THE FOX & HARE LEGEND -
contrast of light & dark “In the beginning, darkness was everywhere. There was no light on Earth, and it was not possible to see the ground, the animals or humans. Strangely enough, however, an animal could transform into a human, and a human into an animal. There were several different animals, like bears, hares and foxes, but when these animals became human, they all became the same: they spoke the same language, lived in the same style of home, and hunted the same way it was during this time that magic words were created. A word mentioned casually during a conversation could suddenly acquire magical powers, and nobody could explain how or why. One day, a fox and a hare were having an argument. The fox kept repeating “Darkness!” because he liked the way he could use the dark to steal the hunting catches of the humans. The hare, on the other hand, kept repeating “Daylight!” because he needed light to help him find food. Suddenly, light shone and darkness fell away to be replaced by day. The word repeated by the hare had stronger magic than the fox’s word. Since then, night and day take turns shining over Earth, and the fox and the hare take turns finding food as well. Suddenly, light shone and darkness fell away to be replaced by day. The word repeated by the hare had stronger magic than the fox’s word. Since then, night and day take turns shining over Earth, and the fox and the hare take turns finding food as well."
“A long time ago, after the World was created, a great shaman acquired such strong powers that he went to live in the sky. He brought with him his sister – who was very beautiful – and fire. He added so much fuel to the fire that it became the Sun. The brother and sister lived in harmony for a long time until a great disagreement arose between them and the brother hit the sister, marking her face with a disfiguring burn. The young woman left her brother to take refuge elsewhere in the sky where she became the Moon. Since then, the brother and his fire have followed her, trying to reach her, but never succeeding.”
“Beyond its deeper cosmological significance, Inuit celestial mythology served a practical purpose: instilling “memory maps” of the sky whenever the myths were recounted. Stars became actors in vivid, dramatic stories that, once heard, were not easily forgotten. In addition to upholding the cultural mores of the society, these stories, passed from generation to generation, furnished Inuit with a practical knowledge of the Arctic’s night sky as seen at various times of the year, showing the major stars and their positions relative to each other, as related in the narrative of each myth. Traditionally, Inuit knowledge of specific stars and asterisms, acquired through mythology, was at times essential for wayfinding—particularly on moving sea ice—and for the reckoning of diurnal and seasonal time during the midwinter months.”
OXFORD QUOTE -
“The ancient Inuit believed the Earth (Nunarjuaq in the Inuktitut language) to be a flat and stationary body around which celestial objects revolved. It occupied the center of their universe. The Moon (Taqqiq) was seen as a flat disk of ice, and the Sun (Siqniq) as a ball of fire. The disappearance of the Sun below the horizon for several months was taken as a sign that the cold and frost of winter had weighed it down so much that it could no longer lift itself into the sky.”
Thus, the oar containing spirits which transform into stars. Elders in the stars narrating & guiding the user*