Nanook facts for kids
In Inuit religion, Nanook ( Inuktitut: ᓇᓄᖅ lit. "polar bear") is a very important spirit. The Inuit people believed Nanook was the master of all bears. He decided if hunters would be successful in finding and hunting bears. He also punished anyone who broke important rules or "taboos." The name Nanook became famous because of Nanook of the North, which was one of the first ever full-length documentaries.
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Nanook: The Great Polar Bear Spirit
The Inuit people, who live in the Arctic regions, deeply respected the polar bear. They called this powerful animal Nanook. They believed Nanook was not just an animal, but a mighty spirit. The Inuit thought Nanook was "almost man" because of his strength and intelligence.
Why Nanook Was Important
For Inuit hunters, Nanook was incredibly important. They believed this great bear spirit decided their hunting success. If Nanook was pleased, hunters would find bears. If he was not, they might go hungry. This belief made hunters treat polar bears with great respect.
Respecting the Polar Bear Spirit
The Inuit used polar bear meat for food. They also used the warm fur to make clothes. Men wore fur trousers, and women made kamiks (soft boots) from the fur. After a successful hunt, hunters showed great respect to Nanook. They would hang the bear's hide in a special part of their igloo. It would stay there for several days as a sign of honor.
Offerings to Nanook
The Inuit also made special offerings to the bear's spirit. If the hunted bear was a male, they would offer it weapons and other hunting tools. If it was a female bear, they would offer needle cases, scrapers, and knives. Scrapers were tools used to clean the fat off animal hides.
The Inuit believed that polar bears allowed themselves to be hunted. They thought the bears did this to gain the "souls of the tools" (called tatkoit). The bears would then take these tool souls with them into the afterlife.
The Legend of Nanook's Favor
According to Inuit legends, if a hunter treated a dead polar bear with proper respect, the bear's spirit would share good news with other bears. This would make other bears eager to be hunted by that same hunter. However, bears would stay away from hunters who did not show proper respect. This belief encouraged hunters to always honor Nanook and the polar bears.
