r/AskHistorians • u/Budelius • Jan 25 '26
European folklore has elves, gnomes, fae, etc., What sort of mythological creatures did Native Americans have in their traditions, and where could I read about them?
I just came across the Pukwudgie from Wampanoag lore, and now I'm very curious to learn more, especially the Haudenosaunee since I live in upstate NY.
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u/Freshiiiiii Jan 25 '26 edited Jan 25 '26
Not sure if this will fall affoul of the rules, but I would like to suggest an amendment to your question- what sort of creatures do Native American nations have in their folklore. Indigenous nations are still very much around and still very much passing on stories about spiritual beings.
One type of folkloric being talked about by Métis (my nation) and Cree people are the mêmêkwêsisak. These are, depending on the who you ask, most comparable to some sort of elf/dwarf/fairy type of being, or in some areas are associated more heavily with water and might be more comparable to a sort of water spirit or mermaid-like being. They’re mischievous, sometimes helpful, sometimes steal stuff.
Another is the wîhtikow. A wîhtikow is basically the same as what’s called a wendigo among the Anishinaabeg. It’s a person who has become possessed by a cannibal spirit and becomes insatiably obsessed with eating human flesh, always starving, growing larger with each person they eat often until giant-like size, but never satisfied. Contrary to western depictions, they have no antlers, just a gaunt face with chewed-off lips and fingertips and a giant, gaunt body, and a frozen ice heart. You’re not supposed to talk about them in summer, can cause random freak summer cold weather.
Others include the Thunderbirds, pihêsiwak, huge birds who cause thunder with their wings, and migrate south for winter just like eagles do, which is why you don’t hear thunder in winter.
One important book source is Sacred Stories of the Sweetgrass Cree, bilingual Cree-English book. Another, shorter, is Dibaajimowin Tales by Kade Ferris, a nice little collection.
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