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Native Languages of the Americas:
Manabush Stories and other Menominee Legends

This is our collection of links to Menominee folktales and traditional stories that can be read online. We have indexed our Native American folktales 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. In particular, though these legends come from the Menominee tribe, the traditional stories of related tribes like the Ojibwe and Cree are very similar.

Enjoy the stories! If you would like to recommend a Menominee legend for this page or think one of the ones on here should be removed, please contact us and let us know.

Important Menominee Mythological Figures

˜Manabush (also spelled Manibush, Manabozho, Nanabozho, Nanabush, and several other ways.) Manabush is the benevolent culture hero of the Menominee and Anishinaabe tribes (sometimes referred to as a "transformer" by folklorists.) The pronunciation of this name varies widely but is most commonly muh-nuh-boosh or muh-nuh-boo-zhoo. Manabush shares some similarities with other Algonquian heroes such as the Wabanaki Gluscabi, Blackfoot Napi, and Cree Whiskey-Jack, and many of the same stories are told in different Algonquian tribes with only the identity of the protagonist differing.

˜Mese Manido (also spelled Me'se Manedo, Keche Manitow, and several other ways.) This means "Great Spirit" in the Menominee language, and is the Menominee name for the Creator (God.) Mese Manido is a divine spirit with no human form or attributes (including gender) and is never personified in Menominee folklore. The name is pronounced similar to may-say muh-neh-doh or keh-chay muh-neh-doh.

˜Nokomis. Manabush's wise old grandmother, who raised him. Pronounced noh-koh-miss or noo-koh-miss, depending on dialect.

Menominee Indian Folklore

*Manabush Stories and other Menominee Legends:
    Collection of traditional Menominee tales from Wisconsin.
*Manabozho's Birth * Manabozho's Wolf Brother:
    Menominee legends about Manabush's birth and childhood.
*Manabus and the Spirit Rock:
    Menominee legend about the origin of a local landmark.
*How The Porcupine Got His Quills:
    Folktale about the pride of Porcupine.
*The Legend of Rabbit and Owl:
    Menominee folktale about the origin of day and night.
*Manabozho Plays Lacrosse:
    Legend of a battle between Manabush and the spirits of the underworld.
*Mashenomak, The Fish Monster:
    The story of how Manabush slew a man-eating sea monster.
*The Deceived Blind Men:
    How Raccoon tricked two blind old men.
*The Sun Snarer:
    Menominee legend about a boy who trapped the sun.
*The Trickster's Great Fall and His Revenge:
    Story of a quarrel between Manabozho and Buzzard.
*The Reed Dancers:
    Menominee legend about a humorous mistake of Manabozho's.
*The Shut-Eye Dance:
    Menominee story about Manabush tricking the ducks.
*Menominee Tales:
    Menominee myth about the origin of the name Chicago.
    (This makes more sense if you know that "skunk" and "onion" come from the same word in Menominee!)
*Manabozho's Adventures:
    Role of the demigod Manabush in several tribal traditions including the Menominee.

Additional Resources

 Books of Native American legends
 Native American religions
 Menominee religion and expressive culture



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