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Native American Legends: Basket Ogress (Basket Woman)

Name: Basket Ogress
Tribal affiliation: Kwakiutl, Tlingit, Heiltsuk, Salish
Also Known As: Basket Woman, Giant Woman
Native names: Dzunukwa, Tsonoqua, Axwadus
Type: Monster, giant
Related figures in other tribes: Gougou (Mi'kmaq)

 The Basket Ogress is a marauding giant common to the folklore of many Northwest Coast tribes. She catches humans, especially naughty or careless children, and carries them off in her enormous pack basket to eat them in her lair. Luckily she is rather dim-witted and her prey usually manages to escape. Although there are some Northwest Coast legends where Basket Woman has a greater mythological importance, in most tribes she primarily plays the role of a bogeyman and fairytale adversary.

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Basket Woman Stories

*Cannibal Basket Woman Defeated By Clever Kids * Cannibal Woman's Sister Eats Her Last Meal:
    Puget Sound Salish legends from the Skagit and Tulalip tribes about the Basket Ogress capturing children.
Kalkalilh the Cannibal Woman:
    Squamish folklore about the giant cannibal woman.

Recommended Books of Related Native American Legends
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Salish Myths and Legends:
    Good collection of Salishan folklore including legends of the Basket Ogress.
When the Chenoo Howls: Native American Tales of Terror:
    Eerie collection of Native American ghost stories and monster tales, told by a Native American storyteller.

Additional Resources

 Puget Sound stories
 Tlingit mythology
 Tlingit language
 Heiltsuk language
 Coast Salishan
 Washington reservations
 Northwest Coast Native Americans



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