In Inuit mythology, the sea goddess who is the mother of marine animals and rules the underworld is Sedna.
Sedna is a central figure in Inuit religion, known in different regions by names including Nerrivik, Arnakuagsak, and Sassuma Arnaa. She is associated with the sea, marine animals, and Adlivun, a realm often described as the Inuit underworld. Her story explains both the origin of sea creatures and the conditions governing successful hunting.
In a widely told version, Sedna’s father throws her from a kayak during a crisis. When she clings to the boat, he cuts off her fingers; those fingers become seals, walruses, whales, and other hunted animals. Sedna then sinks beneath the sea and becomes a powerful mistress of the deep.
The details vary substantially among Inuit communities. In some versions, Sedna marries a dog or is connected to different parents. When she withholds animals, an angakkuq, or shaman, travels to her and combs or cleans her tangled hair to calm her. Yemaya and Amphitrite are sea deities from other traditions, not Inuit mythology.