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:
Oneida Indian Legends

This is our collection of links to Oneida 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 Seneca, Onondaga, Cayuga, Mohawk, and Oneida Indians), since the traditional stories of those tribes are very similar.

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

Important Oneida Mythological Figures

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

Good Spirit and Bad Spirit: Sky Woman's twin grandsons. Good Spirit was the benefactor of the Onondagas, slew monsters and created many things to help humankind; his twin Bad Spirit was evil and caused destruction.

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 Oneida legends and spirituality and are typically portrayed as honorable and fair.

Oneida Indian Folklore

*Oneida Oral Tradition:
    Collection of traditional Oneida tales from Wisconsin.
*Haudenosaunee Creation Story * Sky Woman:
    Oneida stories about the creation of the world and the origin of the Haudenosaunee tribes.
*The Birth of Good and Evil:
    Oneida myth about Sky Woman's twin grandchildren.
*The Warrior Maiden:
    The legend of Aliquipiso, an Oneida girl who sacrificed herself to save her tribe.
*How the Turtle Flew South for the Winter:
    Oneida legend about Turtle's impatience getting him into trouble.
*Tree of Peace:
    Oneida story about the pine tree and the formation of the Iroquois League.
*Rabbit Dance:
    Oneida legend about the origin of the Rabbit Dance.

Recommended Books on Oneida Mythology

Oneida Iroquois Folklore, Myth, And History:
    Book of Oneida legends and oral history.
Iroquois Indian Myths And Legends:
    Collection of legends from the Oneida and other Iroquois tribes.

Additional Resources

 Oneida religion and expressive traditions
 Oneida words
 Books of Native American legends
 Native beliefs
 Iroquoian language
 Oneida culture
 New York Native American Indians
 Woodlands Indians
 Iroquois Confederacy
 Native Indians culture



Back to American Indians gods
Read some American Indian poetry
Learn more about the Oneida tribe.



Native Flutes * Native American Baby Names * Ataniel Fiction * Native American 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