Sisters of the Burning Branch Goddess Gallery Presents...
Goddess Pinga
Image presented with permission from Rev Dr. Rich CrystalWolfe Baker, DD, HPS, DBS;
http://bouncesite.com/rbaker
“The One Above”
Inuit Goddess of Protection, The Hunt, Fertility and Medicine
Alternate names: The One Above, Caribou
Mother
Background information:
Before we can understand Pinga, we must understand her people the Kivallirmiut (18), or Caribou Inuit. This Inuit subgroup is believed to have descended from the Proto-Inuit Thule in Alaska, through the Copper Inuit (Northern Canada). As they lack early written language, Caribou Inuit pre-history is unclear. (17) Their name developed based on the tribe’s dependence on the migratory caribou. Unlike most of the Inuit who believe in The Old Woman of the Sea (Sedna, The One Below), because of their inland lifestyle, the Caribou have no belief concerning a Sea Woman. Their central figure was Pinga, who controlled the caribou migration. If Pinga was offended, caribou would be scarce and living difficult. Sacrificial offerings to her could promote luck in hunting.(8)
Traditional Inuit religious practices include animism (living things have a soul/spirit) and shamanism, in which spiritual healers (angakkuit) channel and intervene with spirits.(8)
Inuit historian Qitsualik writes ”The Inuit cosmos is ruled by no one. There are no divine mother and father figures. There are no wind gods and solar creators. There are no eternal punishments in the hereafter, as there are no punishments for children or adults in the here and now.” (16) However, several sources describe Pinga as the psychopomp, guide for souls to the place of the dead - Adlivun.
Composite Image 1: Caribou
HerStory/HiStory
It is said that Pinga watches over the souls of the living, that those who are sick or dying pray to her. An Inuit angakkuit (shaman) can channel her power to obtain the power to heal, aid fertility, and to ease the passage of the soul to the next realm. After death, Pinga gathers up souls and guides them to Adlivun where Anguta ferries them to Pana, the Keeper of Souls. The souls dance in the the lights above. As such, she is a triple phase goddess and sometimes associated with the Moon.
As Caribou Mother, she guides the migration and hunting of Caribou. Her beneficence extends to all land creatures. Most taboos in Inuit culture pertain to some aspect of the hunting, preparation, and consumption of game. If Pinga/Caribou Mother is offended, game will be scarce. Observation of taboos prevents this.
Image Credit: Luke Stackpole, Unsplash
Relationships:
Details of the Inuit pantheon relationships are scarce. Proto-Inuit tradition was largely oral, and the migratory nature of the tribes resulted in a wide variance in the stories and histories. Pinga (The One Above) and Sedna (The One Below) seem to be the most easily identified. Pinga also has relationships with Anguta (Transporter of Souls) and Pana (Keeper of Souls), but the nature of their relationships is unclear.
Worship:
Many Inuit tribes are Christian now, though some traditional shamanistic and animistic traditions remain. The details of worship practices, outside of observation of hunt/game related taboos have been lost.
Composite Image 2: Plants - From top left: Water lily, Thistle, Violet, Dandelion
Sacred Correspondences:
• Areas of Influence: Hunt, Fertility, Healing, Death, Migration of the Soul, mediator between the unconscious and conscious realms (15)
• Day: As a Moon Goddess, Monday would be her day
• Number: 3
• Food: Traditional Inuit offerings include: Grasses, tubers, roots, stems, berries, and seaweed
• Colors: white, sky blue
• Elements: Earth, Air
• Animals: walrus, caribou, owl, whale-bone carvings
• Stones:
• labradorite - rising magical power, lungs, forgotten memories
• Iolite - shamanic journey)
• lapis - truth, communication
• sapphire - spiritual wisdom, channeling healing
• diamond - fearlessness, unbreakable
• Smoky quartz - stone of power, guide of souls)
• Plants:
• Bistort: Healing, Fertility
• Burdock: Healing, Protection
• Coltsfoot (Coughwort): Healing, Visions
• Spatterdock (Cowlily, yellow waterlily): Healing
• Pissabed (Dandelion): Healing
• Fireweed: transmutation of anger, cleansing of karma
• Violet: grief of young death, love, protection
• Thistle: Healing and protection
• Regions: Caribou Inuit is a collective name for several groups of inland Alaskan Natives (the Krenermiut, Aonarktormiut, Harvaktormiut, Padlermiut, and Ahearmiut) living in an area bordered by the tree line and the west shore of Hudson Bay.(8)
• Tools: ulu (knife), caribou skin/clothing
• Symbols: moon,
• Temperament: Motherly
• Offerings: prayers, observation of taboos related specifically to caribou hunting; Food
• Prohibitions: variety of taboos designed to prevent misfortune or bad luck. Many of these taboos were associated with hunting or some other aspect of the food gathering process, thus underscoring the importance of these activities for survival of the group
Composite Image 3: Crystals —- Center: Smoky Quartz, From top left: Lapis lazuli, Diamond, Labradorite, Sapphire
Ritual or Spell
