Tulugaak- Inuit SpiritSpirit
Also known as: Tulugaq
Description
In the time before daylight, all light was hoarded by an old man who kept it sealed in nested containers. Tulugaak, the raven, transformed himself into a leaf, was swallowed by the old man's daughter, and was born as her child. Then he opened the containers and cast the sun into the sky.
Mythology & Lore
The Theft of Light
In the time before daylight, the world lay in endless darkness. An old man had sealed the sun, the moon, and the stars in nested containers inside his dwelling. He refused to share light with anyone. Tulugaak resolved to steal it.
The raven transformed himself into a tiny leaf floating on a stream. When the old man's daughter came to drink, she swallowed the leaf without noticing. She became pregnant and bore a child: Tulugaak in human form. The old man doted on his grandchild. The child exploited this ruthlessly, crying and pointing at the containers on the shelf until, one by one, the old man gave them to him. He opened the first and released the stars. He opened the second and released the moon. When the old man finally handed over the last container, Tulugaak seized the sun, transformed back into a raven, and flew out through the smoke hole. He cast the sun into the sky. For the first time, light flooded the world.
The Raven's Appetite
Tulugaak's other stories are driven by hunger. He once tricked a whale into opening its mouth, then darted inside and ate the tongue. His schemes sometimes grew so convoluted they collapsed, and the raven ended up hungrier than before. But he never stopped. He taught humans to hunt seals and fish the Arctic waters. The raven who stole light for them showed them what to do with it.