Sedna - Inuit Mother of the Deep - Extra Mythology

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The story of Sedna has many different versions. In some, she marries a bird spirit where things don't quite work out as she hopes. In some, she's a giant, eating too much for the community to sustain itself. Sometimes her father does the terrible deed reluctantly, other times, the violence is malicious. But in all stories, Sedna sinks to the bottom of the waves to become the Mother of the Sea.
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[@MrDedezim]

It's just like Sam O'Nella would say: "NO MORE FINGY FOODS FOR THREE MOONS!"

[@josephkoester3217]

Came here to say this

[@renaestockdale2363]

I too came here to say this. I miss Sam

[@baronvonbeandip]

The prophecy speaks of his return.

[@josephkoester3217]

@@baronvonbeandip we must have displeased him. Someone find a shaman.

[@irueneverything]

I want Sam O'nella to just come back with a 4 second video saying "AND HIS NAME IS JOHN CENA"

[@abcdef27669]

Sedna: A sea goddess that absolutly HATES people throwing junk at water. Iemanja: A sea goddess from Afro-Brazilian mythology, who appreciates gifts that includes objects throw into the sea, like mirrors or statues of herself. Just imagine if they know each other...

[@RorikH]

I mean, most statues of Lemanja probably don't look like coke bottles and plastic bags.

[@X23Ninja]

They probably do know each other. Gods cover whatever area of the world they are worshipped

[@hebl47]

@@RorikH Hey, don't disrespect modern art!

[@antoniacapellaborges6566]

She’s NOT Afro Brazilian 🙄 she’s YORUBA! Learn to say her name properly in it’s native language at least; Yemoya

[@istanknowledgereason1561]

@@antoniacapellaborges6566 💤

[@IceLordCryo]

Sedna must be *PISSED* at us today

[@martins.4240]

Sedna pointing at the tons of plastic in the ocean: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@scarletletter4900]

It's not just Sedna whose pissed. ALL the gods are.

[@jonnypena7651]

Yuri is Master!

[@hadbetterdays8118]

I wonder how bad the oil spills apparently

[@SpitfireEssa]

She’s pissed at Exxon💀

[@trytry23]

“That’s it, no more fingy foods for three moons!” -Sedna

[@Donderu]

4:29 wait, how did she make a boat out of seal skins before if seals didn’t exist until this moment?

[@gabrielmac369]

Bruuuh

[@oceanberserker]

Could be she was the origin of a specific species of seal. Just a guess on my part. Or could just be a plot hole, that's always a possibility.

[@mysticcrow1077]

There are many plot holes in inuit mythology

[@jokuvaan5175]

@@mysticcrow1077 And to be fair.... pretty much all mythologies

[@drakewarnock1239]

I think this is one of those "not fitting into historical records" moments.

[@matthewmann8969]

Yeah Inuit, Yupik, And Aleut history is looked glossed over more then Amerindian, European, And Latin American histories among so ons

[@noahjohnson935]

which is a shame. The Inuit and other peoples of the north have such and interesting culture

[@shadowthehedgehog181]

You have to consider that the Inuit history was more or less told orally. Written text is what guarantees that mythologies survive. People know of the Greeks so much because of all the writings left behind. Also notice how everything we know about Norse mythology came from Icelandic writers in the 1300s and not from the Vikings themselves, who faded away 300 years earlier. Without the Icelandic writings, no one would know who Odin, Loki, or Thor was

[@wu1ming9shi]

@@shadowthehedgehog181 another reason why we know even less about ancient celtic culture.

[@TheStackeddeck77]

In my anthropology class, i took a few years ago, we learned that some people are passionate enough about preserving language, culture, and legends about different peoples that they track down the last remnants of these peoples and ask if they can preserve their way of life. Its sad because there arent enough of them for all the languages and cultures that die out each year. In 2013 a language died every 14 days now its 40 days, but now so many stories are now forgotten and many more will be as time goes on.

[@problems3485]

@@wu1ming9shi and why we know almost nothing about the people before the Inuit

[@lilyminer9164]

I’ve never heard a longer telling of this story, always just the father throwing her overboard, cutting off her fingers, and the animals that resulted from it. It’s very interesting to hear the extra details you can find on it.

