Tradition / Region: Inuit Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Dog
The Myth
The Qiqirn is a spirit-dog spoken of in the traditions of the Inuit of Baffin Island.
It is said to appear as a large and unnatural animal, almost entirely bald. Only small patches of hair grow upon it — on its feet, around its mouth, and at the tips of its ears and tail. Its body is otherwise bare, giving it a strange and unsettling appearance.
The Qiqirn is feared not because it attacks, but because of the effect its presence has on the living. When it draws near, both men and dogs may suddenly fall into violent convulsions. These seizures can be so severe that they bring death.
Yet the spirit itself is not brave. Though it brings terror, it is said to fear humans. If it is seen by an angakkuq, a shaman, the Qiqirn will not approach but will flee at once, retreating from the power of the one who can see into the spirit world.
Other Inuit stories tell of similar beings, such as malevolent earth spirits that also appear in the shape of hairless dogs. These too belong to the unseen world that moves alongside the world of people, where spirits may wander close enough to be glimpsed, and where their presence can bring danger or misfortune.
So the Qiqirn is remembered as a spirit that walks the boundary between worlds — a strange, silent dog whose appearance alone can shake the living.
Gallery
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Qiqirn. In Wikipedia, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qiqirn
Interpretive Lenses
Religious Readings
- Christian Ascetic Deep Dive
Philosophical Readings
- Nietzschean Deep Dive
Psychological Readings
- Jungian Deep Dive
Esoteric Deep Dive
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Political / Social Readings
- Marxist Deep Dive