Native American language
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Native American Legends: Bush Indian
Name: Bush Indians
Tribal affiliation: Ahtna,
Kuskokwim,
Deg Hitan
Native Names: Ts'eł'eni, Kol'eni
Pronunciation: similar to ts-elth-eh-nee
Also known as: Spies
Type: Antagonists,
monsters,
bigfeet
Bush Indians are hairy wild men of the tundra in Ahtna and other Alaskan Athabaskan folklore.
Bush Indians are very aggressive and often feature as bogeymen in stories told to children, sometimes
kidnapping or even eating unwary kids.
Bush Indian Stories
Ahtena Sleep Doctor Song:
Ahtna Athabaskan song about the Bush Indians.
Bushmen in Northern Athapaskan Narratives:
Anthropology paper about Bush Indian legends.
Recommended Books of Related Native American Legends
Our organization earns a commission from any book bought through these links
In the Shadows of Mountains:
Collection of legends from the Copper River Ahtna tribe.
Our Voices: Native Stories of Alaska and the Yukon:
Collection of legends and oral history from the Athabaskan tribes.
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Additional Resources
Ahtna Athabascan
Ahtna tribe
Alaska tribes
Subarctic Native people
Athabaskan
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