Tradition: Inuit mythology, Canadian mythology
Alternative Names: Umingmånguaq
Category: Cow

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The Myth

Umingmånguaq is the spirit of the musk-ox. It has no eyes and perceives everything through its ears, which grow from stems and resemble horns.

A hunter first encountered Umingmånguaq while hunting caribou. The spirit spoke to him like a human being and explained that it was simply searching for a shaman whom it could serve.

From then on, Umingmånguaq would follow the hunter wherever he went. He did not need to turn around to see whether it was there, because whenever he turned to look for it, the spirit would disappear.

Umingmånguaq was regarded as having healing powers and was said to be able to cure all ailments.

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Sources

Rasmussen, Knud. Intellectual Culture of the Hudson Bay Eskimos. Copenhagen: Gyldendal, 1930. 3 vols. Vol. 1, Intellectual Culture of the Iglulik Eskimos (1929); Vol. 2, Observations on the Intellectual Culture of the Caribou Eskimos (1930); Vol. 3, Iglulik and Caribou Eskimo Tests (1930). Internet Archive

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