Introduction-E

Rules for Women
Bernice Kootoo
Ihave chosen women’s rules as a theme because I have always been interested in the
traditional way of life of women. We interviewed four elders: Elisapee Ootoova from
Mittimatalik; Saullu Nakasuk and Pauloosie Angmarlik from Pangniqtuuq; and
Hervé Paniaq from Iglulik. The interviews mainly focused on the two women, but there
were some questions that were directed to the men. I wanted to know why women had
to observe so many more rules than men did.
In two books (Rasmussen 1929: 168-180; 1931: 504-505) Rasmussen wrote a list of
taboos for women. During the interviews, I asked several questions related to these
taboos. The elders said that these rules were not observed anymore.
Saullu never followed any of the women’s taboos that were listed in the books by
Rasmussen. Her mother never talked to her about the taboos for women, so she could
not tell us about them.
Elisapee said women seemed to have more rules than men because of their periods.
Husbands did follow some of the rules of the wife as she was menstruating, and this
was called kiniqsiiniq. Elisapee said that women, while having their periods, were told
not to sit where men often sat. Elisapee and Saullu said women used sanitary napkins
of rabbit skin and other material. Elisapee said that a woman would have to make sure
that the material used was not from a man’s clothing or garment. Saullu said that if this
rule was not observed by a woman, she might never find a man to marry. As for the
rabbit skin, women would first have to put the skin onto the bed and let it be lain upon
and matted down so that it could soak up all the blood. The ladies would have to tell
[camp members] at once that they had their period and also when they had a
miscarriage.
Saullu said that she had three miscarriages and she was never scared at all. She said
it was just like giving birth, but she said she bled a lot more than she would while giving
birth. Paniaq told us a story of a woman who had a miscarriage and meant to tell her
husband, but never did because she got scared and decided to keep it a secret. She
miscarried and hid the foetus underneath the stone bed frame and never said a word
about it. Game couldn’t be caught anymore, and people could not figure out why, so
they sent for a shaman. He realized that the woman was keeping a secret and she had
something underneath the bed. He made her confess that she had kept the whole
incident from everybody. That was why they could no longer catch any game. After that
night, when the shaman left they could hear the walruses on the ice once again. They
could not wait for daylight to go hunting in the morning. [Saullu said] that this is why
you must always observe all taboos. If you don’t, you are hurting yourself and the ones
around you.
132 Introduction to the Oral Traditions