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Native American Legends: Thunderers (Ani-Hyuntikwalaski)

Name: Thunderers
Tribal affiliation: Cherokees
Native names: Aniyvtiqualosgi, Aniyvdaqualosgi, Anihyvdagwalosgi, Ani-Hyuntikwalaski, Ani-Yuntikwalaski, Anihyu-tikwalaksi. These are all plural forms; the singular form for referring to just one Thunderer is Ayvdaqualosgi, Ahyvdagwalosgi, etc.
Pronunciation: varies by dialect; usually similar to ah-nee-yun-duh-gwall-skee
Also Known As: Thunders, Thunder Beings, Thunder People, Thunder Boys
Type: Nature spirit, thunder, lightning
Related figures in other tribes: Thunderbirds, Nimkii, Wakinyan, Piyesiw

 The Thunderers are a clan of powerful storm spirits who live in the sky and command thunder and lightning. They are human in form, unlike many tribes where thunder spirits appear as birds. In some Cherokee communities, the Thunderers are believed to be the the sons of the corn mother Selu (also known as the Thunder Boys) and their descendants. In other communities the Thunder Boys are considered distinct from the Ani-Hyuntikwalaski, with the Thunder Boys belonging to the sacred mythic era, and the Ani-Hyuntikwalaski belonging to the material world. .

Stories about the Thunderers

*The Man who married the Thunderer's Sister:
    Cherokee legend about a man who tried to join the Thunderers.

Recommended Books of Related Native American Legends
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Friends of Thunder: Folktales of the Oklahoma Cherokees:
    Collection of Cherokee legends including several tales of the Thunderers.
History, Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees:
    Detailed compendium of Cherokee oral history from the 1800's.
Southeastern Native American Legends:
    Book comparing the traditional stories of the Cherokee and other Southeast tribes.

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Additional Resources

 Cherokee mythology
 Cherokee Indians
 Cherokee writing
 Words in Cherokee
 North Carolina Indians
 Southeastern Woodlands Native Americans
 Iroquoians



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