ridore
Many of these stories are interesting when you look at how they were created to make sense of why the world was the way it was for the Inuit people. In the "Girl Who Married Her Dog", it was surprising to me that the father, who originally suggested his daughter to marry her dog, ended up tricking him by putting stones within the meat that the dog would pick up for the dog-children. Then, with a motive of vengeance, the daughter has her children kill the father without thinking of the repercussions of that action. It seems like a simple story to explain the reason why there are different types of people, living in different areas of the world, and how they all began from one blood line. It is amazing that this is a common theme of human origin no matter where the story comes from; all people began as one.
ReplyDeleteI chose to read the story "The Lost Children" from "A Kayak Full of Ghosts," a collection of Inuit folk tales. This story recounts the harrowing tale of a group of children who wander away from their village and become lost in the vast, unforgiving Arctic wilderness. As the days pass and hope dwindles, these children encounter various spirits and supernatural beings, each with its own intentions and lessons to impart. One particularly disturbing moment in the story was when the children, weak and desperate, encountered a spirit that initially appeared to be a friendly guide. However, as they followed it deeper into the wilderness, it became clear that the spirit was leading them astray.
ReplyDeleteDespite its unsettling nature, "The Lost Children" conveys a vital truth about the Arctic experience that, survival depends not only on physical endurance but also on spiritual and cultural awareness. The story underscores the importance of heeding the wisdom passed down through generations, respecting the land, and understanding that the natural world is imbued with powers and mysteries beyond our comprehension. In reflecting on this tale, I realized that what disturbs us often carries the most significant lessons. The children's ordeal is a reminder of the fragile line between life and death in the Arctic and the profound respect that this environment commands. It's a call to recognize and honor the deeper truths embedded in the stories of those who have lived and thrived in such an extreme landscape.
by Tariq Adio
Assignment #7: A Kayak Full of Ghosts
ReplyDeleteMadison Kite
Assignment #7: A Kayak Full of Ghosts
After reading all of the Inuit folk tales, I found “The Two Women Who Found Freedom” to be my favorite. I also liked “Uutaaq, The Hunter” because it was so hilarious that I cackled in Donovan Dining and probably looked insane. I also liked “The Northern Lights Children” because the thought of all stillborn babies becoming the Northern Lights was heartwarming, and it was one of the few stories with a happy ending. But back to my favorite:
I think “The Two Women Who Found Freedom” is the most interesting because, boiled down, it was about two wives who escaped their husband’s abuse and lived happily ever after together. Even though they ended up living in the rotting corpse of a whale and ate it, they were protected by its stench because the husband was too grossed out to come near it. The wives made the best out of a bad situation, and I was happy for them at the end of the story. Additionally, I know you can’t really apply Western labels to other cultures, but I felt that there were some queer undertones between the two women. But also, I’m totally biased because I am a lesbian. Haha!
I also found it interesting that there were stories of men transitioning into having characteristics of women (“The Man Who Was a Mother,” “The Origin of Women”) and women transitioning to men (“The Woman Who Married Her Son’s Wife”). Though it isn’t written that they were “meant to be a different gender,”; it is still interesting how gender means different things in different cultures.
Honestly, I loved all of the stories (though some were a little strange). They were so interesting. Every religion and culture has gruesome stories (Norse methodology, Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism have some interesting/strange stories). The stories act as a window into the values of the culture or religion.
Assignment #7: A Kayak Full of Ghosts
ReplyDeleteMadison Kite
Assignment #7: A Kayak Full of Ghosts
After reading all of the Inuit folk tales, I found “The Two Women Who Found Freedom” to be my favorite. I also liked “Uutaaq, The Hunter” because it was so hilarious that I cackled in Donovan Dining and probably looked insane. I also liked “The Northern Lights Children” because the thought of all stillborn babies becoming the Northern Lights was heartwarming, and it was one of the few stories with a happy ending. But back to my favorite:
I think “The Two Women Who Found Freedom” is the most interesting because, boiled down, it was about two wives who escaped their husband’s abuse and lived happily ever after together. Even though they ended up living in the rotting corpse of a whale and ate it, they were protected by its stench because the husband was too grossed out to come near it. The wives made the best out of a bad situation, and I was happy for them at the end of the story. Additionally, I know you can’t really apply Western labels to other cultures, but I felt that there were some queer undertones between the two women. But also, I’m totally biased because I am a lesbian. Haha!
