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SPIRIT
LODGE
LIBRARY
Myth
& Lore
Page
25
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(Main
Links of the site are right at the bottom of the page)
Some of the 86 pages in this Myth & Lore section are below.
The rest will be found HERE
Indiginous Little People
& Nature Spirits
By CinnamonMoon from Native
American Religions
General:
Canotili ("Tree Dwellers"):
The Indians of the Plains or Great Lakes told tales of diminutive
warriors: strong, agile, and frightening despite their small
stature. The Canotili were known as patrons of hunters and archers
as well, and the best were said to have been blessed by them.
The Canotili possess a chameleon-like ability to blend in with
their surroundings, and have enhanced strength and dexterity.
If a Canotili is surprised, they exude a powerful pheromone
that causes panic in all non-Canotili present. The uncontrollability
of this power makes it more of a disadvantage than a benefit.
Canotili look much like smaller versions of the Plains or Great
Lake Indians in their fae mien. Their fingers and toes are longer
than normal, and they all have eyes that glow in the dark.
Iktomi:
is a spider fairy. He wears brown deerskin leggings with
long soft fringes on either side, and tiny beaded moccasins
on his feet. His long black hair is parted in the middle and
wrapped with red, red bands. Each round braid hangs over a small
brown ear and falls forward over his shoulders. He even paints
his funny face with red and yellow, and draws big black rings
around his eyes. He wears a deerskin jacket, with bright colored
beads sewed tightly on it. Iktomi dresses like a real Dakota
brave. In truth, his paint and deerskins are the best part of
him -- if ever dress is part of man or fairy. MAY-MAY-GWAY-SHI
May-may-gway-shi (Rock Fishers):
The rock fishers are from the stories of the many tribes of
the Abnaki Confederation. They were reputed to be able to vanish
into rock to escape pursuers, and to be able to make fishing
more plentiful. Indeed, the May-may-gway-shi are able to pass
through solid rock, and may even pilot a vehicle through rock.
They are also able to summon fish to any body of water. They
fondness for fish makes them easily manipulated or trapped,
though. In their fae miens, the May-may-gway-shi are short and
agile, with a fine otter-like pelt of water resistant fur covering
their arms and legs, and long flowing hair.
The Nanehi:
are one of the more helpful faerie types of Cherokee legend.
The Nanehi are traditionalists, historians, artists and musicians.
They are able to physically alter their size and appearance,
to enhance or lower their looks, and to make themselves look
younger or older than their actual age. They excel in all forms
of performance, especially if the performance involves traditional
songs, dances and stories. Nanehi are vain to a fault, and have
difficulty resisting flattery. Conversely, any insult to their
appearance, or any adverse conditions on their appearance affects
them badly. Nanehi, in their fae form, appear as idealized versions
of the tribes of their mortal kin, with lustrous dark hair and
striking faces.
Rock Giants:
Rumored to be the children of the Cannibal spirit among the
Iroquois, rock giants are known for their strength, ferocity,
and ravenous appetites. Rock giants are as strong as trolls,
and not nearly so morally encumbered
with such an inconvenient sense of honor. Difficult to hurt
under the best of circumstances, they are impervious to weapons
of rock and stone. These Nunnehi are also avoided on account
of their legendary tempers. If they are insulted, or their bravery
or prowess is called into question, nothing will keep them from
exacting revenge upon the one who offended them. Though their
personalities usually make friends rare, those that do befriend
a rock giant will usually find them to be extraordinarily loyal
and steadfast companions. In their fae mien, a rock giant appears
to be a gigantic (troll-sized) human encased in an outer shell
of rock.
Thought-Crafters:
The thought-crafters come from tales told by the Algonquin tribes,
and they usually reside among the remnants of the Algonquin
tribes scattered between Maine and Virginia. In addition to
being skilled crafters and artisans, the thought-crafters are
dedicated to opening the ways to the Higher Hunting Grounds
to all Nunnehi again. The thought-crafters are especially dexterous,
and quick-witted, and they are skilled in physically manipulating
objects, as well as solving riddles and puzzles. They are especially
skilled at inspiring others and may restore lost Glamour to
changelings, and bring creativity back to mortals who have lost
it. The fae form of a thought-crafter resembles idealized versions
of their mortal kin.
Tunghat ("Green Dwarves"
or "Owners"):
The stories of the tribes of the Plains, Plateau and Basin told
of dwarvish masters of animals. The Tunghat were those that
placed animals in the path of the most worthy hunters, and made
sure that the animals that were unlikely to survive the next
winter were the ones slain in the hunt. All Tunghat are bound
to a certain animal type. They are able to cover themselves
with an illusion that makes them appear as this animal type,
and they are able to summon and communicate to some extent with
the animals of their chosen kind. It is possible for a Tunghat's
illusion to start fooling even them if they maintain it for
long enough, until they start to believe that they actually
are the animal in question. The Tunghat, in their fae forms,
are small green people with darker green hair, teeth and nails.
Yunwi Amai'yine'hi ("People
of the water"):
Shape-changing tricksters that protect bodies of water, the
Yunwi amai'yine'hi come from Cherokee legend. Many stories of
fishermen being rescued by friendly water creatures come from
encounters with these fae. Like pooka, the Yunwi amai'yine'hi
may shape-change into animal form, their animal must be some
sort of water creature though. They also possess an uncanny
ability to control water, causing it to be still or otherwise.
If they are in animal form and are caught by a trap, hunter
or fisherman, they often tend to panic like an animal, and not
be able to use their powers or intelligence to escape. In their
fae mien, the Yunwi amai'yine'hi tend to have traits of their
animal affinity, much like pooka. Their large eyes resemble
pools of their chosen body of water.
