Aua (angakkuq) facts for kids
Aua (also spelled Awa or Ava) was an important Inuk spiritual leader, also known as an angakkuq (pronounced ahn-gahk-KOOK). This means he was a traditional healer and spiritual guide for his community. Aua lived from around 1870 in the Igloolik area until after 1922.
Aua is well-known because he shared many stories and beliefs about Inuit mythology with a Greenland anthropologist named Knud Rasmussen. This was a very important time, as Christianity was becoming more common, and Aua helped preserve the traditional Inuit ways of thinking. He even shared the story of his cousin's mother, Uvavnuk, whose famous song "The Great Earth" is still sung today.
Who Was Aua?
Aua was a respected angakkuq, or spiritual healer, among his people. He helped guide his community and connect them with the spiritual world. His knowledge of Inuit traditions and stories was very deep. He practiced his spiritual healing into the 1920s.
Aua's Family Life
Aua had a family of his own. He was married to a woman named Orulo. Together, Aua and Orulo had four children. Their family was part of the vibrant community in the Igloolik area.
Aua's Story in Film
Aua's meetings and conversations with the Danish explorer Knud Rasmussen were so interesting that they inspired a movie. In 2006, a film called The Journals of Knud Rasmussen was released. This movie told a fictionalized version of their encounters. The film was made by the same Inuit team who created the well-known movie Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner.