[@kellybeck4579]

Congratulations, Jac! Many wishes of success and prosperity.

[@swedishbloke]

I think he has the entirety of the world behind him no matter at what nations health department he works at now

[@manticore2804]

@@swedishbloke pretty sure they're nonbinary.

[@Lampost_Binbag_Official]

@@manticore2804 because of the fact that you corrected someone on a good-hearted message in a way which I can only see as rude, I think that you might try and correct someone on their own pronouns.

[@dakshsingh4780]

YES !!! more extra mythology and about such a under appraciated myth

[@wrongsalvation8904]

This is a different telling of the story I know. This is really cool.

[@henrikmygren]

I also heard a different version. Instead of shapeshifting dog. I heard of an evil humanoid bird man.

[@Vexcenot]

@@henrikmygren either way she's really into animals

[@benc.3128]

@Burak Sengocen to be fair, he was right on the North Pole

[@bjgoodrich5864]

I heard a different version of this story. The girl was taken away by a bird spirit and lived on the island of birds. But when she tried to escape with her father the bird spirit caused the storm!

[@goose4919]

Same

[@HKduane]

That’s what I was told in a book and that version is close to my heart

[@AnnMarieGandy]

There’s many different versions and it can go tribe by tribe. But I heard this version too.

[@bryantiggelaar6775]

Man, this series kicks butt. When I was a kid I had a DK Illustrated book of myths and legends. This one was in there. I can't believe it's showing up now on EC!

[@Wintergal]

Same! I loved reading those stories when I was a kid

[@pvtpain66k]

2:28 Her dad: "Oh gods, I can't be known as 'the Magic dog grandpa'! I prefer 'who left his child to die'. Yep, that's much better."

[@georgedeng8646]

Thanks to Sam O' Nella academy for teaching me this.

[@zoopie_doop8957]

There was a guy eating blubber and he wasn’t facing north

[@hallamhal]

I KNEW I'd heard this somewhere before!

[@Scream_Lord]

"No more fingee foods for THREE moons!"

[@yuvalgabay1023]

@@Scream_Lord for his defence his was ate the north pole

[@Scream_Lord]

@@yuvalgabay1023 "He could of moved!"

[@TheCutethulhu]

This myth is so damn good. Also, for any fan of SCP and the Containment series, this hits pretty hard.

[@marinamoraes6174]

Awwwww, goodbye Jac! Thanks for all the stories!

[@miscellaneoussarnian5282]

Seal: Hey, uh, Sedna, bad news. I just caught a guy chewing a piece of blubber.

[@crazycats3390]

And he was facing south

[@andrewdavidson9171]

Best of luck Jac and thank you for all of the stories. I came to this channel for history, but now I've been sucked into the mythology world as well.

[@prometheus7387]

This explains the dwarf planet Sedna's naming choices more clearly for me.

[@Zouron]

It is a very different version from the one I grew up with (in Greenland) but very cool! thanks for covering some inuit mythology :)

[@nelsonchereta816]

0:33 "Blissfully ignorant of what was to come." Focuses in on knife. "Oh, this isn't going to be a happy one, is it?"

[@swedishbloke]

How did she make a boat of seal skins but later she “created” the seals?

[@mouadbousalem1151]

True. So true. 👌👌👌

[@mckayleepugmire9947]

Myth logic.

[@cjgmz781]

Don't over think it

[@darienb1127]

Myths often have plotholes like this due to how long the've been around and retranslated.

[@toddwaring7992]

You make an interesting point Either way it’s a great myth with a powerful message

[@CliffCardi]

If Sedna can have an episode, then so can Tarrare.

[@arnandozlopez1771]

NO MORE FINGY FOODS FOR 3 MOONS!!!! (if you know u know)

[@GanyuSimpingDegenerate]

@@jebblottin92 He could have moved

[@dankpepe2110]

I see, you're a student of Sam O Nella Academy too.

[@yamiswife101]

I remember reading this when I was around 8-10. Why did I love the traumatizing stories?

[@abc.animal5143]

I think that Sedna’s dog children became the creatures known as Adlets, which are humanoid dog people in Inuit folklore.

