Legendary Native American Figures: Chebbeniathan, the Spider Above
Name: Chebbeniathan Tribal affiliation:Arapaho Alternate spellings: Hichaba Nihancan, Hihcebe' Nihoo3oo, Hixcéébe Nixóó3o, Hixcéébe Nihóó3oo, Hixceebe Nihoo3o, Tschaba Nihaathu, Hichchebba Nihawthaw Pronunciation: similar to hih-chabb-eh-nih-haw-thaw Also known as: Spider-Above, Creator, Heisonoonin, Our Father Type:High god,
Creator Related figures in other tribes:Maheo (Cheyenne),
Gitche Manitou (Anishinabe),
Tabaldak (Abenaki),
Cautantowwit (Narragansett)
Chebbeniathan (or Hichaba Nihancan) means "Spider Above" or "Spider of Heaven" in the Arapaho language,
and is the Arapaho name for the Creator (God,) as distinguished from the earthly
Nihancan. Sometimes the name is translated in English as
"Man Above," since the literal form of a spider is not ascribed to Hichaba Nihancan. Some people believe that Nihancan and Hichaba Nihancan were originally
the same mythological entity, and split into two figures after trickster legends were borrowed from the Crow and Sioux.
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