Jessie Kleemann

Hallo this is Jessie from Nuuk! I want to tell you this story very short- during my childhood in Kalaallit Nunaat - Greenland, we kids used to be quite afraid of the Moon when it was full in the sky, we believed we should be afraid of getting chased by the moon, because of the story (myth) about the creation of the moon long ago….So I want to tell you about how the Moon affected us in my childhood..
Long time ago, when the K alaallit Inuit /the human beings- used to gather for night-feast, men and women used swap partners for a night, without knowing with whom. The feast was called “lights-out games”. There was a brother-sister-couple who also joined the feast: a young man Aningaaq, a brother to a young woman Maliina, his sister.........Maliina noticed that she has been sleeping with the same man for a while, and was getting curious to know who it was....One night there was once again going to be a “lights-out game” she decided to find out about the man, who so eagerly and frequently had been “visiting” her. She took some soot from the fireplace and rubbed it into her hands, so that when the lights came back she would be able to identify the unknown lover of hers. Well now then! When the lights turned on again she saw who this man was....it was her own big brother Aningaaq ! She felt such a shame and anger, that she was getting unbearingly angry, how she even had slept with her own brother without knowing it herself??? - she took her knife and cut her other breast off, threw it against her brother and shouted “ Here, this is for you! If you want me that much you can have this – eat me!!!!” and then she took some of the burning light in her hands and ran out of the house, out in the dark night.......Aningaaq was shocked about her reaction, and he ran after her while grabbing a little light from the fireplace. He ran out after her, Maliina was far ahead, she had much more light to be guided by. Aningaaq had only little light, so he was not getting nearer even if he chased and chased after her. Maliina was then getting higher and higher up in the sky, her light was more whole and bright shining, she was so clear to everybody. Aningaaqs less light in the hands was falling down, and the light was spread around. He then became and turned into the Moon in the sky, while the rest of the lights from his hands were turning into the stars in the sky. Maliina was far ahead up in the sky and had turned into the bright shining and warm Sun. Aningaaq has from that time been chasing his beloved sister Maliina, and he will never ever come her near. – Sometimes, now and then, Aningaaq the Moon comes down to earth and the sea to hunt seals and other food. When he does that, you can see how the lights in the sky almost disappear...........
This was the story.

Aap, Haluu Jessiuna Nuumminngaanniit! Taassaana oqaluttuariniarlugu una, taamani meeraalluta meeraqatigiiulluta Qaammat imissisimagaangat assut ersigisarparput malersuilissasoralugu, tassami oqaluttuarineqartarsimanera uagut meeqqat assut sunnertiffigisarsimagatsigu – oqaluttuarilaarniarluguuna una, Kalaallit Inuit qanga Qaammamik oqaluttuatoqaat naatsukullammik oqaluttuarilaassavara.
- Qangagooq inuit qaminngaartarallarmata, qatanngutigiit inuusuttut Aningaaq Maliinalu qaminngaartunut ilaasalersimapput. Maliinanngooq maluginiartalersimallugu angutip aaliangersimasup qamiinngaaqatigiualersimagaani, assut kinaaneranik paasiniaarusullersimavoq. Unnuinngooq ilaanni qaminngaartunaasit Maliinap assani paatersimavai qulliit ikinneqariarpata takusinnaaniassagamiuk kiap taama ilagiumatigisarsimagaani allaat uteqattaarfigisarluni. Taannaqami! qulliit ikimmata takuleriallaqaa qatanngummi Aningaarsuup tutitarisarsimagaani! Aatsaallu Maliinap tamanna paasilerlugu assut kanngutsaatigaa kamassutigeqisaminik, tassami qanoq ililluni qatanngutini tutittarisarsinnaavaa nammineq maluginngisaminik? Kamangaarnerup tikimmani savissuarmik iviangimi aappaa peerpaa qatanngumminullu Aningaamut miloriullugu suaarluni ”Aatsaat taama pilerigitigigumma, aak, takannarsuaq, nereqinnga!” Taamaalisinnarluni qullermik tigummiarluni arpalluni silammut aallarpoq, Aningaaq annilaaqaluni qullerup iparamernganik ikumasumik qaammaqquserluni aamma silammut malillugu aallarujoq, arpaannaq. Taannaqalimi malersuutilerput, Maliinalu siulliulluni qullermillu qaammaqquteqarluni arpakkami siuarnerulertoqaaq, Aningaarlu kingulliungaatsiarami qullerullu iperamernga kisiat qaammaqqutiginiarlugu assut angujuminaatsippaa, Maliina kiisaana qangattarsimasoq, qullia qaammaqqutaa qaammarinnerummat ilaannakuunanilu assut erseqqarilluni, taamaalinerani Aningaaq kingaallisimaqaaq katataangaatsiarsimallunilu, assullu qaammaqqutaata ikumanera nungungajassimammat ersigunnaalersimavoq, aamma Aningaaq qilaap tungaanut qullariartuinnarpoq, Maliinalu assut ungasillugu, ilami inuippaa. Aningaallu ilaatigut qaammaqqutini supoorlugu annertusaartaraluaraangagu taamaallaat inneq mikisunnguanngorluni siaruaattarpoq, taakkulugooq tassa ullumikkut ullorissanik taasartakkagut, tassa pinngorfii. Aningaarooq Qaammatinngorpoq qullermi iperamerngisa qaamanera qaamanikinnerummata Maliinagooq Seqininngorpoq qulleq qammarqutaa iluitsuunerullunilu qaammarinnerummat.
Ilaannikunngooq Aningaaq nunamut aqqartarpoq puisinniariarluni, taamaakaangallu qaammat qilammi ersigunnaangajattarpoq, qatanngutinilugooq asasani Maliina malersortuarpaa, angunngisannarluguli.
Tassa oqaluartoq.