Indian languages of the US * Indian people * What's new on our site today!

  * Find Native American ancestors in your family tree

Native Languages of the Americas:
Sauk Legends and Traditional Stories

This is our collection of links to Sauk folktales and traditional stories that can be read online. We have indexed our Native American folklore 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. In particular, though these legends come from the Sauk tribe, the traditional stories of related tribes like the Meskwaki and Menominee are very similar.

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

Important Sauk Mythological Figures

Click on each character's name for more detailed information about his or her role in Sauk mythology.

Wisahkeha (also spelled Wisakeha and other ways.) Wisakeha is the benevolent culture hero of the Sac and Fox tribes (sometimes referred to as a "transformer" by folklorists.) His name is pronounced similar to wee-zah-keh-hah. Wisakeha is the same character as the Cree Wisakejak and shares some similarities with other Algonquian heroes such as the Wabanaki Kluscap and Anishinabe Nanabush; many of the same stories are told in different Algonquian tribes with only the identity of the protagonist differing.

Kehci Manito (also spelled Gichi Manitoa and several other ways.) This means "Great Spirit" in the Sauk language, and is the Sauk name for the Creator (God.) Kehci Manito is a divine spirit with no human form or attributes (including gender) and is never personified in Sauk folklore. The name is pronounced similar to keh-chee muh-nih-toh.

Lodge-Boy and Thrown-Away. These mythical twins, born when their pregnant mother was killed by a monster, are common to the folklore of many Midwestern and Plains tribes. They are generally portrayed as heroic monster-slayers in Sauk legends.

Sauk Indian Folklore

*The Coming of Corn:
    Sauk legend narrated by Chief Black Hawk.
*Legends and Folklore of the Northern Lights:
    Aurora Borealis stories from the Sac-Fox, Mandan, and Algonquin tribes.

Additional Resources

 Books of Native American legends
 Native American spirituality
 Sauk Indian religion
 Sauk and Fox words
 Indian tribes of Michigan
 Northeastern Indians
 Algonquian languages
 Sauk culture
 American Indian groups



Back to the Sauk-Fox homepage
Read some Native American poems
Learn more about the Sac and Fox tribes.



American Indian Genealogy * American Indian Names * Eyak * Ataniel Fiction * Turquoise Indian Jewelry

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