The Inuit people believed that both the vast, cold universe and their individual camps were inhabited by supernatural beings of many different kinds. Most important were the human souls. There were three different kinds: personal souls, name souls (remember name partnerships?), and ghosts. Animals also had souls. Shamans had the ability to harness many of these for specific tasks such as personal protection.

Manly strength came from one's soul. The human soul was thought to consist of a mysterious yet extremely powerful force. The soul gave a man his identity and souls were immortal.

Names were thought to possess a personality of their own characterized by great power and a distinct ability to protect an individual. Men and women would possess many names as a result. Names acted as guardian spirits and were highly beneficial.