#North American folklore

[atomic-chronoscaph]

Leonard Nimoy - In Search of... Bigfoot (1977)

[briefbestiary]

A descending predator, accelerated by the lubricant-like drool seeping from the corners of its mouth. It will flatten and uproot trees on its way down to swallow its prey whole, from deer to lumberjack, to entire groups of tourists.

A forest ranger once attempted to kill one with an explosive dummy dressed like a tourist, and while this may or may not have successfully slain the beast, the detonation also took out half of the nearby town of Rico.

[pardomagus]

Mishipashoo (Water Spirit) Norval Morriseau 1974, Acrylic on Paper (replica).

[cjsinkythoughts]

Hey! This is for a bigger project I'm thinking of starting. If anyone could help out, I'd really appreciate it. It's kind of a turn from my usual stuff with Marvel and whatnot, but bare with me and reblog if you've got any friends/mutuals that can help out!

Calling any history/culture/mythology/folklore fans out there.

Basically, I need folklore from all different kinds of cultures, specifically personifications of things, such as Lady Justice from Greek, the Grim Reaper from Dark Ages, and Yin/Yang from Chinese.

I'm interested to hear anything and everything from all continents and countries. African, Asian, Australian, Europian, South American, and North American.

Give me the bad, give me the good, give me the ridiculous, give me the serious, give me all of it! Religious, scientific, nature, whatever!

Thanks to every participant!

[valerianodrawsthings]

10th Mythical March creature is a Jackalope! It's from North American folklore! I had fun doing the gradient on the fur ^w^

[illustratus]

The Mermaid by Howard Pyle

[gwydpolls]

Time Travel Question 52: Medievalish and Earlier

These Questions are the result of suggestions a the previous iteration. This category may include suggestions made too late to fall into the correct earlier time grouping. In some cases a culture lasted a really long time and I grouped them by whether it was likely the later or earlier grouping made the most sense with the information I had.

Please add new suggestions below if you have them for future consideration. All cultures and time periods welcome.

We already did the burnings which lost their bracket, but the culture lasted a long time across a big area, and people keep suggesting it.

[uwmspeccoll]

Written in the Stars

Star Tales: North American Indian Stories is retold and illustrated by Gretchen Will Mayo (b. 1936) and published in 1987 by Walker & Co. in New York. After getting a journalism degree and a teaching certificate, Mayo attended the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design from 1982 to 1984 and earned her MFA from Vermont College. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and in 1987, she received several awards and honors, including the Original Children’s Book Art Award and Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) Choice for Star Tales. Mayo has lived and worked in the Milwaukee area for many years.

For this book, Mayo, known for her children’s books, retells Native American stories related to the stars. Her work beautifully bridges cultural heritage and imagination, making her a cherished voice in children’s literature. Her illustrations enhance the enchantment of these celestial narratives, allowing one to imagine constellations coming alive with myth and magic.

-View other posts from our Native American Literature Collection

-Melissa (Stockbridge-Munsee), Special Collections Graduate Intern

[allgirlsareprincesses]

I'm so proud of this episode recorded with Mike of Thunderquack podcast! If you enjoyed Prey (I mean, who didn't?) or just like mythic/feminist stories in general, please check it out! We cover all kinds of topics, including how this tale reflects star stories of Indigenous Americans:

I'd love to share a lot more of my thoughts about this movie some day! Such an unexpectedly gorgeous film!

[spectralseekerscarlett]

BIGFOOT

Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, Yowie, Snookums, Skunk Ape, Yeti, and other names is one of the most well-known cryptids in North American folklore. Here’s a detailed look at Bigfoot:

Origins and History: The legend of Bigfoot has been part of Native American folklore for centuries, with various tribes having their own names and stories for the creature. The modern concept of Bigfoot emerged in the mid-20th century, with numerous reported sightings and footprint discoveries, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.

Physical Description: Bigfoot is typically described as a large, ape-like creature standing between 6 to 10 feet tall, covered in dark brown or reddish hair. Witnesses often report a strong, unpleasant odor associated with the creature. It is said to have large feet, hence the name, with footprints measuring up to 24 inches in length.

Behavior and Sightings: Bigfoot is often reported to be shy and reclusive, avoiding human contact. Sightings usually occur in remote, forested areas. Witnesses have reported seeing the creature walking upright, similar to a human, and sometimes making loud, vocalizations or tree-knocking sounds.

Evidence and Research: Evidence for Bigfoot includes eyewitness accounts, blurry photographs, video footage, and plaster casts of footprints. The most famous piece of evidence is the Patterson-Gimlin film, shot in 1967, which purportedly shows a female Bigfoot walking through Bluff Creek, California. Despite numerous investigations, no conclusive proof has been found.

