Home  |  Hybrids   |  Native American Hybrids   |  Inuit Hybrids   |  Qallupilluit : The Humming Troll

Qallupilluit : The Humming Troll

Listen

At a glance

Description
Origin Inuit Mythology
Classification Hybrids
Family Members N/A
Region Greenland
Associated With Child Abduction

Qallupilluit

Introduction

In Inuit mythology, the Qallupilluit is a creature that’s said to kidnap children who misbehave or do not listen to their parents. This is meant to keep children away from the water and the edge of the ice where other natural predators exist in the sub zero regions of North America. If children are found alone at the edge of the ice, the Qallupilluit is said to stuff them into its amautik, which is the traditional parka worn by the Inuits, before drowning them in the water.

The Qallupilluit, which is also known as the Qalupalik, is a frightening creature that inhabits the Arctic waters and is regarded as incredibly ugly and smells strongly of sulphur. What they do with the captured children is the subject of some debate, but no proposed scenario is good. At worst, they eat the children to remain immortal with their nourishing youth. At best, they put them under a sleeping spell and hide them in icy caves for eternity.

Physical Traits

Although it’s generally believed that the Qallupilluit is a humanoid man-eater, there are conflicting reports about its appearance and gender. Some believe that it’s a feminine creature that uses children to maintain its long, flowing hair. The Qallupilluit looks like a scary mermaid with its rough skin and greenish-blue colour. It also has long, straight hair that’s as black as it is curly. Its spines and claws are also long and they have fins coming out of its spines and back.

Family

The Qallupilluit does not have a family of its own and some stories talk about how since she cannot have children, she kidnaps human babies to raise as her own.

Other Names

The Qallupilluit is also commonly known as Qalupalik in some regions of Northern Canada.

Powers and Abilities

Many historians believe that the Qallupilluit is the Inuit version of the Boogeyman, who is the more famous North American counterpart. The Qallupilluit lives beneath waters with thin ice, and will use the shallowness to its advantage. It does this by knocking on the ice at the shallowest parts, luring children above ground to the noise and then capturing them when they cause the ice to break.

Another version of this story also says that the Qallupilluit attracts children towards it by humming powerfully alluring melodies in their direction, and when they get close, the creature snatches children with it’s amauti and runs away with the child.

Modern Day Influence

The story of the Qallupilluit is still widely told and retold among the Inuit community. A very popular illustrated children’s book called The Orphan and The Qallupilluit has been the main source for visual imagery about the beast and its activities for the modern generation. This story is still used to dissuade children from walking on thin ice and going to where the water breaks even today.

Related Images

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Newest addition

Frequently Asked Questions

What is lorem Ipsum?

I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

What is lorem Ipsum?

I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

What is lorem Ipsum?

I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

What is lorem Ipsum?

I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

What is lorem Ipsum?

I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Watch

Which Aztec deity was often depicted with a flayed human skin representing rebirth and renewal? Was it Quetzalcoatl or Xipe Totec?

Take our Aztec Mythology quiz and see how well you know this Meso American Mythology.

No one has managed to score over 63%. Could you go higher?

Which Aztec deity was often depicted with a flayed human skin representing rebirth and renewal? Was it Quetzalcoatl or Xipe Totec?

Take our Aztec Mythology quiz and see how well you know this Meso American Mythology.

No one has managed to score over 63%. Could you go higher?