Special Thanks:

Sedna: Goddess of " Sea

!
! A very special thanks goes to those talented movers and narrators who helped
me put this show together. This project came alive because of their talent, dedication,
efforts and willingness to investigate and explore new concepts that thusly has shaped
my work to come.
! Additionally, Iʼd like to thank Jeff and Lance for assisting me with all the odds and
ends that I needed during the production process and the knowledge they have shared
with me so that I can understand my own equipment and craft. Your time is very much
appreciated.
! My biggest gratitude goes to Shannon for showing me how I can grow and
develop my work with movement and sound. She helped me unfold and reveal my
intentions, adding her expertise to bring out my vision. For that, I am eternally grateful
and one day I will return the favor by offering that same guidance to another.
! I would also like to thank my dear partner Mark for feeding me, supporting me in
all the many ways I needed through this process and for keeping positive. To my
Mother, thank you for all the exposure you have given me of stories, music, and
performance. It has enriched my life. Thank you!

This performance is in partial fulfillment of the A performance piece of an Inuit Myth

Masters of Music degree requirement in
Intermedia Music Technology by Jenifer Jaseau
Jenifer Jaseau is a student of Dr. Jeffrey Stolet
October 16th, 2010 * 8pm

University of Oregon * School of Music and Dance * Aasen-Hull Hall

!
! Iʼd like to tell you a story about an Inuit woman named Sedna and how she
became to be the Goddess of the sea. Sedna lived long ago in the northernmost parts
of this very continent, in Alaska, Canada and even as far as Iceland. In Inuit mythology,
Sedna rules Adlivun, the underworld, and the creatures of the sea. The myths of
Sedna explain the origins of sea creatures and reflect the harsh environment of the
Arctic. Sedna provides the animals used for food and thus is considered the most
important Inuit deity. Holistically, the various tales of Sedna incorporate the Inuitʼs belief
of shamanism, animism, and their deep respect and fear for nature. The Inuits believe
that all things have souls, including animals, so any hunter that fails to show
appropriate respect, would only give the liberated spirits cause to avenge themselves.
Script adapted by: Jenifer Jaseau and Emily Stallman
“The greatest peril of life lies in the fact that human food consists entirely of souls...
souls that do not perish with the body, and which must therefore be propitiated lest they Story inspired from the book Sedna - Goddess of the Sea (Cambric Press, 2006)
should revenge themselves on us for taking away their bodies.” Rasmussen 1929 by Joel Rudinger in addition to research from "The Path to Sedna," by Joel Rudinger
Shamanism: an encyclopedia of world beliefs, practices & culture by Mariko N. Walter in Young Adult Literature and Culture, ed. Harry Eiss. Newcastle upon Tyne:
! Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2009
! As we see the turmoil in our current times, related to hunger, war and most
importantly, the health of our planet, we need myths to remind us of the wisdom from
our ancestors that we have forgotten. According to Joseph Campbell, “we need myths
that will identify the individual not with his local group, but with the planet.” Movement Facilitator: Shannon Mockli
Painting: Harana Janto
“We have become a danger to our own natural world
Mask: Jared “Mad Masker” Pieterick
and we must act swiftly to insure salvation of all living beings”
Curtains: Jan Lynn Christensen
Mountain Astrologer #144, April, 2009

! The name Sedna was given to a recently discovered trans-Neptunian object by

Chad Trujillo. After the discovery of this object, astrologers traced back its orbit and Cast
noted that Sedna was in close proximity to Earth around the pivotal times of the first
Earth Day (April 22nd, 1970) and the release of Al Goreʼs movie An Inconvenient Truth Sedna: Anna Waller
(2006). This information lead astrologers to believe that Sedna has had a distinct role
Anguta: Kellyn Rost
in the well-being (or destruction) of our planet. She reminds us to respect the ways of
nature, for if we abuse her bounty, she will take it all away. Tuuluuwaq: Connor Cobbledick
! Water/Bird/Sea Beast/Shaman: Jenell Davis
! Each individual has to find an aspect of myth that relates to their own life... myth
has the potential to open the world to mystery, and realize the mystery that underlines Water/Bird/Sea Beast/Village Person: Julianna Di Miceli
all forms. I have hoped to create this world both for myself and for my collaborators in Water/Bird/Sea Beast/Village Person: Roxanne McKee
this process. It is my hope today, that you can also share in this mystery and that part
of this story will come home with you, so that you too may remember, to love and honor
your planet, your food, your body and your community. Narrators
“People say that what we're all seeking is a meaning for life. I don't think that's what Torngasak: Gene Chin
we're truly seeking. I think what we're seeking is an experience of being alive, so that Pinga: Natasha Reulet
our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own
innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive. That's
what it's all finally about, and that's what these clues help us to find within ourselves.”

The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell, with Bill Moyers 1987