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Native American Hell-Diver (Grebe) Mythology

Grebes are funny-looking little birds, with their red eyes, squashed backside, and wobbling gait. Most Native American legends about grebes are "pourquoi" stories explaining how they got this strange appearance. In the Anishinabe tribes, grebes are not merely comical but are also a symbol of perseverence and fearlessness.

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Native American Grebe Gods and Spirits

Shingebiss (Ojibwe)

Native American Legends About Grebes

*The Helldiver and the Spirit of Winter:
    Chippewa Indian legend about a brave grebe withstanding winter's fury.
*Wenebojo and the Dancing Geese * Manabozho and the Hell-Diver * Manabush and the Birds * The Shut-Eye Dance * Weesakaychuk and the Ducks:
    Algonquian legends telling how Grebe got his strange appearance.

Recommended Books of Grebe Stories from Native American Myth and Legend
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Birds of Algonquin Legend:
    Interesting collection of legends about grebes and other birds in Algonquian tribes.
Native American Animal Stories:
    Great collection of American Indian tales about animals, told by Abenaki storyteller Joseph Bruchac.
Flights of Fancy: Birds in Myth, Legend, and Superstition:
    A good book on the symbolism of birds in world mythology, including North and South America.



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