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Native American Legends: Sharp-Elbows
Name: Sharp-Elbows
Alternate spellings: Sharp Elbows
Tribal affiliation: Ioway, Otoe, Winnebago
Native Names: Itopa'hi
Type: Monster
Related figures in other tribes: Doubleface (Sioux),
Red-Woman (Crow),
Headless Man (Wichita)
Sharp-Elbows is a malevolent humanoid monster of the Chiwere and Winnebago tribes.
He resembles a human but with long bone spikes protruding from his elbows, which he
uses to stab people to death. In some stories he also has a second face on the back of his head, like
the Sioux Doubleface. In some stories Two-Face is a
predator who eats humans, but in most he is an evil being who kills simply for the sake of killing,
frequently targeting women and children.
Two-Face Stories
Itopa'hi and the Twins:
Ioway story about a Sharp-Elbows that kills a pregnant woman, whose twins survive and avenge her.
Hare Kills Sharp Elbows:
Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) story about the culture hero Hare killing his great-uncle, a Sharp-Elbows.
Recommended Books of Related Native American Legends
Our organization earns a commission from any book bought through these links
When the Chenoo Howls: Native American Tales of Terror:
Collection of Native American monster stories by an acclaimed Native storyteller.
Additional Resources
Lost Nation: The Ioway
Ioway language
Winnebago language
Great Plains Indian tribes
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