The Inuit people devote great respect to the polar bear (Nanuq) due to his power, beauty and ingenuity. He is a symbol of patience and determination, essential qualities in order to survivre the harsh Arctic life. Inuits learned their hunting techniques from him, as well as how to organize their living spaces.

A transformation can be described as the spiritual metamorphosis of human into animal, or between various animals. According to Inuit tradition, human beings could travel between the physical and spiritual worlds. Humans could also transform into animals and animals could transform into human beings.