Greenlandic Inuit Beliefs - Nexta Expeditions
Greenlandic Inuit Beliefs

Greenlandic Inuit Beliefs

Greenland is the world’s largest island and with the northern tip around 740 kilometres from the North Pole it is the northernmost country on Earth. The island is around 2,670 kilometres long and is about 650 kilometres across at its widest point.

The total land mass is about 2,175,600 square kilometres, 85 percent of which is covered by ice, which can be up to 3,000 metres thick in some places. Geologically, the island has sunk under the ice’s enormous weight with several areas below sea level.

blog-image

Nonetheless, the scenery on a Greenland cruise is stunning with peaks of the mountains jutting into the sky and glaciers winding their way through mountain valleys to reach coastline fjords. Where the glaciers meet the sea icebergs form, floating out to sea.

The weather is just as dramatic with its sub-arctic location bring short, cold summers and freezing cold winters. Along the fjords the temperature hovers around -8° Celsius during wintertime, however the temperature is much colder in the interior.

Greenland was settled by descendants of the present Inuit culture, who identify the island as Kalaalit Nunaat – “land of the people”: The name Greenland came from the Norse explorer Erik the Red who sailed from Iceland to the island in 982 C.E. and spent the next three years farming a plot of land along the southern coastline.

blog-image

The Greenland Inuit’s belief of soul and body

Traditionally, Greenland Inuit believe that humans as well as animals have both soul and body, where the soul performs the breathing and is independent of the body. In this sense the Inuit believe that the soul continues to live after death.

In the context of where Man came from, Greenland Inuit believe that the first man was called Kallak, created by the first woman out of a tuft of sod. Regarding animals, the Inuit also believe that they too have a soul that is independent of the body and continues after death living. For the Inuit, there is belief that the soul may return to Earth and continue in another body.

blog-image

The upper and underworld

The Inuit belief-system is centred around the whole visible world being ruled by supernatural powers or ‘owners’ and is called inua, which means man, and is often used when describing physical locations that have taken on human qualities and passions for example the inua of a certain mountain or lake.

Meanwhile the Earth, with the sea supported by it, rests on pillars and covers the underworld, which is accessible by various entrances from the sea as well as in parts of mountains. Above the Earth an upper world is found with blue sky beyond it. The Inuit believe that the upper world has real land with mountains and valleys.

After death, the Inuit believe that human souls go to either the upper or under world. In fact, the Inuit prefer the underworld as it is warm with abundant food while the souls that go to the upper world will suffer from cold and famine. The Greenland Inuit believe that after death the people can reappear as ghosts. The ghosts make their appearance known by whistling, the next is singing in the ears to ask for food. The dead also act as guardian spirits to their children and grandchildren, especially ones that are named after them.

Summoning powers

To obtain special assistance from the ruling powers Greenland Inuit at times practice the art of summoning, which was practised and taught from mouth to mouth by people acknowledged or authorised by the community. It was always conducted in secret and always with the object of injuring others and completely favouring the practiser. This art is very similar to witchcraft and is based on the principle of divine justice that punishes one person and rewards another.

A unique prayer for a unique circumstance

When making prayers, the Greenland Inuit appeal for aid or to some special owner of the power they seek. The typical custom is to use distinct spells with unique tunes belonging to them. This type of prayer is called serrat and may be referenced to health, hunting, assistance against enemies or dangers. In other words, a specific serrat was used to address a specific issue. A serrat has power itself and is independent of the person who happens to know of it or make use of it. Therefore, the serrat is considered an object of possession and at times were known to be of hereditary property. To own such a serrat, it had to be originally acquired by a revelation to some individual who possessed a certain degree of wisdom.

Fasting and abstinence during childbirth

During times of child-birth, the Greenland Inuit follow a traditional belief system revolving around fasting and abstinence. The woman preparing to give birth is not allowed to work or eat any flesh excepting from the produce of her husband and which the entrails had not been wounded, while fish was allowed.

Two weeks prior to delivery she then may eat flesh, but the bones where not be carried outside the house. During this time the women are not allowed to eat or drink in the open air nor is anyone else allowed to drinking from her water-tubs.

Similarly, leading up to giving birth the husbands are not allowed to work or do any barter for some weeks. They would also take off one boot and put it beneath the dish they were eating so that if a son was born he would be a good hunter.

During the first few days after a child is born no fires are to be lighted at their stall and nothing cooked over the lamp. Immediately after the child is born a name is given to them and it was always of significance if it was to be called the name of a deceased relative, with one of the grandparent’s names preferred.

blog-image

Mixed-sex priests

Both women and men can become priests in Greenland Inuit culture. First a child was educated by a priest, afterwards, there was strict fasting as well as living for periods alone as a way to ensure the soul becomes partly independent of the body and external to the world. Finally, tornak, or guardian spirit would come, whom the apprentice priest will later be able to call to their aid by taking certain measures anytime of choice.

