Eχaluqdjung

Overview

When Ititaujang follows his departed goose wife, he reaches a river where Eχaluqdjung cuts and polishes wooden chips. Each becomes a slippery salmon that falls into the water and swims toward a nearby lake. Boas translates the maker’s name as little salmon. Seen from behind, his body is hollow all the way through to his mouth. The traveller retreats and approaches from the front, concealing what he has already seen. Eχaluqdjung declares that he would have killed anyone who saw his back.

The dangerous figure nevertheless helps the traveller. He identifies the island where the wife lives with a new husband and supplies a salmon backbone that becomes a kayak while its passenger keeps his eyes shut. Ititaujang briefly opens them because the crossing is strangely silent; the craft rocks and starts reverting to bone. Closing them again allows him to reach the island. The maker’s threat and assistance both belong to this episode; he is not simply a malicious river monster.

Origins & earliest records

Franz Boas published this account in The Central Eskimo (1888), based on his Canadian Arctic fieldwork and expressly attributed earlier reports. No individual narrator is named for this selected story.

Records & interpretation

Ititaujang, pp.615–618; complete published English story read. Footnote9 explicitly says this version is curtailed and points to a fuller Berlin publication not inspected here.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   The Central Eskimo

   Franz Boas, collector · 1888

   Ititaujang, pp.615–618; complete published English story read. Footnote9 explicitly says this version is curtailed and points to a fuller Berlin publication not inspected here.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Primary textBoas 1888: Ititaujang, pp.615–618; complete published English story read. Footnote9 explicitly says this version is curtailed and points to a fuller Berlin publication not inspected here.Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.