[@mastermavrick]

!!! thank you Jack for being the writer for Mythology, to your success in your following career.

[@kylepracz]

It warms my heart to hear how passionately support one of your staff. Humanity is beautiful sometimes.

[@jackannoon]

I love Heather Dale's song on Sedna this reminded me of. Sedna roamed the deep -- the cold forgotten deep No one wants to be alone Sedna roamed the deep -- the cold forgotten deep No one wants to be alone From her hands they fell, children of the ocean's swell With ice's twinkle given sight She offered them a name and seals they all became And laughing, took a coat of dappled light Sedna roamed the deep -- the cold forgotten deep No one wants to be alone Sedna roamed the deep -- the cold forgotten deep No one wants to be alone From her hands they fell, ever in the sea to dwell Nimble fingered, quick and lithe She offered them a name and otters they became Keepers of her secrets in the ice Sedna roamed the deep -- the cold forgotten deep No one wants to be alone Sedna roamed the deep -- the cold forgotten deep No one wants to be alone From her hands they fell, the mightiest of all Slow and gentle as the tides She offered them a name and whales they all became To tread the paths the lesser are denied Sedna roamed the deep -- the cold forgotten deep No one wants to be alone Sedna roamed the deep -- the cold forgotten deep No one wants to be alone Sedna roamed the deep -- the cold forgotten deep No one wants to be alone

[@justafloatingcoconut1368]

One of my favorite feeling is to see a new Extra Credits video and seeing the thumbnail and think "wow I've never heard of this before lemme check it out" Keep up the good work

[@katherinelynch4193]

I've never heard of any Indigenous mermaids until today (in fact, Mami Wata is the only non-European mermaid I know off the top of my head). I love to see how the stories and imagery I grew up with can still be found all over the world.

[@Tinkering4Time]

Thanks for the stories, Jack. I have always been a lover of stories, and you have brought us so much. Good luck bringing the fight the the plague, and then with your education goals. Happy trails.

[@AtillaDaPun]

Thank you Jack! Your stories have brightened my days and enriched my mind! Best of luck to you in your future endeavors!! 💖

[@melshinta2966]

Congratulations to Jack! Your retellings have been loved, good luck to your future endeavors! This episode was especially well written. Such a rarely discussed topic but no less interesting than the rest

[@ilovemuslimfood666]

Kudos to the writers for all the hard work they do. And kudos to YOU, Mr. Narrator, for making the Extra Credits channels content so entertaining these past few years with your animated storytelling style!

[@jeremy1860]

Good luck to you, Jack. Thanks for the videos you've helped to bring to us 😊

[@trustindean5164]

This series is going to continue right? This is genuinely my favorite thing you guys let out and I need more!

[@TinaMcCall.]

o7 Jac! I love indigenous myths!! More, please. Hawaiian ones are fun, sinister, and beautiful, too. Thanks!!

[@getefix3]

the story of sedna is one of my favourites, thank you extra credits!

[@merakium9911]

Thanks for all the stories Jack!

[@nesrinsalama5337]

Goodbye jack! I'm gonna miss your good scripts!

[@MegaEvelyn3]

Awww bye jack. you've made my days so great with the story you help to tell. Good luck with all your future endeavors

[@kittenclaws5775]

Congratulations, Jac! You are loved!

[@mattesr.8680]

I just love mythological stories like these! They are the perfect tales to tell kids or even grown ups to make them more aware of their surroundings.

[@deadlymillion9281]

Always nice to see some more extra mythology, and history and stuff too of course

[@gundamheavyarms4879]

Congratulations Jac! May fair winds blow whenever your journey takes you!

[@thesuccessfulone]

So bittersweet to hear the news but he’s taking steps in a new direction. Joy to your journey.

[@andrewjohnson6716]

Why did you choose to ignore Sedna’s massive size and gluttony? They are central aspects of the mythology and are the driving force of most of her stories.

[@MrOmarabdulhadi]

HOLY CATS THE SCP WAS BASED ON AN ACTUAL MYTH !

[@swimmingfry7012]

Thanks for your work Jack!

