Inuit Interpretations of Sleep Paralysis
Traditional and contemporary Inuit concepts of sleep paralysis were investigated through interviews with elders and young people in Iqaluit, Baffin Island. Sleep paralysis was readily recognized by most respondents and termed uqumangirniq (in the Baffin region) or aqtuqsinniq (Kivalliq region). Trad...
Published in: | Transcultural Psychiatry |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
SAGE Publications
2005
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1363461505050712 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1363461505050712 |
id |
crsagepubl:10.1177/1363461505050712 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crsagepubl:10.1177/1363461505050712 2024-09-15T17:57:04+00:00 Inuit Interpretations of Sleep Paralysis Law, Samuel Kirmayer, Laurence J. 2005 http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1363461505050712 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1363461505050712 en eng SAGE Publications http://journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license Transcultural Psychiatry volume 42, issue 1, page 93-112 ISSN 1363-4615 1461-7471 journal-article 2005 crsagepubl https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461505050712 2024-08-19T04:29:13Z Traditional and contemporary Inuit concepts of sleep paralysis were investigated through interviews with elders and young people in Iqaluit, Baffin Island. Sleep paralysis was readily recognized by most respondents and termed uqumangirniq (in the Baffin region) or aqtuqsinniq (Kivalliq region). Traditional interpretations of uqumangirniq referred to a shamanistic cosmology in which the individual’s soul was vulnerable during sleep and dreaming. Sleep paralysis could result from attack by shamans or malevolent spirits. Understanding the experience as a manifestation of supernatural power, beyond one’s control, served to reinforce the experiential reality and presence of the spirit world. For contemporary youth, sleep paralysis was interpreted in terms of multiple frameworks that incorporated personal, medical, mystical, traditional/shamanistic, and Christian views, reflecting the dynamic social changes taking place in this region. Article in Journal/Newspaper Baffin Island Baffin inuit Iqaluit Kivalliq SAGE Publications Transcultural Psychiatry 42 1 93 112 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
SAGE Publications |
op_collection_id |
crsagepubl |
language |
English |
description |
Traditional and contemporary Inuit concepts of sleep paralysis were investigated through interviews with elders and young people in Iqaluit, Baffin Island. Sleep paralysis was readily recognized by most respondents and termed uqumangirniq (in the Baffin region) or aqtuqsinniq (Kivalliq region). Traditional interpretations of uqumangirniq referred to a shamanistic cosmology in which the individual’s soul was vulnerable during sleep and dreaming. Sleep paralysis could result from attack by shamans or malevolent spirits. Understanding the experience as a manifestation of supernatural power, beyond one’s control, served to reinforce the experiential reality and presence of the spirit world. For contemporary youth, sleep paralysis was interpreted in terms of multiple frameworks that incorporated personal, medical, mystical, traditional/shamanistic, and Christian views, reflecting the dynamic social changes taking place in this region. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Law, Samuel Kirmayer, Laurence J. |
spellingShingle |
Law, Samuel Kirmayer, Laurence J. Inuit Interpretations of Sleep Paralysis |
author_facet |
Law, Samuel Kirmayer, Laurence J. |
author_sort |
Law, Samuel |
title |
Inuit Interpretations of Sleep Paralysis |
title_short |
Inuit Interpretations of Sleep Paralysis |
title_full |
Inuit Interpretations of Sleep Paralysis |
title_fullStr |
Inuit Interpretations of Sleep Paralysis |
title_full_unstemmed |
Inuit Interpretations of Sleep Paralysis |
title_sort |
inuit interpretations of sleep paralysis |
publisher |
SAGE Publications |
publishDate |
2005 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1363461505050712 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1363461505050712 |
genre |
Baffin Island Baffin inuit Iqaluit Kivalliq |
genre_facet |
Baffin Island Baffin inuit Iqaluit Kivalliq |
op_source |
Transcultural Psychiatry volume 42, issue 1, page 93-112 ISSN 1363-4615 1461-7471 |
op_rights |
http://journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461505050712 |
container_title |
Transcultural Psychiatry |
container_volume |
42 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
93 |
op_container_end_page |
112 |
_version_ |
1810433259731943424 |