Indian languages * Indian tribes * Indian culture * What's new on our site today!

  * Find Native American ancestors in your family tree

Native Languages of the Americas:
Mohawk Indian Legends

This is our collection of links to Mohawk folktales and traditional stories that can be read online. We have indexed our 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, Cayuga, Seneca, and Mohawk Indians), since the traditional stories of those tribes are very similar.

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

Important Mohawk Mythological Figures

Sky Woman: The mother goddess of the Iroquois tribes, said to have fallen through a hole in the sky.

Yoskeha and Tawiskaron: Sky Woman's twin grandsons. Yoskeha (Maple Sapling) was the benefactor of the Mohawks, slew monsters and created many things to help humankind; his twin Tawiskaron (Flint) was evil and caused destruction.

Thunders: 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 Mohawk legends and are typically portrayed as honorable and fair.

Mohawk Indian Folklore

*Sky Woman:
    Mohawk myth about the origin of the Haudenosaunee tribes.
*The Birth of Good and Evil:
    Mohawk myth about Sky Woman's twin grandchildren.
*The Monster Bear:
    Mohawk legend about the origin of the Big Dipper constellation.
*How The Eagle First Came To The People:
    Mohawk legend about a boy who turned into an eagle.
*Why the Turtle Has a Broken Shell:
    Mohawk legend about how Turtle broke his shell.
*The Story of Corn:
    Mohawk legend about the origin of corn.
*How Muskrat Created The World:
    Legends about Muskrat from the Blackfoot, Ojibway, Mohawk, and Potawatomi tribes.
*How Fire Came to the Six Nations:
    Mohawk version of this typical Iroquois legend about the origin of fire.

Recommended Books on Mohawk Mythology

Legends of the Iroquois:
    Legends and traditional stories told by a Mohawk elder.
Owl Eyes:
    Picture book based on a light-hearted Mohawk legend about why owls are nocturnal.
Iroquois Indian Myths And Legends:
    Collection of legends from the Mohawk and other Iroquois tribes.

Additional Resources

 Mohawk religion and expressive traditions
 Books of Native American legends
 Native beliefs
 Mohawk words
 Indian reservations in New York
 Woodland Native Americans
 Iroquois Confederacy
 Mohawk history
 Native American Indians culture



Back to the Native American god list
Back to the Native American animal spirits meanings
Learn more about the Mohawk tribe.



American Indian art * American Indian baby names * Ataniel Fiction * American Indian words

Would you like to help support our organization's work with endangered American Indian languages?

or buy some books through this link:

Native Languages of the Americas website © 1998-2011 * Contacts and FAQ page