[@samirkumarraj6398]

Usually I don't comment on anyone's video but your content is superb so I am commenting on your video. Wow this video is fantastic. Every line is a point. Your channel deserve more subscriber. I regularly watch your videos from 6 years. As a old subscriber I want a help from you that please make a video on skanderbeg because I realised that only you can describe it nicely. As I know you from the old days, I think you will definitely make a video on this topic

[@LadyCooper]

Thank you for this one! The variation I always heard was where she refused to marry the dog, so her father took her out in the boat to threaten her, and when she continued to refuse, then threw her overboard / cut off her fingers.

[@Eramiserasmus]

Love the mystery of Sedna. Thank you to the writers and researchers for this story.

[@xtz2100]

that confinment episode makes more sense now

[@JustASnep]

Ayy, sad I had to scroll down this far to find a reference to Confinement

[@Skulldude-yj9kg]

@@JustASnep the series is underrated as f*ck

[@bubbisvali]

Great video. I've always found eskimo myths fascinating.

[@MAD0130]

Good luck Jack! Thank you for your help in telling the stories

[@inukleist5258]

I love how was able to witness how mythology really is, I heard "sassuma arnaa" (mother of the sea in greenlandic) in Uummannaq as a little kid (a tiny town way up north of greenland) and as I grew up we moved further and further south the main story eas the same but the details changed a bit for every town, so if anyone tells you guys "nuh uh! This aint how the story goes!" You can refer Them to me because there Are so many regional variants of the story ;D Well done extra mythology keep up the good work! ;D

[@jroden06]

F in the chat for our boy Sam O Nella

[@baronvonbeandip]

"I'm not dead yet." - Sam

[@KickerDrew]

Congrats Jack! Best of luck in your future and thank you so much for helping EC be so awesome!

[@san567reacts9]

Who is Jack?

[@TheBlaiit]

Really refreshing seeing Inuit mythology also getting a small spotlight. Thanks for that, team! And I wish the greatest luck and happiness for Jac in the future :)

[@yuvalgabay1023]

Look for samolnelal video.

[@TheBlaiit]

@@yuvalgabay1023 Oh yeah, I saw some comments but I'm not subscribed to him. I should maybe check him out!

[@shaynefertile8842]

In one version of this story, the Dog is instead a giant Raven. Which is interesting, because the raven is seen as a trickster figure and creator in British Columbia.

[@afluffymoth]

the part about the shamans braiding her hair is actually really sweet

[@isaaco5679]

Hang on! Where did she get the sealskin for the boat before the seals were created from her fingers?

[@CMZneu]

Never mind that, where is all this meat coming from?

[@KeithBoehler]

@@CMZneu Iguana meat.

[@CMZneu]

@@KeithBoehler most likely.

[@valiant_emmeres2138]

Thanks Jac!!!~ good luck with studies!

[@mekikoromanova2324]

Love how youtube doesnt notify me of these things even though I'm subscribed and have the bell on.

[@elsquisheeone]

ah yes, my favorite SCP

[@RothurThePaladin]

Thanks Jack. You did a great job.

[@nottechytutorials]

3:00 "The European and First Nations descended". That's very interesting to me, bc in one story for the Tlicho they descended from a woman and a dog-man, and she gave birth to puppies who could transform into human forms. Its like a Extended Universe type thing. 6:30 "Taking a job at the CDC helping with the vaccine rollout". Also my condolences.

[@mckayleepugmire9947]

As a teacher in training, a bulletin board collage of Sedna sounds like fun Earth Day decor

[@pepper2332]

What I think is really cool about your vids is that they are socially relevant. And you make it seamless.

[@RorikH]

Good luck extra mythology writer in your work at the CDC! I'm sure that makes more sense in real life!

[@EugeneKau]

This version is completely different from one I heard growing up north. It is a myth after all. This just as interesting and lessons.

[@calcecatiello5358]

My favorite interpretation of this myth is the one with the secret Foundation that contains anonymous creatures, like her.

[@baldmen4lif]

6:20 I think it's amazing that you guys respect each other and care for each other, because some may not have noticed, but Jack was referred to by the pronouns they/them. As a person who identifies with different pronouns, I just find that so cool. This kind of representation makes me as a person feel so accepted and welcome. Thank you for being just an awesome channel that doesn't judge whatsoever. You guys are awesome and keep doing what you're doing. I love you guys!

