Sedna

 

     There are several versions of the Inuit Sedna legend. In one, she is dissatisfied with the men her father has chosen for her and so she marries a dog. Oh Sedna, I can relate. Her father is so upset with her that he throws her into the water from his boat. When she tries to grasp at the boat, he chops off her fingers and her fingers become the animals of the sea. Charming. 😒

     The snow was blowing and thickly blanketed the ground below. From the piles of snow, a small figure appeared. She was wrapped in a brown cloak and her dark hair blew in the wind. Her eyes sparkled with intelligence and curiosity. She had not inhabited the earth for many years. Her feet felt the icy ground beneath her and she surveyed the landscape before her, wondering how much had changed since her last visit to the earthly plane. She knew that her people were still here. That made her smile. A powerful Angakok, or Shaman, called her here for some purpose. She was curious to discover why she was called. Her limbs were stiff as she settled into her physical form.

     Another form appeared in the distance. She smiled when she saw him approach. It was a large polar bear. He had blood on his paw and had somehow been injured. She called to greet him "ᐊᐃᓐᖓᐃ" (Ainngai). He emitted a low growl and sat before her. She reached out her arms and a golden light glowed from her hands and floated towards the bear. The blood cleared from his paw and he was healed. She was so happy to have healed one of her children. She stroked his fur and soothed him.

     She and her companion bear headed west towards the ocean. It called her and she somehow she was brought here because of it.  As she approached the shore she could smell death and some new smell that was rotten. The rocks, the shoreline, the water was all covered in a black viscous liquid. Her heart sank when she felt the suffering of her children. Many species were already gone. She was too late. 

     The humans handled this disaster badly and had used some type of chemical spilled from a flying machine to try to clean up the terrible mess. Then they blew water on the rocks with great force, killing the precious fungi that resided there. In her mind, she started taking an inventory of all that was lost. So many were lost. There were 250,000 birds, thousands of otters, hundreds of seals and eagles, and 22 orcas, among other whales. 

     She wondered what that black liquid was for. What was so important that it destroyed her home?  She closed her eyes and entered the mind of the Angakok. He showed her stretching black snakes upon the earth with mechanical wheeled igloos full of people on them. There were also flying machines also full of people. Not just her people, but also many other people of the earth were using these portable igloos. They kept stopping and filling them with clear liquid to keep going. He showed her how the black liquid was converted to the clear liquid that was so desired. He showed her the captain. He had been drinking the night before, which made him sleep soundly enough to miss the entire event.   

     There were people across the area trying to help her animals. Her first action was to outstretch her arms and allow the golden light to shine and cover all the souls that were trying to help. She would bless them now to help them with their work and she would bless them forever for caring about her children and offering their time and effort to heal this terrible thing. Sadly, they would become sick from trying to help, but they would be at peace before that because she sent her blessings. She blessed all of the animals who had suffered through this event.   

     She knew that the black liquid, now she knew was called oil, would stay in the earth for many years after this. No matter how she tried, she could not entirely remedy this situation. She looked up to the sky and let out a loud scream. As she did, water flowed from her mouth which quickly turned to ice and created a large storm in the area. She focused on all of those who created the disaster. Her blessings would be taken from them, and they would suffer for it. Some would pay financially, others would have bad luck, and still, others would grow sick and would not have her comfort through the sickness. She communicated to the Angakok that justice had been done. She left the shoreline and walked back to where she started with her bear companion. As she approached the caves, her body became more and more transparent until she faded into the snow from where she came.