Yunwi Tsundsi ("Little People"):
Cherokee legend also tells of elusive but helpful little people.
The Yunwi tsundsi are able to make themselves inconspicuous,
not invisible, but rather unseen. They are also very skilled
crafters. Though they tend to be helpful to mortals, they have
terrible tempers when their work is insulted, or their help
is scorned. When this happens, they will usually
prank the offender mercilessly until they have properly apologized,
or until a phase of the moon has passed. In their fae miens,
the Yunwi tsundsi appear as normal humans, but rarely stand
over five feet tall.
The Southwest (Apache, Hopi, Navajo
and Zuni.)
Kachinas:
The Kachinas were said to come from the spirit world, teaching
the rituals, songs and dances necessary for survival in harmony
with nature to the Southwest tribes. The Kachinas value ritual
above all else, believing that rituals create a link between
the Earth world and the spirit world, and enough such links
might allow access to the Higher Hunting Grounds someday. Kachinas
are able to make rain, and to make plants grow if the proper
rituals are performed by their mortal tribes. They are also
able to transform themselves into clouds. The Kachinas have
a tendency to specialize in one skill though, all other pursuits
becoming secondary. The Kachinas tend to change their fae appearance
as they grow older, looking more or less normal until their
elder years, when they seem to shrink down to resemble living
versions of the Kachina dolls fashioned by their mortal kin.
Surems (Yaqui "Little People"):
Easily the most peaceful of the Native Fae nations, the Surems
are opposed to loud sounds and any sort of violence. Surems
are able to project an air of serenity around them that will
calm those in the area, it is difficult to become angry or agitated
under this influence. They are known for their congeniality,
and have advantages in social situations. However, Surems are
so commited to finding peaceful solutions to problems that they
have great difficulty forcing themselves to resort to violence
even in extreme circumstances, or even speaking harshly. In
their fae miens, Surems are usually about 5 feet tall and solidly
built, with broad pleasant faces.
The Far West (Flatheads, Miwok,
Modoc, Utes and Nez Percés.)
Nümüzo’ho ("Crushers
of People"):
Among the angriest of the Native Fae nations and among those
most able to destroy whetever they happen to be angry at, the
Nümüzo’ho supposedly had glimpses long ago of
the devastation mortals would bring to the world, and they have
been ruled by their righteous anger ever since. Nümüzo’ho
are incredibly strong and durable. They are also able to call
upon the more violent forces of nature to cause natural disasters
in a five mile radius once per phase of the moon (no more than
four times a month). When the Nümüzo’ho descends
into their elder years, a limb will atrophy and fall off, or
they will become blind in one eye. Nümüzo’ho
are extremely tall in their fae miens, and their eyes glow with
an unearthly light.
Water Babies:
Seen as evil spirits that steal human children and pull mortals
into lakes and rivers to drown them, in the legends that they
figure in, the Water Babies have to deal with the mistrust and
misinformation of others constantly. It's true enough that they
steal away human children, but only those who have been abandoned,
orphaned or abused. They also will sometimes drown certain
mortals, but only those that have despoiled the waters that
the Water Babies protect, or those who have committed crimes
against children. Water Babies are able to breathe underwater,
and allow those touching them to breathe there also. Also, when
a water baby chooses to take vengeance on someone, their strength
increases to help them pull the victim in the water and drown
them. If the intended victim is actually innocent, their strength
will not increase, and they will know that they are mistaken,
and will release the victim. Water Babies are dependent on water,
and if they are kept from immersing themselves in a water source
for more than two days, they will begin to die. In their fae
miens, Water Babies appear androgynous (legends indicated that
all Water Babies were female because of this), have silvery
eyes, webbed hands and feet, and gills.
The Far North (Aleuts, Inuit,
Chinook, Haida, Kwakiutl, Lumni, Tlingit and Tsimshian.)
Inuas ("Spirit Helpers"):
Born of the dreams of the northernmost tribes, the Inuit and
the Aleuts, Inuas were the helpers of the shamans, aiding these
mortals in communing with the spirits and in enforcing the taboos.
To aid them in this task, the Inuas have the ability to invest
powers from their Arts into amulets to be used by the mortal
shamans. Inuas are also able to change into animal forms native
to their region. Though they are able to change into more than
one type of animal, it is difficult and takes practice to learn
to move in several different forms. Inuas look much like members
of their tribes. Most wear "labrets", plugs of ivory,
bone or other hard material inserted into the skin to make a
chin decoration. When advising a shaman, they prefer to be in
animal form; usually an animal important to the welfare of the
tribe.
Pu'gwis (also "Bukwus"):
Horribly ugly, cursed beings who are among the most tragic of
all of the Native Fae. Pu'gwis long for love and friendship,
but their hideous seemings make these goals nearly unreachable.
Ironically, they are gifted singers, and are able to summon
those who hear their songs to them. They also can also sing
a song to cause those who they failed to win over to forget
them. The Pu'gwis have the faces of rotting corpses, with yellowed
eyes that almost seem to decay in their sockets. This decay
extends to their physical form, making them physically weak,
as well as mortifyingly ugly.
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Libraries
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INDEX
Page 3
(Main Section, Medicine Wheel, Native Languages &
Nations, Symbology)
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INDEX
Page 5
(Sacred Feminine & Masculine, Stones & Minerals)
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©
Copyright: Cinnamon Moon & River WildFire Moon (Founders.)
2000-date
All rights reserved.
Site
constructed by Dragonfly
Dezignz 1998-date
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