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Native American Whippoorwill Mythology

Whippoorwills do not appear often in the folklore of Native American tribes. Like other nightbirds, their cries are believed to be omens of death or misfortune in some tribal traditions. In the Mohegan tribe, the cries of the whippoorwill are associated with the Little People, who are benign but mysterious nature spirits. The Hopi and other Pueblo tribes see the cardinal as a directional guardian, associated with the underworld.

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Native American Whippoorwill Gods and Spirits

Makiawisug (Mohegan)

Native American Legends About Whippoorwills

The Whippoorwill:
    Algonquin Indian legend about the whippoorwill.

Recommended Books of Whippoorwill Stories from Native American Myth and Legend
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Birds of Algonquin Legend:
    Interesting collection of legends about whippoorwills 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 meaning of birds in world mythology, including North and South America.



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