Caribou angakkuit (spiritual healer) performed fortune-telling through qilaneq, a technique of asking questions to a qila (spirit). The angakkuq placed his glove on the ground and raised his staff and belt over it. The qila then entered the glove and drew the staff to itself. Qilaneq was practiced among several other Alaskan Native groups and provided "yes" or "no" answers to questions (8)
Background information:
Before we can understand Pinga, we must understand her people the Kivallirmiut (18), or Caribou Inuit. This Inuit subgroup is believed to have descended from the Proto-Inuit Thule in Alaska, through the Copper Inuit (Northern Canada). As they lack early written language, Caribou Inuit pre-history is unclear. (17) Their name developed based on the tribe’s dependence on the migratory caribou. Unlike most of the Inuit who believe in The Old Woman of the Sea (Sedna, The One Below), because of their inland lifestyle, the Caribou have no belief concerning a Sea Woman. Their central figure was Pinga, who controlled the caribou migration. If Pinga was offended, caribou would be scarce and living difficult. Sacrificial offerings to her could promote luck in hunting.(8)
Traditional Inuit religious practices include animism (living things have a soul/spirit) and shamanism, in which spiritual healers (angakkuit) channel and intervene with spirits.(8)
Inuit historian Qitsualik writes ”The Inuit cosmos is ruled by no one. There are no divine mother and father figures. There are no wind gods and solar creators. There are no eternal punishments in the hereafter, as there are no punishments for children or adults in the here and now.” (16) However, several sources describe Pinga as the psychopomp, guide for souls to the place of the dead - Adlivun.
Composite Image 1: Caribou
HerStory/HiStory
It is said that Pinga watches over the souls of the living, that those who are sick or dying pray to her. An Inuit angakkuit (shaman) can channel her power to obtain the power to heal, aid fertility, and to ease the passage of the soul to the next realm. After death, Pinga gathers up souls and guides them to Adlivun where Anguta ferries them to Pana, the Keeper of Souls. The souls dance in the the lights above. As such, she is a triple phase goddess and sometimes associated with the Moon.
As Caribou Mother, she guides the migration and hunting of Caribou. Her beneficence extends to all land creatures. Most taboos in Inuit culture pertain to some aspect of the hunting, preparation, and consumption of game. If Pinga/Caribou Mother is offended, game will be scarce. Observation of taboos prevents this.
Image Credit: Luke Stackpole, Unsplash
Relationships:
Details of the Inuit pantheon relationships are scarce. Proto-Inuit tradition was largely oral, and the migratory nature of the tribes resulted in a wide variance in the stories and histories. Pinga (The One Above) and Sedna (The One Below) seem to be the most easily identified. Pinga also has relationships with Anguta (Transporter of Souls) and Pana (Keeper of Souls), but the nature of their relationships is unclear.
Worship:
Many Inuit tribes are Christian now, though some traditional shamanistic and animistic traditions remain. The details of worship practices, outside of observation of hunt/game related taboos have been lost.
Composite Image 2: Plants - From top left: Water lily, Thistle, Violet, Dandelion
Sacred Correspondences:
• Areas of Influence: Hunt, Fertility, Healing, Death, Migration of the Soul, mediator between the unconscious and conscious realms (15)
• Day: As a Moon Goddess, Monday would be her day
• Number: 3
• Food: Traditional Inuit offerings include: Grasses, tubers, roots, stems, berries, and seaweed
• Colors: white, sky blue
• Elements: Earth, Air
• Animals: walrus, caribou, owl, whale-bone carvings
• Stones:
• labradorite - rising magical power, lungs, forgotten memories
• Iolite - shamanic journey)
• lapis - truth, communication
• sapphire - spiritual wisdom, channeling healing
• diamond - fearlessness, unbreakable
• Smoky quartz - stone of power, guide of souls)
• Plants:
• Bistort: Healing, Fertility
• Burdock: Healing, Protection
• Coltsfoot (Coughwort): Healing, Visions
• Spatterdock (Cowlily, yellow waterlily): Healing
• Pissabed (Dandelion): Healing
• Fireweed: transmutation of anger, cleansing of karma
• Violet: grief of young death, love, protection
• Thistle: Healing and protection
• Regions: Caribou Inuit is a collective name for several groups of inland Alaskan Natives (the Krenermiut, Aonarktormiut, Harvaktormiut, Padlermiut, and Ahearmiut) living in an area bordered by the tree line and the west shore of Hudson Bay.(8)
• Tools: ulu (knife), caribou skin/clothing
• Symbols: moon,
• Temperament: Motherly
• Offerings: prayers, observation of taboos related specifically to caribou hunting; Food
• Prohibitions: variety of taboos designed to prevent misfortune or bad luck. Many of these taboos were associated with hunting or some other aspect of the food gathering process, thus underscoring the importance of these activities for survival of the group
Composite Image 3: Crystals —- Center: Smoky Quartz, From top left: Lapis lazuli, Diamond, Labradorite, Sapphire
Ritual or Spell
