Native American nations
What's new on our siteNative American languags
Native American nations
What's new on our site
This is our collection of links to Cayuga folktales and traditional stories that can be read online. We have indexed our American Indian stories section by tribe to make them easier to locate; however, variants on the same legend are often told by American Indians from different tribes, especially if those tribes are kinfolk or neighbors to each other, so you may also want to visit our page comparing the stories from the Iroquois tribes (which include the Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, Mohawk, and Cayuga Indians), since the traditional stories of those tribes are very similar.
Sky Woman:
The Cayuga mother goddess, said to have fallen through a hole in the sky.
The Twin Gods:
The culture heroes of the Cayuga tribe. In most Iroquois legends, the Twins are
grandsons of Sky Woman and their mother dies in childbirth; however, in Cayuga
legends the twins are often said to be Sky Woman's sons.
Good Spirit
(sometimes known as Sapling)
was the benefactor of the Cayugas and according to some tellings, the creator of humankind. He slew monsters
and created many things to help humankind. His twin
Bad Spirit
(sometimes known as Flint)
created everything negative and dangerous in the world, and according to some tellings, was responsible for
introducing death to the world.
The Creator (Shongwayadihsonh, in Cayuga):
The high god of Iroquois mythology, a benevolent teacher and caretaker of the world.
In some traditions the Creator is referred to as Orenda
or the Great Spirit.
The Thunders (Hadiwennodagyes, in Cayuga):
Powerful storm spirits who live in the sky and cause thunder and lightning. Although they are
dangerous beings and their gaze can bring death to mortal men, they usually play a positive
role in Cayuga legends and are typically portrayed as honorable and fair.
Onatah:
Spirit of the Corn, a fertility goddess and one of the Three Sisters of Cayuga agriculture.
Stone-Throwers (Jigahenh, in Cayuga):
Little people of Iroquoian folklore. They are dwarf-like nature spirits about 2 feet tall.
Stonecoats (Ganehwa:s, in Cayuga):
Mythological giants of the Iroquois tribes, with skin as hard as stone.
Flying Head:
Monster in the form of a giant disembodied head, usually created during a particularly violent murder.
Naked Bear (Hnyagwai'go:wah, in Cayuga):
A giant, hairless bear monster. Some people associate them with mammoths.
Onyare:
A dragon-like horned serpent of the Great Lakes, feared for its habit of capsizing canoes and eating people.
The Great Peacemaker (Hononhsoni:donh) and Hiawatha:
The legendary founders of the Iroquois Confederacy and architects of the Great Law.
Dry Fingers (O'nya:ten, in Cayuga):
Disembodied mummified arm of Cayuga ghost stories.
Iroquois Creation Myth 
The Creation: The Hunting of the Great Bear:Midwinter Rites of the Cayuga Long House:Iroquois Indian Myths And Legends: The Deetkatoo:
Back to the list of Indian gods
Buy some American Indian books
Learn more about the Cayuga Indians.
American Indian art
Native American genealogy
Catawba Indian tribe
Tribal tattoos
Would you like to help support our organization's work with endangered American Indian languages?
Contacts and FAQ page