Qalupalik

Description

Condition:          Mild fold / crease in lower right corner of the paper 1 1/2 inch long. Image is unaffected.

Description by Artist:     No description by artist found.

Notes from DaVic Gallery:  Qalupalik is a myth/legend that was told by Inuit parents and elders to prevent children from wandering to the shore where the Qalupaliks live. Qalupalik: human-like creatures that live in the sea, long hair with green skin and long finger nails. Qalupaliks wear an amautik so it can take babies and children who disobey their parents or wander off alone and takes the children in her amautik under water were she adopts them as their own. Qalupaliks have a distinctive humming sound, and the elders have said you can hear the Qalupaliks humming when they are near. Up to today the Qalupalik story is still being told in schools, books and by parents who don’t want their children to wander off to the dangerous shore.

Seems that there are similar myths / legends in many cultures to keep children in line. Growing-up the “Robachicos” was a man wondering the streets at night looking for lone children to steal.  This story worked great to make sure I’d be home before sunset everyday.