I also found it interesting that there were stories of men transitioning into having characteristics of women (“The Man Who Was a Mother,” “The Origin of Women”) and women transitioning to men (“The Woman Who Married Her Son’s Wife”). Though it isn’t written that they were “meant to be a different gender,”; it is still interesting how gender means different things in different cultures.
Honestly, I loved all of the stories (though some were a little strange). They were so interesting. Every religion and culture has gruesome stories (Norse methodology, Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism have some interesting/strange stories). The stories act as a window into the values of the culture or religion.
"The Woman of the Sea" - Even though they were in love and were happy the story takes a turn when the woman discovers the fulmar's true nature. The tale explores the consequences of superficial judgement and as a reminder to look beyond appearances and appreciate the true beauty within. This story was interesting to me because of the fulmar's transformation changing into a man to deceive the woman. Plus the combination of romance and tragic is effective because of the initial happy marriage that turns dark which then later on adds emotional depth and complexity. Also the moral lessons about trust, deceit, and the consequences of our choices.
ReplyDeleteThese are some of the rarest and most surprising short stories that I have ever read so far. The more I read, the more intrigued I became. I am amazed by whoever came up with these stories. One of the stories that captured my attention was “The child who lived in all things”. I was impressed by how the mother knew her child despite the fact that he had transformed into an animal, and it was fascinating to witness the child shift lives so quickly in order to survive. Overall, these stories were great, with each one teaching a valuable lesson.
ReplyDeleteKamar Gure
I chose to read “the girl who married her dog” and I feel even more confused after finishing it than I did before starting. I found it a very interesting story, and a creative way to imagine the creation of different races of people. However, I can’t seem to get my head around why the father seemed to want to murder the dog he had chosen to be the husband of his daughter. He did seem to want the best for her, and even continued to provide food for her after he had killed her husband. Strange family if you ask me.
ReplyDelete-Jonathan Lozinski
"Strange family" hahaha this made me chuckle. that's one way to put it.
Delete-Veronica
DeleteOne of the stories that I find interesting in A kayak full of ghosts was The Women of the Sea. The story was a powerful tale that resonates the theme of love and transformation. The story has us considering our relationship with nature affecting sense of our self. The heart of this story is about the womans relationship with her husband and how he betrays her, and I feel like everyone can relate to those things, and learning about the lessons it teaches us such as trust and consequences. It makes us have strong emotions when reading.
ReplyDeleteMaddie Brodeur
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete“The Unwanted Child”
ReplyDeleteThis tale was a wild chain of events. I actually laughed a little at the end because it was so abrupt. As I read all of the tales, I picture them as a short film or a movie, and this one would definitely be an interesting short film. I imagine that the “unwanted child” would not express much emotion, as it is an infant who does not have mature emotions and seems to bring a scary/evil presence since it is unlikely that an infant could be that resourceful to save its own life like that. In my imaginary film, I picture the mother terrified when the child comes to be breastfed soundly before going to sleep in the midden. It is safe to assume that the lesson at the end of the tale is one about Karma and the truth, as her life was becoming ruined because she chose to get rid of her own child for selfish reasons, and once she told someone the truth the torture came to an abrupt stop. This story also allows us to think about how awful it is to be in a situation where you are responsible for a human being or being pregnant with a child that you may not have the resources to properly care for. This is even a current topic, but something that has always been a hardship.