Explanations and Theories: There are several theories about what Bigfoot could be. Some believe it is a yet-to-be-discovered species of primate or a relic population of Gigantopithecus, a giant ape that lived in Asia. Others suggest it could be a hoax, with sightings and evidence fabricated by pranksters. Skeptics often attribute sightings to misidentifications of known animals, such as bears.

Cultural Impact: Bigfoot has become a cultural icon, appearing in various forms of media, including movies, television shows, books, and video games. It has also inspired numerous expeditions and research organizations dedicated to proving its existence. Festivals and conferences celebrating Bigfoot are held annually in various locations.

Bigfoot remains one of the most enduring and popular cryptids, capturing the imagination of people worldwide and sparking ongoing debate and investigation.

[maingh0st]

Yes!!! I was also wondering if there’s different lands located in different countries or continents??? Do they speak any languages other than English???

(anon is referencing this post)

the Folk have their own language, a fact that gets dropped and then criminally underused in tfota!!!

but yeah i'm so curious about this. i think i'm leaning toward the idea that the faery courts are only somewhat tied to geographical locations—like they require physical touchstones to enter them, but are not truly physically "there." for example, the court of termites is underground, and we see kaye entering from a specific physical location, but it's still "separate" and would therefore never be touched by, for example, human drilling or digging.

also, elfhame being the High Court (TM) leads me to believe that even if there are fae courts elsewhere, they don't operate as totally independent powers. i think the faery world is probably more connected even if it's geographically spread out—again because i'm not convinced that geographical "distance" is much of a barrier

to me, this kiiindd of solves the issue of them being in north america, because it means their courts could've been around a long time, but people have only been entering them from north america for a little while. so maybe immigrants isn't quite the right term, but essentially the folk are still newer to north american soil.

honestly the reason i started thinking about all this is because i refuse to accept that the folk have been on turtle island for very long (like pre-european colonization). i just don't appreciate the undertones that carries of erasing indigenous peoples and our ways of understanding the world

[briefbestiary]

Without much doubt, the most famous of all Fearsome Critters. These beasts are well known for their popularity as taxidermy hoaxes subjects.

[bigfootbeat]

The Wampus Cat: Appalachia’s Cryptid Legend

This is not about Bigfoot. However, many of the people who see Bigfoot in Appalachia also see the Wampus Cat so there is a connection.

From the description:

The Wampus Cat, a cryptid from Appalachian folklore, is depicted as a fearsome feline with hybrid characteristics. Originating in Cherokee mythology as a tale of punishment, it has evolved through oral tradition. Today, it appears in various media, symbolizing cultural heritage and addressing themes of empowerment and environmental awareness while captivating audiences.

[tenofmuses]

I started reading Llewellyn’s Complete Book of North American Folk Magic today, and usually these books on “North American” magic don’t have anything at all about Canada, and if they do, it’s one or two mentions of like “hey yeah, Canada is in North America and they’ve got witchcraft too!” But they rarely have any substantial info. Which is a bit frustrating as a Canadian witch, but I’ve learned to deal with it and work with the limited info I can find.

Anyways, this book opens with a chapter on French Canadian magic (Sorcellerie). The two authors—creators of the Courir le loup-garou blog about French Canadian magic, which is a wonderful and bilingual resource—describe a brief history of French Canadian people and the context behind the historical folk traditions they were a part of. And then they get into a discussion of what some of those traditions and practices were, what their uses were, and so forth.

I wasn’t expecting to read anything about my Acadian ancestors’ traditions in this book, and reading it made me a bit emotional because it’s just so rare to come across this information, let alone in an accessible book like this. The Acadian side of my family have become very disconnected from our culture over the last fifty-so years, largely the result of a lot of complicated historical stuff that went on. The last two generations (me and my mum’s generation) don’t even speak French. Nowadays, being bilingual is a massive source of pride in Canada, but knowing French wasn’t always a positive, so it wasn’t passed down for that reason.

Over the last year or so, my practice has shifted a bit from largely eclectic and neo-pagan to a calling to explore the traditions of my ancestors, many of whom are Acadian. But with that has come a difficult realization: since I don’t know French, a lot of the existing sources on sorcellerie aren’t accessible to me. Which is fair enough, and one of the reasons I’m trying to learn the language, but sad when taken in context with the gradual loss of culture in my family.

All of this to say that while I’ve only read the first section of the book (the essay on Sorcellerie) and have no idea how the rest of the book is, reading this chapter about the traditions of my Acadian ancestors was very beautiful and healing, and if you’re trying to reconnect to those traditions like I am, I really recommend reading this essay. I’ve learned a lot and have a few jumping off points now for further research, which is always so exciting!

[squorttle-pox]

bisexual lighting ✨️

[illustratus]

The Headless Horseman Pursuing Ichabod Crane

by John Quidor