This article was co-authored by Maria Souza and by wikiHow staff writer, Amy Bobinger, BA. Maria Souza is a comparative mythologist based in Australia. With over 7 years of experience, Maria is the founder of Women & Mythology, guiding women on a journey to rediscover their true selves through the power of myths, fairy tales, and folktales. Maria is the host of the Women and Mythology Podcast and the author of Wild Daughters, a mythopoetic work that offers inspiration to women. She has also designed thoughtful courses and workshops, focusing on adult learning and exploring myths from both eastern and western traditions. Her Women Who Run With The Wolves Program has hosted hundreds of women across 30 countries. Maria has an advanced training certificate in Applied Mythology from the Pacifica Graduate Institute and a postgraduate degree in Comparative Mythology from the Dédalus Institute.
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Native American culture is rich with lore and legend—including plenty of scary monsters. Some of them are familiar figures in pop culture, like Bigfoot, the Wendigo, and Skinwalkers. Others, like Spearfinger and Akh’lut, are less well-known, but still terrifying. We’re here with the coolest and scariest monsters from Native American legend that you need to know about—so let’s get started!
Popular Monsters from Native American Myth
- Thunderbird: A gigantic bird spirit that protects people
- Bigfoot: Hairy, reclusive ape-like creatures
- Wendigo: Tall, thin spirits with claws and glowing eyes
- Stiff-Legged Bear: Predatory bear-like creatures that can’t bend their legs
- Skinwalkers: Evil witches that can transform into any animal they choose
- Pukwudgies: Mischievous goblin-like tricksters
- Deer Lady: A beautiful deer-like woman who lures men into the woods to eat them
- Flying Head: A head with wings, claws, and long black hair that terrorizes and eats people
- Dry Hand: A mummified hand that sickens or kills anyone it touches
- Muut: A Grim Reaper figure who guides souls into the afterlife
Steps
Expert Q&A
Tips
References
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/thunderbird-mythological-bird
- ↑ https://tuscriaturasarchivos.home.blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/a-wizard-s-bestiary-a-menagerie-of-myth-magic-and-mystery.pdf
- ↑ https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220720-the-true-origin-of-sasquatch
- ↑ https://sites.google.com/site/nativeokbigfootresearch/tribal-legends-of-oklahoma
- ↑ https://theindianleader.com/2019/11/18/stories-of-the-supernatural/
- ↑ https://www.paradise-lot.com/holy-mythology-batman/2020/4/17/deer-woman
- ↑ http://www.native-languages.org/aniwye.htm
- ↑ https://www.native-languages.org/big-owl.htm
- ↑ https://abookofcreatures.com/2016/08/26/haakapainizi/
- ↑ https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/alaska/kushtaka-land-otter-legend-ak
- ↑ https://umaine.edu/folklife/publications/northeast-folklore-2/introduction/
- ↑ https://nevadamagazine.com/issue/november-december-2019/11677/
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Piasa-bird
- ↑ https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/shunka-warakin-cryptid-ocker
- ↑ https://www.ancientpages.com/2019/01/29/stikini-man-owl-sinister-vampiric-monster-that-works-in-disguise/
- ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/662451
- ↑ https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2017/10/story-of-wampus-cat.html
- ↑ https://mythicalcreatures.info/characters/akhlut/
- ↑ https://abookofcreatures.com/2017/01/23/kak-whan-u-ghat-kig-u-lu-nik/
- ↑ https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ga-altamahaha/
- ↑ https://www.native-languages.org/apotamkin.htm
- ↑ https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=69067
- ↑ https://www.tourismkelowna.com/blog/stories/post/the-legend-the-spirit-the-creature-the-history-of-ogopogo/
- ↑ https://www.livescience.com/16910-ogopogo-canadian-lake-monster-video.html
- ↑ https://www.flatheadlakers.org/flathead-lake-monster
- ↑ https://www.juneauempire.com/news/ancient-species-found-near-kake-given-tlingit-name/
- ↑ https://www.knba.org/news/2020-02-19/southeast-alaska-fossil-declared-a-new-species-and-given-a-tlingit-name
- ↑ https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mishipeshu
- ↑ https://nighttidemag.com/2024/12/29/morbid-minds-beneath-the-ice-exploring-the-qallupilluk/
- ↑ https://www.academia.edu/48912895/The_Horned_Serpent_Tradition_in_the_North_American_Southwest#loswp-work-container
- ↑ https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/religion-and-philosophy/wendigo-folklore
- ↑ https://sacred-texts.com/nam/zuni/zft/zft30.htm
- ↑ https://nativeamericatoday.com/australias-aboriginal-peoples-deserve-a-special-voice-to-its-parliament/
- ↑ https://umistapotlatch.ca/objets-objects/index-eng.php?nojs=true&object=80.01.013
- ↑ https://www.native-languages.org/hobomock.htm
- ↑ https://www.hopi-nsn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/OCT-20-issue-final_REV.pdf
- ↑ https://www.ancientpages.com/2019/09/17/horrifying-flying-head-that-terrorized-the-iroquois/
- ↑ https://shipwrecklibrary.com/deadlands/kunenhrayenhnenh/
- ↑ https://www.native-languages.org/man-eater.htm
- ↑ https://kids.kiddle.co/Choctaw_mythology
- ↑ https://kids.kiddle.co/Choctaw_mythology
- ↑ https://www.native-languages.org/morelegends/oniate.htm
- ↑ https://www.outdoors.org/resources/amc-outdoors/history/a-history-of-mount-katahdin/
- ↑ https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/pamola-mount-katahdin
- ↑ https://sacred-texts.com/nam/cher/motc/motc120.htm
- ↑ https://www.blm.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/Library_Nevada_CulturalResourceSeries12.pdf
- ↑ https://kids.kiddle.co/Cahuilla_mythology
- ↑ https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/religion-and-philosophy/skinwalker-mythology
- ↑ https://www.native-languages.org/asin.htm
- ↑ https://www.native-languages.org/basket-ogress.htm
- ↑ https://www.native-languages.org/chenoo.htm
- ↑ https://sacred-texts.com/nam/ne/al/al49.htm
- ↑ https://indianahistory.org/blog/pukwudgies-and-where-to-find-them/
- ↑ https://alaskavillagetovillage.com/2017/04/08/alaska-myths-the-little-people/
- ↑ https://sugarriverregion.org/haunted-sites-and-spooky-stories-of-the-sugar-river-region/
- ↑ https://blog.nhstateparks.org/the-north-remembers/