ijiraq

Ijiraq is a shapeshifting figure in Inuit folklore, found across Arctic regions of Canada, Greenland, and Alaska. The being is most often depicted as abducting children during the long winter nights. In traditional tales, ijiraq can assume a variety of disguises—an old man or woman, a handsome youth, or an animal such as a dog or seal—to move unnoticed through snow and ice. The form of the ijiraq is not fixed: different stories describe different appearances, reflecting the wearer’s purpose and the situation.

The ijiraq is typically portrayed as dangerous or malevolent. It is said to lure children away from their families, sometimes to hidden lairs beneath snow or in remote landscapes, and to keep them away until they are found or returned to their homes. In some communities the legend is framed as a cautionary tale, teaching children to heed elders, to stay indoors at night, and to avoid strangers or unfamiliar people in the winter environment. The ijiraq also serves to explain missing children or unexplained disappearances within the community, a narrative function that underscores the harsh realities of Arctic winters.

Scholars note that stories about the ijiraq vary by region and group, and like many Inuit myths, they function within a broader tradition of personifying natural and social dangers to convey moral and practical lessons.