Inuit legend gives us the tale of Qalupalik who is described as half human, half sea creature. Like other mermaids, she lives in the Arctic seas and is always searching for disobedient children who roam too close to the shoreline. She is described as having long wild hair, green skin, and fingernails so long they almost look like claws. She wears a garment called an amautik which is worn by Inuit women to hold their babies on their backs, which is how the Qalupalik carries away unsuspecting children.
The Inuit tell their children that if they are near the shore and hear a humming, the Qalupalik is near. She tries to entice them to the edge so she can grab them and take them away somewhere to hide. She keeps them in a secret place, putting them to sleep so they don’t try to escape, where she feeds off their “energy” to stay young, to keep her shiny green skin lovely, and her wild hair lustrous. As the children age, Qalupalik grows younger.
AnneMeridia was one such child, wooed to the beaches by the wicked Qalupalik, where she captured the curiosity of the sea-witch. AnneMeridia was special, you see. Aside from her endless curiosity and defiant brash and honest nature, she had the blood of the Selkie deep in her veins, which – once trained – gave her the ability to slip from her skin into that of the merfolk, and then back again into human legs. In no time at all, the Qalupalik taught the young girl the ways of the Deep and AnneMeridia hunted and played and served the sea-witch for many years, until something new caught her attention.
AnneMeridia lived for adventure, for the tastes of the seas all over the world, and she set out to discover all the secrets of the Oceans deep, following the tides, making friends and having adventures.
You see, AnneMeridia learned something in her travels – she loves people! All humans, of all ages, and would rather entertain them, and teach them, and talk with them and listen to THEIR stories, than steal them away and hide them in the deep. And so, she has settled back in the cold waters of her home, and visits with her fans, her FeatherFins, as often as she can. Perhaps you, too, will get to see her soon, and share your tales with her, as she does with you…