Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo - Alternative Religions ...

Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo - Title Page
Of every seal caught at a winter station during the whole season of their dwelling in the winter-houses,
small pieces of flesh, with a proportionate share of the blubber, were distributed among all the
inhabitants; or if insufficient for so many, the housemates first got their share. Nobody was omitted on
these occasions, and in this way not the very poorest could want food and lamp-oil so long as the usual
capture of seals did not fail. Besides this general distribution, every man who had taken a seal used to
invite the rest to partake of a meal with him. It must, however, be understood, that where the population
of a place exceeded a certain number, or at times when the seals were very plentiful, this sharing of flesh
and blubber, either by distribution or by feasting, would probably be limited, in the first case, to perhaps
some of the nearest houses or relatives.
Beyond the confines of such places as were already inhabited, every one was at liberty to put up his house
p. 28 and go hunting and fishing whenever he chose. Not even where others had first established a
fishing-place, by making weirs across a river, would any objection be made to other parties making use
of these, or even injuring them.
Any one picking up pieces of driftwood or goods lost at sea or on land was considered rightful owner of
them; and to make good his possession, he had only to carry them up above high-water mark and put
stones upon them, no matter where his homestead might be.
If a seal was harpooned and got off with the harpoon sticking in it, the first striker lost his right to it as
soon as the hunting-bladder became detached. It then became the property of whoever found and finally
killed it. This would take place when the animal had been hit with the large harpoon and the hunting-line
snapped, while the small harpoon or bladder-arrow has the bladder attached to it. But if the animal ran far
away with the bladder-arrow, the first hunter also lost his claim, just as if the bladder had been wanting.
The weapons attached to the animal were restored to the proper owner when he announced himself.
Any other kind of goods found were considered the property of the finder.
If two hunters at the same time hit a bird or a seal, it was divided into equal parts with the skin attached.
But if this happened with a reindeer, the animal belonged to the one whose arrow had reached nearest the
heart, the other only getting part of the flesh.
All kinds of game or animals which happened to be rare, on account of their size or other unusual
circumstances, were more than ordinary species considered common property. Of walrus and the smaller
cetaceous animals, in localities where they were rarely found, the killer only took the head and tail, the
remainder being given up to public use. This was also the case on the first capture of such animals as
only appeared at certain seasons, or p. 29 with any animal caught during times of long want and bad luck
to the hunters. But if an animal of the largest size, more especially a whale, was captured, it was
considered common property, and as indiscriminately belonging to every one who might come and assist
in flensing it, whatever place he belonged to, and whether he had any share in capturing the animal or
not. The flensing was also managed without any order or control; and if any one happened to wound
another on such an occasion, he was not held answerable for it.
In South Greenland, where bears are rarely seen, it is said that, on a bear being killed, it belongs to
whoever first discovered it, setting aside altogether the person who killed it.
When no seals or other larger animals were brought home to a house, those families who were best off
for provisions generally invited the other housemates, but not the place-fellows, to partake of the
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