Caribou angakkuit (spiritual healer) performed fortune-telling through qilaneq, a technique of asking questions to a qila (spirit). The angakkuq placed his glove on the ground and raised his staff and belt over it. The qila then entered the glove and drew the staff to itself. Qilaneq was practiced among several other Alaskan Native groups and provided "yes" or "no" answers to questions (8)
A Healer’s Invocation
by Illara Silverbreeze
Pinga, Protectress of our people
The One Above,
Fill me with Great Mother’s love
Pinga, Huntress of the tundra
She Who Provides
Show me where my path should lie
Pinga, Source of medicine
She Who Knows
Lead me to where healing must go
Pinga, Guide of Souls
She Who Loves Best
Take me home when at last I rest
Sources:
1. https://hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/The-Many-Colors-of-the-Goddess-Pana-and-Pinga-Inuit-Goddesses-of-the-Soul
2. https://youtu.be/YyIYYgRgTkA
3. https://youtu.be/dumvYzfuT0w
4. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1668653-pinga?tab=author
5. https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Inuit_religion.html
6. https://www.scoop.it/t/birhting-the-goddess
7. http://thejadedress.com/2017/08/18/the-eclipse-get-down-a-date-with-goddess-pinga/
8. http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Inuit_religion
9. http://www.goldrushnuggets.com/rageandmiina3.html
10. http://www.stoneartsofalaska.com/crystals.htm
11. http://www.plantnative.org/rpl-alaska.htm
12. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Inuit
13. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit_religion
14. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adlivun
15. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychopomp
16. Qitsualik, Rachel Attituq (24 September 1999). "Mr. Holman dreams: Part One of Two". Nunani. Nunatsiaq Online. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
17. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribou_Inuit
18. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/caribou-inuit
19. http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_groups/fp_inuit5.html
20. https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/archive/qitsualik-of-herbs-and-inuit-AI6coaux8k6kXu2CoTJF0g/ (herbalism)
21. https://northernbushcraft.com/guide.php?ctgy=edible_plants®ion=nu
22. crystalvaults.com
23. http://herbalriot.tumblr.com/
24. https://www.thevintagenews.com
Pictures, Links, Videos
-Other images As credited above; composite image credits here
Composite Image Photo Sources: Obtained from Open Source: Unsplash, Pixabay, and Free Wallpaper sites
Image presented with permission from Rev Dr. Rich CrystalWolfe Baker, DD, HPS, DBS;
http://bouncesite.com/rbaker
Image 1: Caribou
https://www.animalstown.com/animals/c/caribou/wallpapers/caribu-wallpaper-01.php
https://hipwallpaper.com/caribou-wallpapers/
Image 2: Plants
Thistle by Igor Tudoran, Unsplash
Dandelion by Natalia Luchanko, Unsplash
Water lily, Violet from Pixabay
Image 3: Crystals
Labradorite by Carole Smile, Unsplash
Pixabay (diamond, sapphire, smoky quartz, lapis)
2. https://youtu.be/YyIYYgRgTkA
3. https://youtu.be/dumvYzfuT0w
4. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1668653-pinga?tab=author
5. https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Inuit_religion.html
6. https://www.scoop.it/t/birhting-the-goddess
7. http://thejadedress.com/2017/08/18/the-eclipse-get-down-a-date-with-goddess-pinga/
8. http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Inuit_religion
9. http://www.goldrushnuggets.com/rageandmiina3.html
10. http://www.stoneartsofalaska.com/crystals.htm
11. http://www.plantnative.org/rpl-alaska.htm
12. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Inuit
13. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit_religion
14. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adlivun
15. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychopomp
16. Qitsualik, Rachel Attituq (24 September 1999). "Mr. Holman dreams: Part One of Two". Nunani. Nunatsiaq Online. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
17. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribou_Inuit
18. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/caribou-inuit
19. http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_groups/fp_inuit5.html
20. https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/archive/qitsualik-of-herbs-and-inuit-AI6coaux8k6kXu2CoTJF0g/ (herbalism)
21. https://northernbushcraft.com/guide.php?ctgy=edible_plants®ion=nu
22. crystalvaults.com
23. http://herbalriot.tumblr.com/
24. https://www.thevintagenews.com
Pictures, Links, Videos
-Other images As credited above; composite image credits here
Composite Image Photo Sources: Obtained from Open Source: Unsplash, Pixabay, and Free Wallpaper sites
Image presented with permission from Rev Dr. Rich CrystalWolfe Baker, DD, HPS, DBS;
http://bouncesite.com/rbaker
Image 1: Caribou
https://www.animalstown.com/animals/c/caribou/wallpapers/caribu-wallpaper-01.php
https://hipwallpaper.com/caribou-wallpapers/
Image 2: Plants
Thistle by Igor Tudoran, Unsplash
Dandelion by Natalia Luchanko, Unsplash
Water lily, Violet from Pixabay
Image 3: Crystals
Labradorite by Carole Smile, Unsplash
Pixabay (diamond, sapphire, smoky quartz, lapis)