During the time the guardian spirit arrives the priest-in-training is meant to fall into a state of unconsciousness and on regaining their senses was supposed to have returned to mankind. Finally, to become acknowledged as a priest the apprentice has to show his power by calling forth his tornak. If the apprentice failed to call their tornak after 10 attempts they had to give up their claim to becoming a priest, nonetheless they still remained a canny, or a peculiarly gifted person.

Fully qualified priests have more than one tornak which provided many services such as advising and informing spirits and assisting ones in danger, while others have revengeful, destructive powers. The priests were acknowledger or authorised teachers and judges on all issues relating to religious belief and so became at times a civil magistrate.

Best Deals

Related Trips

East and South Greenland Explorer, Incl. flight from Narsarsuaq to Copenhagen - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

East and South Greenland Explorer, Incl. flight from Narsarsuaq to Copenhagen

calendar13 Aug 2025 - 02 Sep 2025
clock21 Days / 20 Nights
From $ 11.000 per person
Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes

calendar23 Aug 2025 - 05 Sep 2025
clock14 Days / 13 Nights
From $ 7.450 per person
East Greenland, Scoresby Sund - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Akureyri

East Greenland, Scoresby Sund - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes

calendar30 Aug 2025 - 08 Sep 2025
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 5.650 per person
South Greenland Explorer, Aurora Borealis, Incl. flight from Copenhagen to Narsarsuaq - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Narsarsuaq

South Greenland Explorer, Aurora Borealis, Incl. flight from Copenhagen to Narsarsuaq

calendar02 Sep 2025 - 11 Sep 2025
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 5.150 per person
East Greenland, Scoresby Sund - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Akureyri

East Greenland, Scoresby Sund - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes

calendar05 Sep 2025 - 14 Sep 2025
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 5.650 per person
East Greenland - Scoresby Sund - Iceland, Aurora Borealis, Fly & Sail - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Constable Pynt

East Greenland - Scoresby Sund - Iceland, Aurora Borealis, Fly & Sail

calendar01 Oct 2025 - 12 Oct 2025
clock12 Days / 11 Nights
From $ 5.900 per person
Northeast Greenland Solar Eclipse Explorer Voyage - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

Northeast Greenland Solar Eclipse Explorer Voyage

calendar02 Aug 2026 - 15 Aug 2026
clock14 Days / 13 Nights
From $ 8.550 per person
Northeast Greenland Solar Eclipse Explorer Voyage - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

Northeast Greenland Solar Eclipse Explorer Voyage

calendar03 Aug 2026 - 16 Aug 2026
clock14 Days / 13 Nights
From $ 8.550 per person
Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland, Fly & Sail - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland, Fly & Sail

calendar12 Aug 2026 - 31 Aug 2026
clock20 Days / 19 Nights
From $ 9.350 per person
Northeast Greenland Extreme - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Akureyri

Northeast Greenland Extreme

calendar15 Aug 2026 - 28 Aug 2026
clock14 Days / 13 Nights
From $ 8.550 per person
East Greenland, Scoresby Sund, Including Long Hikes - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Akureyri

East Greenland, Scoresby Sund, Including Long Hikes

calendar16 Aug 2026 - 25 Aug 2026
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 5.900 per person
East & South Greenland Explorer – Aurora Borealis - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Akureyri

East & South Greenland Explorer – Aurora Borealis

calendar25 Aug 2026 - 08 Sep 2026
clock15 Days / 14 Nights
From $ 8.350 per person

Blog
go-leftgo-right

The Emperor Penguin of the Drake Passage - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Emperor Penguin of the Drake Passage

There are certain moments in life when a series of events combine to create an experience that is both unexpected and unforgettable. These are the times when you are reminded how fortunate you are to be a part of something that few people will ever have the opportunity to experience. This trip to Antarctica was full of these moments for me.
Greenland: Where the Kayak Was Invented - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Greenland: Where the Kayak Was Invented

If you've ever enjoyed kayaking, you owe a debt of gratitude to the ancient Greenlandic Inuit who originally designed them for hunting. The thrilling adventures people now have navigating some of the world's most challenging rapids wouldn't be possible without the Inuit's need for a nimble form of water transportation. While travelers still use kayaks in this region, they are typically not fishing, whaling, or sealing. Consequently, recreational kayaks have been adapted to fit their new role.
Arctic Icon: 10 Facts about the Polar Bear - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Arctic Icon: 10 Facts about the Polar Bear

Polar bears are to the Arctic what penguins are to Antarctica.
The Eight Great Penguin Species of Antarctica - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Eight Great Penguin Species of Antarctica

There are 17 species of penguin on the planet, but the eight you’ll most likely recognize live in Antarctica, its nearby islands, and the sub-Antarctic archipelagos of South Georgia and the Falklands. These are the core species we tend to see on our expedition cruises.
The Ins, Outs, and Ups of Polar Mountaineering & Ski Mountaineering - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Ins, Outs, and Ups of Polar Mountaineering & Ski Mountaineering

