Introduction-E

taannaguuq uqaqtuni ”anguguma nirigumaaqpunga” anaananga
qiasittautigigaluaqtuniguuq.
The son answered, “I will eat when I make my own kill.” The mother started crying
right away.
qilalugait saqqiqtualuuvalirmata taanna irninga nauksiarami
taununngaqtuni najangalu anaanangalu maliktutik sinaanut
qilalugarasuarniaramik
When the whales started showing up, the son found a harpoon and headed down to the
shore, followed by the sister and the mother, so they could try and catch a whale.
tamaunatiqattarngata qilalugait anaananga uqaqtuni “majja majja
isuqtaattiaq, majjailaak qimuqitaqtuq”
The whales were going by very close and the mother would say, “Here, here’s a nice
grey one swimming by,” but he did not try.
usiimma tanna irninga qakuqtaalummik nauliksilluni tamauna
qitiagut qiluaqtuniuk kangiutilluniuk aliup isuanut,
anaananiguuq sakkuiqulluniuk.
The mother kept repeating this whenever one went by, but the son wanted a big white
whale. He harpooned one and he tied the end of the rope attached to the harpoon
around the waist of his mother.
najaniguuq sakkuiqulluniuk sakkuimmat nuqigialauqsugu.
He told his sister to let go of the rope and when she left, he pulled on the rope a bit.
suuqaimma tanna qilalugaq (qakuqtaq) angutialuugami
sunaussanngimmat inummik, taimaguuq taununga anaananga
ullasittuni imaanut. Taimali qilalugamut kalitaulirami, qilalugaq
aqqaraimmat aqqaqpattuni, puigaimmat puivattuni anaananga.
The white whale is very strong and now when the whale goes up or down [in the sea],
the mother goes up and down too.
taima puigaimmat uqaqpammat ”lumaaq”, taima atiqaqpuq
lumaaju.
When she goes up, “lumaaq” is the sound she makes. That is why they call her Lumaaju.
204 Introduction to the Oral Traditions