While some of the stories are disturbing there are some I found confusing initially. They certainly aren't just stories that teach lessons. They require more thought and interpretation. I read "The Northern Light Children." While I was shocked he wanted to stab all the children it was a nice ending that he allowed them to take his meat because they were starving. It was an exchange between them, he got lights in the sky and the spirits were fed. Confusing if you think about it literally because why do spirits need to eat? But I think looking deeper it's more about giving back to the world to be able to receive something in return. Many of the stories are about internalizing the world and the interactions & situations that occur.
ReplyDeleteAlso, "The Child who lived in all things" I interpreted as reincarnation or the life cycle. I think it was how each life (animal or human, etc) has positive and negative aspects to their life but are all connected. I think it means we have a chance at everything. I liked how in the end the child who lived in different things had another chance at life. Not always a message but can be viewed as one, one can have another chance at life.
There are plenty of stories in which some details seem rather graphic like mothers throwing their children (some stillborn) to dogs or fires. Some have the element of starvation and what comes with it. I think being in the Arctic and having to survive harsh conditions exposes them to the raw reality of the struggle to live. The unfortunate happens more often than not over there. While some have some meaning to them or at least you can find something that can have some meaning. I think some others were more for entertainment because they didn’t make much sense or leave me with a clue of what it meant. I have no idea what blubber boy's deeper meaning could have been. Additionally, the unwanted child makes me think what you try to kill (maybe with lies) will come back to haunt you until you face the truth of it. But again, I may not be the best to interpret because I live a different lifestyle as do the Inuit so they may relate or understand it more.
Wow! no kidding with the disturbing part! I picked Sun and Moon because I have read a lot of good interesting love stories between the sun and the moon. But this, this was.... different? It is very hard (for me at least) to argue the meaning behind some of these. Understanding that they lived in different times, with different surroundings and inspiration sources, it is still very tough to imagine someone sitting there and coming up with stories like these.
ReplyDeleteThen, for reasons unknown to me, I went on to read "The girl who married her dog". And all I have to say is, I could have lived another 32 years without reading that one.
A very disturbed Veronica Leonardo.
I did not anticipate this book at all to contain such vivid tales. Every tale is self-contained and spans from one to a couple of pages. They are outstanding stories, some of which are incredibly funny and others of which are quite graphic. It’s not easy for some to know what to think of them. Similarly, some made sense, while some left me wondering what the story’s point was and what the hell it had to do with anything at all. I expected to acquire some understanding of Eskimo culture and the roots of their beliefs. Even though I'm not sure whether I understood some of the metaphors, it was an experience, nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteOne of the stories that piqued my interest was The Northern Lights Kids. I enjoyed the story of the fisherman and the Northern Lights kids. He kept losing his cache of meat due to strange circumstances, he proceeded to set up and wait to catch the thief. When he saw it was the northern lights kids looking for food, he allowed them to have his cache, so that the sky may shine once more.
-Luis Perez
Amanda Tentoco
ReplyDeletethe story that stood out the most to me was "the Blubber boy". I read quite a few of the stories but this one stood out to me because it was weird and funny. The way the women missed her man so much that she recreates him. But not only that she does this, it's HOW she did it. That's the most interesting part. I understand why she did this tho. She missed her boyfriend so much that nothing else would make her happy. Then she did whatever she could to make her happy and unfortunately that's the way she did it. Then she redid it until the end.
I find stories that can manage the fine line between grotesque and beautiful to be the best kinds. As a fan of the fantasy genre I find the stories in which there are people or creatures who once embodied divinity or beauty have been corrupted into something tragic to be much more interesting than the ones where there is a clear and unalloyed side of "good vs. evil". This relates back to kayak full of ghosts because while some might find these stories grotesque or unnerving, there is a definite sense of majesty or grace to them as well. I think that Millman is correct to say that culture shapes the folklore that comes from it, and vice versa. The arctic seems like a place of intense violence and cruelty, but also of serene beauty and majesty, and I think these stories reflect that.
ReplyDelete-Eli Tamburino
Delete