A Journey to the Mother of the Sea

by Mâliâraq Vebæk, Aka Høegh (Illustrator), Jim Milne (Translator)

A long time ago, the people of Greenland believed in the Mother of the Sea. She lived on the bottom of the sea and ruled over all that lived in the ocean. From her home on the bottom she sent out seals, whales, fish and birds of the sea, up to the surface so that hunters could catch them. However, if the people didn't behave well, she became angry and hid the animals from the hunters. The people would then have to send a Shaman down to visit her in order to cleanse and comb her hair which had become dirty and tangled because of what the humans had done wrong. A traditional Greenlandic tale, narrated for children and illustrated by one of Greenland's greatest artists.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Indigenous

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Tina Haigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very interesting story. I love folk tales and fables, especially indigenous ones, and this was no exception. This particular one is about how we should be taking better care of our oceans, which I wholeheartedly agree with. It was a little wordy though, so be prepared for that if you were planning on reading it aloud. The art itself was stunning and rich. Unfortunately, the book didn't specify the medium, but to my untrained eye, it looked like a mix of markers, gouache, watercolor, and maybe oil pastels. I will note that a page or two did contain some nudity; while this wasn't a problem for us, I understand that others are more sensitive than me, so I thought it was worth mentioning here. Ultimately, I found it to be wonderful. I highly recommend it for ages 4 to 8 as a read-to-me, and for ages 8 and up for independent reading.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the people of a small Greenlandic fishing village begin to go hungry, because the sea has frozen and there is nothing to hunt or fish, one hunter and his son appeal to an elderly couple for help. Once shamans, the old people no longer believe in their own powers, but agree to try anyway, leading the old woman on an underwater voyage to visit the Mother of the Sea. Enduring many hardships along the way - eaten by polar bears and walruses, she is reconstituted under the waves, only to confront new difficulties in reaching her destination - the old woman eventually succeeds in her mission to clean the much-polluted Mother, and brush her hair. Receiving wisdom in return, about the necessity of keeping the ocean clean, the woman returns to land, bringing with her a change that once again makes food available to the people...

Originally published in 1995 in Greenlandic (an Eskimo–Aleut language closely related to the Inuit languages of Canada) as Sassuma arnaanut pulaarneq, this traditional tale is clearly meant as a warning about the dangers of mistreating the natural world - particularly the sea. The figure of the 'Mother of the Sea' is common in many Inuit cultures, sometimes being known as the goddess Sedna, sometimes as Takannaaluk ("the one down there"), and sometimes (as here) as Sassuma Arnaa - the "Mother of the Deep." This story, reprinted this year (2019) by the Inuit-owned publishing house Inhabit Media, is not a creation myth (of which there are many) explaining how Sassuma Arnaa came to be, but rather, a tale concerning how humans came to the Mother of the Sea for help. As such, it emphasizes the dependence of human life on the natural world around us. I found the story here, told by Greenlandic author and storyteller Mâliâraq Vebæk, engaging, and thought that the artwork, done by Aka Høegh, was striking. I am very glad that Inhabit Media decided to make this Greenlandic children's book available again, and hope that they will bring more such books to Canadian and American readers!

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mother of the Sea is a very important figure in Inuit stories-- she's the one who sends food to hunt from the depths of the ocean. After being overhunted and neglected, she has withheld her bounty from the village. This particular story of the Mother focuses on an elderly shaman who traverses deeply in the sea to clean and persuade Mother to release food again. Gorgeous illustrations accompany this beautiful story that reminds us to care for our oceans and take only what we need.

[Anneke Alnatour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome re-telling of a folk story, set in Greenland. We enjoyed it reading together as a family, spread over a few days. Beautiful illustrations too.
Very much recommended.

[Gemington · Rating 4 out of 5]

CW: overfishing, abuse of the sea

The Inuit people are starving and the sea is frozen over. The hunters go to the elders to ask for intervention. They are old but try one time. The old woman goes to the mother if the sea and cleans her hair. She is warned about taking care of the sea. The hunters do not listen and are not successful until they heed the words of the elder.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book with beautiful illustrations.

[Barbra · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this traditional Greenlandic tale an old woman decides she must face the feared Mother of the Sea to stop her people from starvation. She approaches the great legend with cunning and kindness and in turn is rewarded with an abundance of animals returning to be hunted and enjoyed.