Sedna- Inuit Goddess of the Sea
I'm currently working on some textiles pieces based on Sedna's story. Below you will find some old textiles work of mine that I produced for a college project called "Cultural Plunder". These pieces were based around an Inuit coat I found in a local museum.
The image opposite is a quick Photoshop doodle of Sedna as she was before she became a goddesss.
3 things you should know...
...about Sedna.
She is also known as Nerrivik, Arnarkusuagsak/Arnakuagsak and Nuliajoq.
All of the animals of the sea came from her fingers.
Illustration of an Inuit Parka...
...made from seal gut.
Song about Sedna...
...on Youtube.
Sedna
First Vid. Created because I'm experimenting before I do an honest to God video. Sedna roamed the deep, the cold forgotten deep, no-one wants to be alone Sedna roamed the deep, the cold forgotten deep, no-one wants to be alone From her hands they fell, children of the ocean's swell With ice's twinkle given sight She offered them a name, and seals they all became And laughing, took a coat of dappled light. Sedna roamed the deep, the cold forgotten deep, no-one wants to be alone Sedna roamed the deep, the cold forgotten deep, no-one wants to be alone From her hands they fell, ever in the sea to dwell Nimble fingered, quick and lithe She offered them a name, and otters they became Keepers of her secrets in the ice. Sedna roamed the deep, the cold forgotten deep, no-one wants to be alone Sedna roamed the deep, the cold forgotten deep, no-one wants to be alone From her hands they fell, the mightiest of all Slow and gentle as the tides She offered them a name, and whales they all became To tread the paths the lesser are denied Sedna roamed the deep, the cold forgotten deep, no-one wants to be alone Sedna roamed the deep, the cold forgotten deep, no-one wants to be alone Sedna roamed the deep, the cold forgotten deep, no-one wants to be alone
Runtime: 227
15922 views
21 Comments:
curated content from YouTube
Adlivium
The Land of the Dead
Sedna is the ruler of the Land of the Dead, also known as Adlivium.
To reach Adlivium a shaman has to pass through several hellish places and tests:
1. The land of the dead filled with infinite dead souls.
2. An Icy Whirlpool- sometimes described as a constantly turning and slow wheel of ice.
3. A Cauldron of Boiling Seals
4. The Fierce Guard dog- in some legends Sedna marries a dog- perhaps this is the same creature?
Once the shaman has endured all of these things he has to cross an abyss on a blade-thin bridge.
When the shaman meets Sedna he has to brush her hair and massage her aching hands to placate her.
Replicating Seal Gut...
...with plastic and burnt wadding.
This was a textiles piece I made for a project based on the Inuit culture.
Origins
Where did Sedna come from?
1. Sedna's parents are both giants and when she is born she's has a gigantic apetite.
Her parents realise they can't keep her when they wake up to find she has eaten their home and one of her father's arms.
They take her out in their boat and dump her into the Ocean.
2. Sedna's father finds her many suitors but she doesn't want any of them and elopes with a Fulmar or Raven (depending on which version you read) who promises her a luxurious new home.
When she arrives at his disgusting nest and he treats her like a slave she begs her father to come and rescue her.
As Sedna and her father make their escape in her father's boat an enormous flock of Fulmars (or Ravens) surround the kayak.
The birds flap their wings so much that they create a storm.
Sedna's father throws her into the gigantic waves hoping that once she's gone the fulmars/ravens will leave him be.
3. Sedna doesn't like any of the suitors her father has found for her so she marries a dog!
Her father is so disgusted that he takes her out into the Ocean and throws her overboard.
Each of these stories end with Sedna trying to claw her way back onto her father's boat and each time he takes out his knife and slices off her fingers so that she can't save herself.
Sedna became the Goddess of the Sea and the Underworld. Each one of her fingers became a creature of the sea- some myths say they became the first seals, others say that her fingers became seals and her palms turned into the first whales.
This is how Sedna controls the Inuit's hunting success.
The Sea Woman
Sedna in Inuit Shamanism and Art in the Eastern Arctic.
The Sea Woman: Sedna in Inuit Shamanism and Art in the Eastern Arctic
Amazon Price: $49.95 (as of 12/25/2009)
Doodles
A few doodles I produced for a costume based on my Inuit research.
I had a lot of fun in this project ironing bubblewrap, tissue paper, muslin and feathers together.
Sedna Animation...
...on Youtube.
Sedna: Goddess of the Sea
Sedna's Tale.
Sedna: Goddess of the Sea
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 12/25/2009)
Playing with Black Feathers
Doodle and sample produced for the project "Cultural Plunder".
Sedna's Links
Sedna on the web.
- Inuit Goddess Sedna
- A brief rundown of Sedna's story
- Sedna
- A site about Sedna
- Understanding the moral behind Sedna's story
- An associated content article about Sedna
- Wiki
- Wikipedia entry for Sedna.
Sedna Boots
Cute boots inspired by the Inuit.
Sorel Women's Sedna Boot,Black,7.5 M
Amazon Price: (as of 12/25/2009)
Replicating Seal Gut...
...with tissue paper, muslin and bubblewrap.
Sedna Music
Music inspired by Sedna.
Native American Myth & Legend
An Encyclopedia I use.
Native American Myth & Legend
Amazon Price: $14.00 (as of 12/25/2009)
Skeleton Woman
Another Inuit Tale.
Discover Selkies...
...in my lens for these seal faeries.
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Selkies
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A Selkie is a seal that can turn into a human by shedding its skin. Selkies are also known as Seal faeries, Roane, Roan, Silkies and Selchies. On this page you will find information about selkies in books and films, links to other sites about selki...
Share Your Thoughts about Sedna
Reader Feedback and Comments.
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- MeltedRachel MeltedRachel Apr 24, 2009 @ 4:25 pm | in reply to hlkljgk
- Thanks for stopping by :D
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- hlkljgk hlkljgk Apr 24, 2009 @ 9:13 am
- cool lens. i learned something new!
About Melted Rachel
Textiles Artist and Story Teller.
Lensmaster MeltedRachel has been a member since March 18 2009, has rated 813 lenses, favorited 465, and has created 122 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "How to Make a Draft Excluder". See all my lenses
My Bio
I'm Rachel, a textiles artist from the southwest of England.
I love using recycled materials to create one-of-a-kind:
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I also love felting, knitting, and spinning and I'm just getting into freeform crochet.
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