Animkiig

Today for Indigenous American history month I wanted to write about Animkiig, the Anishinaabe Thunderbird, a spirit of weather, and the upperworld. Animkiig are large eagle-like birds created by Nanabozo. Animkiig were created to balance Mishibizhiw and the Great Horned Serpents, Mishi-ginebig. Thunderbirds are common spirits across different cultures in Turtle Island, including the Great

Heyoka

Today, for National Day for the Truth and Reconciliation, I wanted to write about Heyoka, a sacred spirit in traditional Lakota beliefs associated with thunder and lightning. Heyoka isn’t a single deity but instead a spirit that will incarnate as different members of a community who have had interactions with the Wakinyan (Thunder beings). One

Ptecincala Ska Wakan Winan

Today for Indigenous heritage month I wanted to write about Ptecincala Ska Wakan Winan, commonly called White Buffalo Calf Woman, a sacred woman in Lakota spirituality. During a time of famine, a Lakota cheif sent two scouts to search for food. While the two men hunted, they saw a woman dressed in white leather surrounded

Wendigo

Today, for Indigenous heritage month, I wanted to write about Wendigo, an Algonquin spirit of winter, greed, evil. and cannibalism. A W-ndigo is created when a human commits the abomination of cannibalism corrupting their spirit. After this they go through a metamorphosis becoming a tall slender androgynous figure with few remaining humanoid characteristics known for

Chin

Today, for Pride Month, I wanted to write about Chin, a Mayan deity of homosexuality. Chin was documented by Bishop Bartolomé de las Casas as being venerated in Guatemala by younger unmarried men as a “‘demon’ representing sexual acts between men.” It’s likely that his priests were all queer. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chin_%28deity%29?wprov=sfla1

Nokomis

With the full moon tonight and it being Indigenous History Month I wanted to write about Nokomis, an Ojibwe spirit of the moon. Nokomis is the mother of Wenonah, therefore the grandmother of Nanabozo. After Wenonah died giving birth, Nokomis raised her grandsons. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokomis?wprov=sfla1

Deer Woman

Today I wanted to write about Deer Woman, also called Anukite (Lakota), an Indigenous love and fertility spirit from the Great Plains and Northeastern Woodlands who is a protector of women, children, and two-spirit people. Deer Woman often visits women in their dreams as a sign of pregnancy. She also has a more vengeful side

Hah-nu-nah

For earth day I wanted to write about Hah-nu-nah or Mikinoc Waajew, an Anishinaabe and Iroquios spirit of the earth. When Sky Woman fell to earth, there was no land. All the animals of the water took turns trying to bring mud up from the bottom of the ocean. When Muskrat dived, he reached to

Quetzalcoatl

As a bonus for Dragon Week 2, I wanted to write about Quetzalcoatl a Toltec God worshipped by many Indigenous Mesoamerican peoples whose domain includes light, dawn, wisdom, day, venus, wind, and the West. Quetzalcoatl is one of the four Tezcatlipocas, children of Tonacatecuhtli and Tōnacācihuātl, the other of the four Tezcatlipocas include Tezcatlipoca, Xipetotec,

Huītzilōpōchtli

As November is Native heritage month I wanted to write about Huītzilōpōchtli, a Mesoamerican god of war, sacrifice, fire, the sun, and hummingbirds. Huītzilōpōchtli, sometimes called the Blue Tezcatlipoca, is a son of Tonacatecuhtli and Tōnacācihuātl, or Mixcoatl and Cōātlīcue. As one of the four Tezcatlipocas he is the brother of Quetzalcoatl, Xipe Totec, and

Glooscap

For those unaware today is National day for the truth and reconciliation in Canada, because of this I wanted to spotlight an Indigenous story and chose Glooscap, a Wabanaki trickster spirit. Tabaldak created Glooscap and his brother Malsumis from dust after creating humans. Glooscap and Malsumis created balance in the world as Glooscap does good

Mishibizhiw

To wrap up dragon week I wanted to write about Mishibizhiw, an Ojibwe draconic feline water spirit that protects the Great Lakes and the rivers and lakes that branch off of them. Depending on the stories there’s either one Mishibizhiw that lives in Lake Superior or is a species that lives in all the rivers

Asibikaashi

As today is International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples I wanted to write about Spider Grandmother a spirit from the legends of various Fiest Nations across Canada and the United States of America. This post is specifically about Asibikaashi, the Ojibwe Spider Grandmother who is a protector of children and the creator of the

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha

As June is also Indigenous history month I wanted to take today to write about Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (also known as Lily of the Mohawks), one of the only two canonised Indigenous american Saints. Saint Kateri Tekakwitha is the patron Saint of ecology, the environment, orphans, the city of Montreal, people in exile, and all

Nanabozo

As June is not only lgbtq+ pride month but also Indigenous history month (among other things) I want to share some Indigenous stories throughout the month of June starting with that of Nanabozo, an Anishinaabe folk hero and Trickster that often takes the form of a rabbit. Nanabozo is one of the four sons of

First Peoples of Turtle Island Symbols

As many know June is LGBTQIA2P+ pride months but what is less mentioned is the fact that June is also Indigenous History Month (in Canada at least). I plan on recognising June as both on my blog by continuing what I did last year with writing about LGBTQIA2P+ deities but I also plan on writing