[@amerevoid]

Side note, the knife Sedna’s father used to cut off her fingers wasn’t a regular knife you’d think of today. It was a traditional Inuit knife called an ulu. If you look them up, you’ll see what they look like, but to me, they kind of look like a boat shape.

[@terriblejokefactory8831]

I had a feeling that knife was important since they zoomed in on it.

[@Klishar122]

It’s called foreshadowing.

[@honestjoe9417]

I envy you Jack, I'm thinking of going into lab work when I'm done with college

[@terryalexander9069]

It has been more then a year then I heard that intro and it brought back good memories

[@frostyalaska6371]

The fact my ancestors lived up there is so mind blowing killing whales with sticks

[@L3onking]

I sing the calming lullaby of the Yoruba about their ocean goddess "Yemaya Assesu, Yemaya Olodo" often and hope Sedna hears the song of this Shaman

[@Bigtime_Dave]

I keep on breaking my record of how long it takes me to watch a new extra history video

[@Centurian128]

I was first introduced to the tale of Sedna through a Doctor Who audio Drama "The Land of the Dead" (a very good story by the way and one I would highly recommend) I'm very happy to learn more about the actual myth here.

[@shawnheatherly]

Never even heard of this myth, very interesting. Sad, but interesting.

[@rrrosecarbinela]

Thank you, Jac!

[@demolisherman1763]

Ah yes the fingy food witch

[@Grill_Boss]

All I can think about is Samonella

[@baronvonbeandip]

Just make sure you cook your food and you'll be okay.

[@TheCreepypro]

a really cool myth with a great moral and I wish Jack the best he WILL be missed Godspeed good sir

[@mr.eldritch1589]

Might be stupid to say, but this sounds like the inspiration for scp-1836…

[@duneydan7993]

I was about to say the same thing!

[@mr.eldritch1589]

@@duneydan7993 Right? I thought that might’ve been a bit obscure, but I couldn’t not see it you know?

[@WaywardVet]

Great story, and best of luck to those moving on!

[@sylvan186]

Good point about nature and primordial forces having identity making them more relatable. It's something we may have inadvertently lost with advancement of science

[@cornfieldspdog]

Heck yeah! I did GIS for the NPS as well as around 2 years in college. Good luck and have fun!

[@Arohan71]

I first came upon this myth through a song by Heather Dale simple called Sedna and it's definitely a fave.

[@cedricrischitelli7005]

Thank you Jac!

[@Lone.Willow]

Fascinating to hear about this version of the tale. I've only ever heard of sedna's story in regards to the shape-changing raven, the marriage proposal, the kidnapping, etc. This one, with the dogs and an island and all that, is completely different. Neat! I still think the bird version is better though.

[@alexfranklin7833]

I would love to watch a video about other Inuit mythology. Like Tulunigraq the Raven god of Point Hope

[@azpazy]

there is a continuity error here, how can she create a boat from seal skins before she made seals

[@approximateCognition]

Don't question it. But you are right

[@Ryu_D]

I was wondering the same.

[@lolaseiss]

When you pass into the spirit realm you go outside of space and time ie when she became a sprit she got time travel powers and made herself the creator of seals etc

[@Ryu_D]

@@lolaseiss I'll accept that. Bit dark that she didn't give her previous self a warning of what was to come, but avoiding the time paradox was probably worth the sorrow.

[@baronvonbeandip]

Just wait until the sun chops its tits off.

[@mikotagayuna8494]

Now Sedna takes her place amongst the stars as a large planetoid in our Solar System; so far out into space likely because she's too dark and hardcore for the likes of Pluto and Eris

[@nelleneulmer5385]

Good luck Jack. We’ll miss you but hope you will be happy and have a wonderful new career once your schooling is finished.😊

[@jaxwise7288]

Good bye jack you are awesome for helping with these videos and for helping the cdc and us sharing a name

[@kotomondo2395]

THATS IT! no more fingy foods for THREE MOONS! 4:47