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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.
Sky Woman (Iotsitsisonh or Atsi'tsiaka:ion, in Mohawk):
The mother goddess of the Iroquois tribes, said to have fallen through a hole in the sky.
Twin Gods:
Sky Woman's twin grandsons, Maple Sapling
(Okwiraseh) and Flint (Tawiskaron.)
These twin deities were the creators and culture heroes of the Iroquois people.
Maple Sapling was the god of life and created many things to help humankind; his twin Flint
was the god of death and primarily caused destruction.
Sky Holder (Tharuhyawa:ku, in Mohawk):
The high god of Iroquois mythology, a benevolent teacher and caretaker of the world.
In many Mohawk communities Sky-Holder is considered the same entity as Maple Sapling,
while in others, they are considered to be distinct.
The 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. The thunder god
Hinon is their eldest brother and leader.
Onatah:
Spirit of the Corn, a fertility goddess and one of the Three Sisters of Mohawk agriculture.
Stone Throwers (Yakonenyoya'ks, in Mohawk):
Little people of Iroquoian folklore. They are dwarf-like nature spirits about 2 feet tall.
Stonecoat (Atenenyarhu, in Mohawk):
Mythological giant of the Iroquois tribes, with skin as hard as stone.
Flying Head (Kanontsistóntie's, in Mohawk):
Monster in the form of a giant disembodied head, usually created during a particularly violent murder.
Monster Bear:
A giant, hairless bear monster. Some people associate them with mammoths.
Onyare:
A dragon-like horned serpent of the Great Lakes, feared for its habit of capsizing canoes and eating people.
The Great Peacemaker (Skennenrahawi) and Hiawatha:
The legendary founders of the Iroquois Confederacy and architects of the Great Law.
Sky Woman:The Birth of Good and Evil:Aientsik the Skywoman:The Monster Bear:How The Eagle First Came To The People:Why the Turtle Has a Broken Shell:The Story of Corn:How Muskrat Created The World:How Fire Came to the Six Nations:Skywoman: Legends of the Iroquois: Legends of the Iroquois: Tyendinaga Tales: Owl Eyes:Iroquois Indian Myths And Legends: The Deetkatoo:
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