Artist's Rendering
Amarok (or Amaroq) is the name of a gigantic grey wolf in Inuit mythology.
Description[]
It is said to hunt down and devour anyone foolish enough to hunt alone at night. Unlike real wolves who hunt in packs, Amarok hunts alone. They are seemingly more spirit than animal, said to know all and occasionally work on the behalf of deities. Some legends say the Amarok can speak. It is sometimes considered equivalent to the Waheela of cryptozoology.
Inuit Legends[]
One legend tells us of a young boy who was stunted and unable to grow correctly. His village hated him for this, seeing him as nothing but a burden. One day, sick of the treatment he was receiving, he called out to the Lord of Strength. As he called out, an Amarok appeared and knocked the boy over with his strong tail, causing a few small bones to fall from the boys body. The Amarok told the boy that these bones were stunting his growth, and that he should come back for the next few days to train and gain strength. After several days of wrestling with the Amarok, the boy gained so much strength that he was able to beat three large bears and win the respect of his village.
Another legend speaks of a man who was mourning the loss of a family member. One day, he heard talk of an Amarok living close by, so the man took a family member and they went in search of the creature. They found its lair, along with the Amaroks pups, and the man decided to kill them all. Once the deed was done, the mans relative was struck with fear, so they fled into a cave where they could safely watch what was about to unfold. The Amarok soon returned with food for its pups, but upon finding them all dead, it walked over to the lake and began to pull something humanoid out of the water. At the same time, the man who killed the pups dropped dead right in front of his relative. It is believed that the mans Inua (spirit) was taken by the Amorak, as nothing is hidden from these creatures, and no matter how far or fast the man had run, he would have met the same end.
Popular culture[]
- In the 1972 novel Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George, the first alpha male of the Avalik River Pack is named "Amaroq" by Miyax/Julie.
- A pack of 10 Amaroks appeared in the Secret Saturdays episode The Ice Caverns of Ellef Ringnes with their vocal effects done by Fred Tatasciore.
- The Amarok appears in a mod pack for Zoo Tycoon 2.
- The Amarok appears as a weapon in Terraria.
Gallery[]
See also[]
- Amaguq, a trickster wolf god.