Sedna (mythology)

Sedna (Inuktitut: ᓴᓐᓇ, romanized: Sanna, previously Sedna or Sidne) is the goddess of the sea and marine animals in Inuit religion, also known as the Mother of the Sea or Mistress of the Sea. The story of Sedna, which is a creation myth, describes how she came to rule over Adlivun, the Inuit equivalent of the underworld.

Names

She is known by a variety of names across different Inuit communities. Most of her names are avoidance speech workarounds, due to a custom of avoiding the proper name of one fearful or deserving of respect.

Sanna (ᓴᓐᓇ) meaning "the great one down below". Sedna is an older spelling. (southern and southeastern Baffin Island)

Nuliajuk or Nuliajuq (ᓄᓕᐊᔪᒃ) meaning "the great wife" (Aivilik, Netsilik,)

Takannaaluk (ᑕᑲᓐᓈᓗᒃ) (old spelling Takánâluk ) or Takannaaluk arnaaluk meaing "the terrible woman down there" (Igloolik)

Kannaaluk meaning "the great woman down below" (Igloolik)

Arnaqquaksaq (also spelled Arnakuagsak or Arnaqquassaaq) in parts of Greenland

Uinigumasuittuq meaning "the one who did not want to marry"

Nerrivik

Taliilajuuq

Sassuma Arnaa ('Mother of the Deep') in West Greenlandic

Arnapkapfaaluk ('Big Bad Woman') of the Copper Inuit from the Coronation Gulf area

'Old-woman-who-lived-in-the-sea' (Killiniq, Labrador)

Outside of Inuit languages, Sedna has become the commonly used name due to being popularized by Franz Boas.

Myth

Unwilling to marry

A young woman is relucent to marry any of her human suitors, and instead ends up marrying either a dog or a bird, or both in succession.

Marrying a dog

This story is found among the Iglulik and Netsilik. This story sometimes also appears as a backstory for the Adlet.