Introduction-E

Taliillajuut
Sea People
As told to Maaki Kakkik by her grandmother, Miali Tuttu
uvangali takullarillunga takulauqsimanngittunga Taliillajuumik.
taima tusaumajara
Myself, I really haven’t seen a Taliilajuuq. I have heard
Aalasiup uivininga surusiulluni Juanasiminiq, tininnimiittuni
mikijurulummiguuq
that Alasi’s late husband, Joanasie, when he was a child, was at the low tide
Taliillajuuralaakulummik takugami tinijjauqqajumik nitsimmut
pinnguarivattamininga.
and saw a small Taliilajuuq. When he saw one that was stuck at low tide, he played with
it with a hook.
atsualuguuq aittangaqattaqtuviniq tavvunga.
Taliillajuuralaakulummut nitsimmugguuq.
The Taliilajuuq had its mouth wide open to him. He had the Taliilajuuq hooked.
nitsisimallugu taima tuqujiarigamiuk imaak mitautigillugu
mitautigiinnaqtuniuk.
It died, and he had made fun of the Taliilajuuq all that time.
taima qimminut tunijaminiq, qimminugguuq pijumajaunngittuq
taimaittuminiq.
He then gave it to the dogs, but the dogs did not want it. That is what happened.
taima tusaumattaratta Taliillajuut mitautaugiaqanngittut
pirjuaraaluummata imaulli.
We had heard that we should never make fun of them. It is a major thing
inugimmagit kisianiguuq imaaqtuqarluni taika Taliillajuut
mitautauppata,
because they are a people of the sea, and if someone falls into the water, the Taliilajuut,
whether someone has made fun of them or not,
194 Introduction to the Oral Traditions