The Blind Man and the Loon facts for kids

The Blind Boy and the Loon, also known as the Lumaaq Story, is a famous folktale. A folktale is a traditional story passed down through generations. This story is told by many different groups of people, especially the Inuit and Athabaskan peoples, across Greenland, Canada, and parts of the United States. It teaches important lessons about kindness, seeing clearly, and consequences.

The Story of the Blind Boy

The story begins with a young boy who cannot see. He lives with an unkind guardian, who might be his mother, grandmother, or stepmother. He also has a sister who is kind to him.

One day, a bear comes near their home. Even though he is blind, the boy shoots the bear from inside their house. But his guardian lies to him, saying he missed the bear. She keeps all the bear's meat for herself and the sister. However, the sister secretly brings some meat to the boy.

The boy then goes to a lake. A special bird called a loon helps him. The loon takes the boy underwater and brings him back to the surface many times. Each time they come up, the boy can see a little bit more. Finally, his eyesight is completely restored! He can see everything clearly.

Now that he can see, the boy joins a hunt for a beluga whale at the beach. His guardian also comes to help. Her job is to hold onto the harpoon line, acting like an anchor to stop the whale from getting away. A rope is tied around her waist. During the hunt, the whale pulls her into the sea. This happens either because the boy didn't help her pull back, or because he purposely harpooned a whale that was too big. The large whale pulls her far out into the water, and she is lost at sea. In some versions of the story, she turns into a narwhal, and her hair becomes the narwhal's long horn.

Other Versions of the Tale

• The story of Sun and moon (Inuit myth) is a longer Inuit version of this tale. In this version, more events happen after the main story, and it ends with the brother and sister becoming the sun and the moon in the sky.

Art Inspired by the Story

Figurines and Sculptures

• In the 1960s, an artist named Aisa Qupiqrualuk from Puvirnituq carved five soapstone figurines. These small sculptures show different parts of the Blind Boy and the Loon story.

Films About the Story

• The Loon's Necklace is a Canadian film made in 1948. It tells a version of the story from the Tsimshian people.
• Lumaaq is a short animated film from 1975 by Co Hoedeman. It is based on a version of the tale from Povungnituk.
• Lumaajuuq: The Blind Boy and the Loon is another animated short film from 2009, made by Alethea Arnaquq-Baril.