This article is about a (somewhat diverse) belief held among several Inuit. For homonyms of word “sila”, see Sila (disambiguation).
In Inuit religion, Silap Inua ('possessor of spirit', ᓯᓚᑉ ᐃᓄᐊ) or Sila ('breath, spirit', ᓯᓪᓚ) (Iñupiaq: siḷam iñua) is similar to mana or ether, the primary component of everything that exists; it is also the breath of life and the method of locomotion for any movement or change. Silla was believed to control everything that goes on in one's life.
Silla is a spirit of the sky, the wind, and the weather. Though identified as male, he is never depicted, and thought to be formless. There are very few myths in which Silla is a character, because he is not thought to have many personality characteristics. He also represents a concept somewhat akin to the Hindu idea of Paramatman, or Emerson’s idea of the great Over soul: Silla is also believed to be the substance which souls are made of. Contrary to the Christian missionaries who have identified Nanook the polar bear spirit as the supreme deity of the Inuit, Silla is much closer to this role. However Silla also has a somewhat malevolent aspect: he is known to lure children away from their play off into the tundra, never to be seen again.
Among the many various Inuit cultures, term silap inua / sila, hillap inua / hilla (among Inuit), siḷam iñua (among Inupiaq), ellam yua / ella (among Yup'ik) is used with some diversity.[1] In many instances it refers “outer space”, “intellect”, “weather”, “sky”, “universe”:[1][2][3][4] there may be some correspondence with the presocratic concept of logos.[2][5]
Shamanhood among Eskimo peoples was a diverse phenomenon, just like the various Inuit cultures themselves. Among Copper Inuit, shamans were believed to obtain their power from this “Wind Indweller”, thus even their helping spirits were termed as silap inue.[3]: 230
Among Siberian Yupik, [sɬamjuɣwa] was depicted as a mighty hunter, catching game just like earthly men, but being capable of controlling whether people paid attention to customs and traditions.[6]
According to the interpretations of anthropologists, Silla is one of the oldest Inuit deities, but was recently (in the last thousand years) supplanted by Sedna, (the goddess of sea mammals) and the Caribou Mother (the goddess of caribou) when these became the major food sources of the Inuit. Anthropologists believe that the belief is extremely old because of the widespread nature of this deity.
^ abKleivan, I.; Sonne, B. (1985). Eskimos, Greenland and Canada. Leiden: E.J. Brill. p. 31. ISBN9004071601.
^ abMousalimas, S.A. (1997). Arctic Ecology and Identity. Budapest: Akad. K. pp. 23–26, 87. ISBN963056629X.
^ abMerkur, Daniel (1985). Becoming Becoming Half Hidden: Shamanism and Initiation among the Inuit. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International. pp. 235–240. ISBN9122007520.
^Gabus, Jean (1970). Vie et coutumes des Esquimaux Caribous (in French). Payot. pp. 230–234.
^. 2006-05-17. Archived from the original on May 17, 2006. Retrieved 2016-04-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^Diószegi, Vilmos (1997). Popular Beliefs and Folklore Tradition in Siberia (Reprint ed.). London: Routledge. p. 447. ISBN0700703802.
^Menovshchikov, G.A. (1964). Language of Sirenik Eskimos. Phonetics, morphology, texts and vocabulary. Moscow • Leningrad: Academy of Sciences of the USSR.
External linksedit
Radio Interview with Dr. Timothy Leduc on Sila, the Inuit, and Climate Change, University of Toronto, 20 April 2007.
May 03, 2024
silap, inua, this, article, about, somewhat, diverse, belief, held, among, several, inuit, homonyms, word, sila, sila, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable,. This article is about a somewhat diverse belief held among several Inuit For homonyms of word sila see Sila disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Silap Inua news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2016 Learn how and when to remove this message In Inuit religion Silap Inua possessor of spirit ᓯᓚᑉ ᐃᓄᐊ or Sila breath spirit ᓯᓪᓚ Inupiaq siḷam inua is similar to mana or ether the primary component of everything that exists it is also the breath of life and the method of locomotion for any movement or change Silla was believed to control everything that goes on in one s life Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksDescription editSilla is a spirit of the sky the wind and the weather Though identified as male he is never depicted and thought to be formless There are very few myths in which Silla is a character because he is not thought to have many personality characteristics He also represents a concept somewhat akin to the Hindu idea of Paramatman or Emerson s idea of the great Over soul Silla is also believed to be the substance which souls are made of Contrary to the Christian missionaries who have identified Nanook the polar bear spirit as the supreme deity of the Inuit Silla is much closer to this role However Silla also has a somewhat malevolent aspect he is known to lure children away from their play off into the tundra never to be seen again Among the many various Inuit cultures term silap inua sila hillap inua hilla among Inuit siḷam inua among Inupiaq ellam yua ella among Yup ik is used with some diversity 1 In many instances it refers outer space intellect weather sky universe 1 2 3 4 there may be some correspondence with the presocratic concept of logos 2 5 Shamanhood among Eskimo peoples was a diverse phenomenon just like the various Inuit cultures themselves Among Copper Inuit shamans were believed to obtain their power from this Wind Indweller thus even their helping spirits were termed as silap inue 3 230 Among Siberian Yupik sɬam juɣwa was depicted as a mighty hunter catching game just like earthly men but being capable of controlling whether people paid attention to customs and traditions 6 In Sireniki Eskimo language the word siˈlʲa has meanings universe outer world space free space or weather 7 page needed History editAccording to the interpretations of anthropologists Silla is one of the oldest Inuit deities but was recently in the last thousand years supplanted by Sedna the goddess of sea mammals and the Caribou Mother the goddess of caribou when these became the major food sources of the Inuit Anthropologists believe that the belief is extremely old because of the widespread nature of this deity See also editInua 79360 Sila a Kuiper Belt object named after SilaReferences edit a b Kleivan I Sonne B 1985 Eskimos Greenland and Canada Leiden E J Brill p 31 ISBN 9004071601 a b Mousalimas S A 1997 Arctic Ecology and Identity Budapest Akad K pp 23 26 87 ISBN 963056629X a b Merkur Daniel 1985 Becoming Becoming Half Hidden Shamanism and Initiation among the Inuit Stockholm Almqvist amp Wiksell International pp 235 240 ISBN 9122007520 Gabus Jean 1970 Vie et coutumes des Esquimaux Caribous in French Payot pp 230 234 14 SALADIN D ANGLURE 2006 05 17 Archived from the original on May 17 2006 Retrieved 2016 04 17 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Dioszegi Vilmos 1997 Popular Beliefs and Folklore Tradition in Siberia Reprint ed London Routledge p 447 ISBN 0700703802 Menovshchikov G A 1964 Language of Sirenik Eskimos Phonetics morphology texts and vocabulary Moscow Leningrad Academy of Sciences of the USSR External links editRadio Interview with Dr Timothy Leduc on Sila the Inuit and Climate Change University of Toronto 20 April 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Silap Inua amp oldid 1183986102, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
