Native American Indian languages
American Indian cultures
Indian nations

Native American Legends: Mesingw (Mising)
Name: Mesingw
Tribal affiliation: Lenni Lenape,
Munsee,
Shawnee (some communities)
Alternate spellings: Misingw, Msingw, Mėsingw, Msiingw, Mising, Mesing, Mee Sing, Misink, Mesingwe, Msingwe, Misingwa, Masing,
Mesingk, Messingq, Misi'ngwe, Mesingwe, Mizi'nk, Misink, Misignwa
Pronunciation: similar to muh-seeng but with a rounded final consonant.
Also known as: Mask Spirit, Masked Being, Spirit Face, Living Solid Face, Master of Game.
Mesingholikan (also spelled Mėsingholikan, Misinkhalikan, Misinghalikun, Misinkhālikąn, Misinghali'kun,
Mizinkhali'kun, Wsinkhoalican, and other ways) was the name of a Lenape ritual dancer who channeled the
role of Mesingw for hunting and curing ceremonies.
Type: Mask,
dream spirit,
hunting god
Mesingw is the Lenape Mask Spirit, a powerful, sacred medicine spirit who maintains the balance of nature,
appears to Lenape men in dreams, and is the focus of certain traditional Lenape religious rituals.
Some people (especially non-Natives) have begun associating Mesingw with
Bigfoot
recently, but this is not a traditional view-- many Native American tribes do indeed have
sasquatch/hairy man legends but the Lenape Mask Spirit is not one of them.
Mising is usually depicted as a supernatural face with one half colored red and the other half colored black.
Mising is the protector of all animals of the forest, but is most strongly associated with deer. Some Lenape people
describe Mising as taking humanoid form and riding through the woods on the back of a deer, helping respectful
hunters and punishing those who despoil the forest.
Mesingw Stories
The Meesink Story:
Lenape legend about Meesink arguing with Kishelemukonk about the creation of humans.
Origin of the Big House Ceremonies:
Myth about the Msiingw vision that began the Delaware Big House tradition.
The Masked Being:
Lenape legends about Mising.
Shawnee Mythology:
Article on Shawnee traditions including the adoption of the Misingw spirit into Shawnee ceremonies.
Legends of the Delawares:
Collection of Delaware Indian folktales including four in Lenape (with English translation.)
Mythology of the Lenape:
An overview of the Lenape worldview and belief system including several legends and traditional stories.
Algonquian Spirit:
Excellent anthology of stories, songs, and oral history from the Delaware and other Algonquian tribes.
Sponsored Links
Additional Resources
Delaware legends
Delaware language
Munsee Delaware
Munsee tribe
New Jersey tribes
Woodlands
Algonquian words

Back to Native mythology
Learn more about the Lenape people.

Native American ancestry
Shawnee home
Native herbs
Indian made moccasins
American Indian tattoo
Would you like to help support our organization's work with endangered American Indian languages?
Native Languages of the Americas website � 1998-2015
Contacts and FAQ page