Seneca mythology refers to the

mythology Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narra ...

of the Seneca people, one of the six nations of the Iroquois Confederacy from the northeastern

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

Figures

Some important figures in Seneca mythology are: * Eagentci, whose name translates as "ancient-bodied one", is the Earth-mother, or First Mother. Her Huron name is Atahensic. *

Djieien In Seneca mythology, Djieien is a monstrous spider six feet tall. It could not be killed because it had hidden its heart underground. The great hero Othegwenhda (Hiawatha Hiawatha ( , also : ), also known as Ayenwathaaa or Aiionwatha, was a ...

was a man-sized spider who survived most attacks because its heart was buried underground. * Djodi'kwado' () was a horned serpent * Othegwenhda (

Hiawatha Hiawatha ( , also : ), also known as Ayenwathaaa or Aiionwatha, was a precolonial Native American leader and co-founder of the Iroquois Confederacy. He was a leader of the Onondaga people, the Mohawk people, or both. According to some account ...

) stabbed the heart under the Earth with a tree limb. *

Dagwanoenyent The Flying Head (also known as ''Big Head'' or the ''Great Head'') is a cannibalistic spirit from Iroquois and Wyandot mythology. Description According to both Iroquois and Wyandot, Flying Heads are described as being ravenous spirits that are c ...

is a vicious northern witch who is depicted as a whirlwind. Her child's father killed her. *

Gaasyendietha Gaasyendietha, according to Seneca mythology, is a giant serpent that dwells in the deep areas of rivers and lakes of Canada, especially Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, w ...

is a fire-breathing dragon that inhabits Lake Ontario. * Hagondes is a cannibalistic

trickster In mythology and the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a character in a story ( god, goddess, spirit, human or anthropomorphisation) who exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge and uses it to play tricks or otherwi ...

and clown spirit. * Kaakwha (also Kanawha) is the solar deity and god of light and truth, subordinate to Hawenniyo, a fertility god. * The Dahdahwat are animals who appear in dreams and visions. * Gagqa () is the crow spirit. * Awaeh Tegendji is an old woman who lives with her three beautiful daughters. * Gijesa are spirits of the night sky. * Hadowe are the Iroquois' equivalent of Dryads.

References

Iroquois mythology Seneca tribe {{NorthAm-myth-stub

Figures

See also

References