Reading Notes, Week 11, Nukúnguasik, Part A.

 Nukúnguasik, who Escaped from the Tupilak, Eskimo Folk-Tales by Knud Rasmussen:

• The usage of supernatural forces to do one's bidding, as seen with one of Nukúnguasik's brothers. Working with supernatural forces doesn't necessarily bode well for the person seeking their help.
• Brother dies due to being frightened, thus leaving the Tupilak without a means of dying itself.
• Public confession was the only means to call off the Tupilak as it was made in secrecy, and public confession was believed to have a neutralizing effect.
• Possibly a story warning against calling upon these forces without absolutely being certain of one's own powers?
• Or, maybe this brother in particular no longer wished to take care of his other brother since he was wifeless?
• The Tupilak, best explained to Westerners in their own terms, is a zombie/dead human soul resurrected by assembling the body out of human and animal bones. Children are no exception to this creation.
• The Tupilak in this story is based upon the Greenland Inuit.

A carved representation of a tupilak, Greenland.
(Wikipedia Commons)

• First and foremost, knowledge on the cultures representation of a supernatural figure is paramount. Likewise, differences may appear in the cultures based upon geography; therefore, the figure in question may possess the same name and characteristics, there still might be a few significant differences.
• The Tupilak, Information From Wikipedia:
• An avenging monster created by a practitioner of witchcraft or shamanism (in the story, these individuals are always referred to as people with magic powers) that were created using various parts from humans and animals. It was placed into the sea to seek and destroy a specific enemy.
• Naturally risky to use one because if it was sent after someone with greater magical powers it could be turned against its master. Public confession would be the only way to stave off the Tupilak.
• The carved representation of the Tupilak began because Early Europeans were fascinated in what one looked like, but because they were made in secret and with perishable materials there was nothing to keep. Therefore, the carved Tupilak is very important and is made out of sperm whale teeth, narwhal and walrus tusks, wood and caribou antlers.
• Very interesting creatures to add within a story, and this story demonstrates the dangers of incorrectly using one.