Native Languages of the Americas: Nanaboozhoo Stories and other Potawatomi Legends
This is our collection of links to Potawatomi folktales and traditional stories that can be read online.
We have indexed our American Indian legends 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 Anishinaabe tribes (which
include the Chippewa, Ottawa, Algonquin, and Potawatomi Indians), since the traditional stories of those
tribes are very similar.
Enjoy the stories! If you would like to recommend a Potawatomi legend for this page or think one of the ones on here
should be removed, please contact us and let us know.
˜Nanaboozhoo (also spelled
Nanaboojoo, Nanabozho, Nanabush, and several other ways.)
Nanaboojoo is the benevolent culture hero of the Potawatomi and Anishinaabe tribes (sometimes referred to as a "transformer" by folklorists.)
It is pronounced similar to nah-nah-boo-zhoo or nah-nah-boh-zhoh. Nanaboozhoo shares
some similarities with other Algonquian heroes such as the Wabanaki
Gluscabe, Blackfoot
Napi, and Cree
Wesakechak, and many of the same stories
are told in different Algonquian tribes with only the identity of the protagonist differing.
˜Gichi Manito (also spelled
Gche-Mnedo, Gitchie Manitou, Kitchi Manido, and several other ways.)
This means "Great Spirit" in the Potawatomi language, and is the Potawatomi name for the Creator (God.) Gichi-Manito
is a divine spirit with no human form or attributes (including gender) and is never personified in Potawatomi folklore. The name is pronounced
similar to gih-cheh muh-neh-doh.
˜Nokmes (also spelled Nokmis, Nokomis, Nkomis, and other ways.)
Nanaboozhoo's wise old grandmother, who raised him. Pronounced noke-muss.
˜Windigo (also spelled Wendigo, Weendigo, and other ways.)
An evil man-eating spirit of Potawatomi and Anishinabe legend. Windigos play the roles of monsters and bogeymen in some legends; in
others, Potawatomi people who commit sins (especially selfishness, gluttony, or cannibalism) are turned into a Windigo as punishment.
It is pronounced ween-dih-goh.
Indian cultures
Nanaboozhoo:
Contacts and FAQ page
