Drawing based on an Inuit mask depicting the sea goddess Sedna.
Drawing by Rita Lee

Sedna

Sedna was the sea spirit according to the peoples of northern Canada and Greenland, known as Inuit. Sedna was a young girl who stubbornly refused to marry anyone. Her father forced her to marry a dog. Sedna's father felt sorry for her and drowned the dog. After her husband died, Sedna was unable to support her children and herself.

She had to send her children away and returned to live with her parents. One day, a bird disguised as a man sought Sedna in marriage. She accepted and went to live with him. But soon Sedna discovered that her new husband was not a man but only a fulmar. When Sedna's father visited her, he convinced Sedna to leave with him in his boat.

Unfortunately, the fulmar caught them, and created with his wings an enormous storm which threatened to overturn the boat. Terrified, Sedna's father tried to throw the girl overboard to her husband, but she grasped the boat's side. In fear, the father cut off Sedna's fingers until she fell into the sea.. It is said that Sedna resides at the bottom of the sea with the seals and other sea animals that were created from her fingers.

A large planetoid discovered in November 2003 has been named after Sedna. The planetoid orbits on the cold, outer fringe of our Solar System.

Last modified March 17, 2004 by Randy Russell.

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