Kaumâttevoot malliglo: Following that which gives light.
The idea is that the spirit must follow the course of the sun, to guide it to the realms of bliss and light whence comes that glory, and whither it goes.
The objects placed with the corpse under the stones are to assist and accompany the spirit on this journey.
The word illooprakoole is a “spirit word,” used only in addressing spirits. It means a route through pleasant ways not beset by dangers. The same significance, in an ordinary mortal connection, is expressed by a different word altogether. Nakrook is another “spirit word,” meaning the Great-Air-Space-beyond-the-Earth. The ordinary word in everyday usage is [[167]]Sillarlo. This spirit language used by the conjurors has its parallel in every case in ordinary parlance. The following are a few instances:—
| Ordinary Word in everyday use. | Meaning. | Spirit word used in conjurations. |
| Netsuk | A seal | Angmeatseak |
| Angakok | A conjuror | Takreoo |
| Agakka | The hand | Issarkrateeka |
| Sennayo | One who works | Issarrayo |
| Aput | Snow | Nungooark |
| Kyak | Canoe | Agfarkjuk |
| Angoot | A man | Peyaktoiyo |
| etc., etc. |
In the case of the burial of an unpopular or badly conducted man, the people walk round the cairn in the reverse direction, i.e., from west to east, with a different refrain. The idea being to direct the spirit away from the light and into outer darkness, their refrain begins with the words to the effect:—
“Evil will always have evil.”
All this is called the custom of the Kingarngtooktok.
The mourners at length return to their village, and apparently forget all about the funeral, unless in the case of the deceased being of ill repute. Should the conjuror assert that his spirit has gone to the realms of Sedna (the Eskimo hell), gifts and offerings have to be collected in order that the necessary conjurations may effect his translation to some other abode (the Eskimo purgatory). [[168]]
The people much dislike to have their dead bodies devoured by dogs, lest their souls have to wander over the ice and land on vain hunting trips; but they do not object to wolves on the same score, since the wolves also devour the souls, and the departed, thus disposed of, will always hunt deer successfully and live on the meat. Neither do they object to the carrion-loving raven, as the soul in this case is also absorbed by the bird and provided for in perpetuity. It would indeed take a trained psychologist to determine wherein comes the distinction as between dogs and the other scavengers!