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In the Inuit religion, Torngarsuk (or Torngasak) is a very powerful sky god, one of the more important deities in the Inuit pantheon. He is said to be the leader of the Tornat, a group of protective gods.[1]
Torngarsuk is listed as a demon or spirit in the Dictionnaire Infernal - a.k.a. Tornatik, Torngarsoak, Torngasoak, Tungrangayak,Tornasuk etc. is a mischievous demon/spirit worshiped by offering in Greenland and the northeastern regions of Canada.
Description
Torngarsuk is the master of whales and seals and most powerful supernatural being in Greenland. He appears in the form of a bear, or a one-armed man, or as a grand human creature like one of the fingers of a hand. He is considered to be invisible to everyone but the angakkuit (the medicine men or shaman among Inuit peoples).
These conflicting descriptions leave us unsure as to his form, but as a grand spirit or demon Torngarsuk is invoked by fishermen and by the angakoqs when one falls ill. There are other spirits invisible to everyone but the angakkuq, who teach men how to be happy. They see Torngarsuk as their benefactor; when the Anguekkok call upon him, they ask that if he does not come that he leave them "in the land of plenty".
Familiar
Each angakkuq keeps a familiar spirit in a leather bottle which he evokes and consults like an oracle. This familiar spirit seeks Torngarsuk in a cave and brings good fortune as well as healing power.
Popular culture
In popular culture, the term or phrase Tornasuk and angekok are best known from a simple and short reference to this part of Inuit mythology and ideology by H. P. Lovecraft in his famous short-story "The Call of Cthulhu", where these ideas are portrayed as part of an "Eskimo diabolist" cult who revere Cthulhu as an avatar or tangible form of Torngarsuk.[2]
References
- ^ Kumlien, Ludwig (1879). "Contributions to the natural history of Arctic America, made in connection with the Howgate Polar Expedition, 1877-78 Ethnology. Fragmentary notes on the Eskimo of Cumberland Sound" (PDF). Bulletin of the United States National Museum: 29.
- ^ Joshi, S. T. (2013). "Review of The Classic Horror Stories". Lovecraft Annual (7): 207. doi:10.2307/26868477. ISSN 1935-6102.
External links
- Deliriums Realm
- Sonne, Birgitte (1986). "Toornaarsuk, an historical Proteus". Arctic Anthropology. 23 (1/2): 199–219. JSTOR 40316110.
- Taylor, J. Garth (1997). "Deconstructing deities: Tuurngatsuak and Tuurngaatsuk in Labrador Inuit religion". Inuit Studies. 21 (1/2): 141–158. JSTOR 42869963.