Way Back Then

A sweet and simple bedtime story, written in both English and Inuktitut, introduces readers to several short myths from Inuit mythology

Kudlu’s children will not go to sleep until he tells them a story of long ago. Before they will shut their eyes, they want to hear about a time long before Kudlu was born, a time when the world was magic. Before they can sleep, they want to hear about giants, animals disguised as humans, little people the size of lemmings, and all of the other wonderful things that existed way back then.

Neil Christopher is an educator, a filmmaker, and an editor for Inhabit Media Inc. He is the author of several books on Inuit myths and legends for children, youth, and adults, including Arctic Giants and Ava and the Little Folk. He lives in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada. Germaine Arnaktauyok is an Inuit artist and illustrator, best known for her prints and etchings depicting Inuit myths and traditional ways of life. In 2000, she designed the special edition two-dollar coin commemorating the inception of the territory of Nunavut. She lives in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.