The Sea Woman
Sedna in Inuit Shamanism and Art in the Eastern Arctic
Distributed for University of Alaska Press
160 pages
|
200 color plates
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8 x 10
This study offers an in-depth examination of the role of shamanism in modern Inuit art and culture. Inuit shamans derived their healing skills and power over natural elements from their ability to communicate with supernatural beings, such as Sedna the sea woman. As the authors document here, despite the current domination of Christianity, contemporary Inuit life and culture is still powerfully shaped by the shaman tradition. They focus on representations of the sea woman as an example of shamanism contextualized in art and explore what these depictions reveal about the dialogue between Inuit and Western cultures in the twentieth century.
Contents
Preface and Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Quest for the Sea Woman
Chapter 2: The Creation of Human Beings and Sea Mammals
Chapter 3: The Descent to the Sea Woman and Her House
Chapter 4: Life and Death
Chapter 5: The Sedna Feast, the Tivajuut, and the Ascent of the Sea Woman
Chapter 6: Transformations
Chapter 7: Conclusions
References
Index
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Anthropology: General Anthropology
Art: Art--General Studies
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