Traveling to the polar regions, whether to the Arctic or Antarctica, is an adventure almost no matter what you do.
The History of Antarctica in Maps - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The History of Antarctica in Maps

Long before human eyes ever beheld Antarctica, the ancients were convinced that it existed – or at least something like it.
Svalbard vs. the Canadian Arctic - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Svalbard vs. the Canadian Arctic

It’s easy to assume the Arctic is uniform, a vast expanse of northern freeze shaped by snow, ice, and endless darkness.
The Impact of Small vs. Large Cruise Ships - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Impact of Small vs. Large Cruise Ships

The generalization that larger ships impact the environment more than smaller ships seems like such a no-brainer that if someone said it to you, you’d be easily forgiven for thinking you were being tricked.
The secrets of Antarctic seals revealed - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The secrets of Antarctic seals revealed

There are only six species of seals that inhabit the Antarctic: Southern elephant seals, Antarctic fur seals, crabeater seals, leopard seals, Ross seals, and Weddell seals. While we are familiar with these species, much about their lives remains a mystery.
Five Reasons You Should Cruise the Ross Sea Immediately - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Five Reasons You Should Cruise the Ross Sea Immediately

In our search for lesser-known holiday spots that still offer fully developed amenities like spas and gift shops, we often miss out on some of the planet's truly underrated treasures.
Exploration of the Polar Regions - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Exploration of the Polar Regions

From the Vikings via the first whale and seal hunters to Scott and Amundsen, from the maritime explorers Franklin and Nordenskiöld to present-day polar tourism, a quick tour through history reveals some of the aspects which motivated people to extend their horizons. Existential need, sheer curiosity, imperial greed, polar science, and a taste for adventure all converged in regions which pardon no mistakes.
The World Is Changing for Greenland's Native Inuit People - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The World Is Changing for Greenland's Native Inuit People

You may know them as Eskimos, but the people of the Arctic are officially called the Inuit. Historically, they were hunters in the truest sense. For hundreds of years, they survived the world’s harshest conditions, living off their prey of whales, seals, polar bears, musk oxen, birds, fish, and reindeer. This has always been their way of life.
Five Birds You Might See on Your Greenland Cruise - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Five Birds You Might See on Your Greenland Cruise

A Greenland expedition cruise offers birdwatchers a unique opportunity to capture stunning avian photographs. With over 230 bird species, Greenland boasts both spectacular landscapes and diverse winged wildlife.
Orcas of the Polar Seas - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Orcas of the Polar Seas

The orca, also known as the killer whale, is the apex marine predator and possibly the most widespread vertebrate on the planet. While they are most numerous in colder regions like Antarctica, Norway, and Alaska, they also inhabit tropical and subtropical seas. Here, we’ll explore some essential orca facts you might want to know before encountering them in person, concluding with a fantastic video showcasing our top ten favorite killer whale facts.
Northeast Greenland National Park - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Northeast Greenland National Park

Northeast Greenland National Park is the world’s largest national park and the ninth largest protected area on Earth. It should come as little surprise, then, that it’s also bigger than most countries, covering an impressive 972,000 square km (375,300 square miles).
Shackleton’s Long-Lost Endurance Discovered in Antarctica - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Shackleton’s Long-Lost Endurance Discovered in Antarctica

A discovery expedition launched by the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust achieved a long-awaited mission when it located Anglo-Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton’s lost ship Endurance last Saturday (March 5).
Five Reasons to Love St. Helena - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Five Reasons to Love St. Helena

Being one of the most remote islands on Earth gives St. Helena a unique allure. Named after a Roman empress and the mother of Constantine the Great, this island also holds the distinction of being Napoleon’s final place of exile, making it a fascinating topic of conversation.
Polar Cruises: The Ultimate Icebreaker - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Polar Cruises: The Ultimate Icebreaker

Travel is one of life’s great eye openers. It brings you into contact with new people and perspectives, challenges old assumptions you haven’t held to the light in years, and invites you to make unexpected discoveries about the world around you – and most of all, yourself. Added to which, you get to visit places you never knew you loved until you saw them.
Traditional Lifestyles of the Inuit - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Traditional Lifestyles of the Inuit

The Inuit are an indigenous Arctic people who speak the languages of the Eskaleutian family and reside in four countries surrounding the North Pole: Greenland, Canada, the United States, and Russia.
Science of the Ross Ice Shelf - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Science of the Ross Ice Shelf

Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf is vast, spanning 487,000 sq. km – comparable to the size of France – with a thickness that varies from a few hundred meters near the sea to over 1,200 meters away from the floating edge. The edge along the Ross Sea forms a towering ice wall, rising up to 50 meters above the water, with most of the ice submerged below the waterline.