Mark Kalluak,
Unipkaaqtuat Arvianit: Traditional Inuit Stories from Arviat
Inhabit Media Inc., 2010.

Rating: E*

Unipkaaqtuat Arvianit is the second volume in a collection of Inuit folklore and mythology from the Arviat retold and illustrated by Mark Kalluak. This lovely installment, written bilingually in Inuktitut and English, continues Kalluak’s work in recording traditional Inuit tales for posterity. Like its predecessor, this volume incorporates both languages upon each page and integrates explanations of unknown Inuit words within the text to ensure the reader’s comprehension and appreciation of language. Kalluak also provides contextual details in the preface of each story.

In this collection readers will enjoy stories explaining how the sun and moon came into existence and how the moon’s face came to have such mysterious markings. They will cheer when the quick wit of an Inuk tricks the Ingnirjuk (sea ghost) finally permitting him to bring food home to his starving family; and when clever children abducted by the Amautalik distract her long enough for a guardian spirit to rescue them. Tales of love and loss will break the reader’s heart while tales of brotherly love will inspire them. This collection also offers tales of revenge, greed and laziness providing instructors with opportunities to examine common themes in mythology across cultures. Likewise tales providing explanations or historical context to Nunavut’s landscape or Inuit customs will permit instructors to identify cultural practices and the challenges posed by Nunavut’s harsh yet beautiful climate.

Thematic Links: Inuit Mythology and Folklore; Nunavut; Arviat; Oral Tradition

Ana Malespin
Vol. 16, number 3
February 2011

*Rating System:
E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
A - Average, all right, has its applications.
P - Problematic, puzzling, poorly presented.