Welcome Travelers to Inuit Mythology

photo by sergei shilenko

Background of the Inuit People

For thousands of years, the Inuit people have learned to survive in a harsh and cold world. The Inuit are nomadic people; during the long, cold winters, they move from place to place constantly, using dog-sleighs or caribou sleighs to carry their equipment, tools, and families across icy waters. During the summers, the Inuit live on islands that surround the Arctic, and when the cold returns and the rivers and lakes freeze, they go out to hunt larger animals such as seals, walruses, small whales, belugas, and even, in rare cases but not uncommon, polar bears.

Though life in the frozen tundra and battling the cold artic climates may appear extremely difficult, the Inuit people are strong and resourceful, and they call the Arctic home. They are found throughout the Arctic region, from Nunavik to Greenland, as well as in parts of Russia. Despite living in one of the harshest environments on Earth, their stories are regarded as some of the richest in indigenous North American mythologies.

According to Inuit beliefs, both humans and animals have mystical powers. The Inuit also believe that there are worlds that humans cannot reach, such as the underworld, a land beneath the seas, the sky world, where powerful entities live, and the only beings who can travel to these worlds are the 'Angakoks" (shamans) and gods.

Now without further ado, let us delve into the epic stories of Inuit mythology.

The Creation Story:

The Inuit creation stories are vast and diverse; there is no single official creation story because each version was told differently but followed a similar plot across each Inuit tribe, and the story begins with a raven.

In the beginning, the earth was dark and full of water. The raven flew over the water, looking for a place to perch, but found nothing. The raven eventually got tired of searching and flew up to the heavens, causing massive rocks to fall from the sky and land in the water below, creating both small and large islands. The raven also planted seeds to help grow vegetation. When he was finished the earth was still empty, so the raven gathered mud from the waters to create land animals and humans. Then he wrapped his wings around them and brought them to life. But he also gave each powerful animal a special role and task to play in the new world.

Important figures and gods:

Image by Oliver hyde

Sedna, The goddess of the seas and the Underworld, Mother of all aquatic animals.

According to most Inuit stories, Sedna was a human who was kidnapped or married to an evil trickster who caused her great suffering, she begged to be released and returned home. Unbeknownst to the evil trickster, the woman's father arrived to rescue her, and as they paddled away on his Kayak, the evil trickster summoned a powerful storm to kill them. The father had no choice but to throw her overboard, otherwise, they would both sink and drown. As the woman clung to the kayak's edge, her father cut off her fingers to get her to let go. As each severed finger fell into the water, it transformed into fish, seals, belugas, and whales, bringing life to the seas.

In the end, Sedna died and rose to become a powerful spirit capable of controlling the water, weather and sea animals, she dwells beneath the seas in the Underworld.

Malina and Igaluk

Malina is the Sun goddess. She creates a temporary summer season, warmth, and energy around the world. Allowing plants and berries to grow and provide food for land animals. She flies around the world, bringing light and seasons.

Igaluk is the Moon God and Malina's brother. He is the night sky's way finder spirit, guiding travelers across dark seas with his lesser light. He is the moon's embodiment and a cosmic force that rules over the seas. 

According to some Inuit mythology, Igaluk was so in love with her sister that he tried to force himself on her, but Malina escaped his grasp and fled to the sky. Igaluk followed her and continues to pursue her around the world. together bringing days and seasons around the world.

Pixabay image by Nanne Tiggelman

Nanuq, The spirit of the hunt, patron of polar bears.

Nanuq is a spirit that takes the form of a polar bear and a human. He determines the spirit of the hunt and luck. The Inuit People once believed to always thank Nanuq for their success during their hunt, and if a hunter fails to follow this ritual or cheats, Nanuq will curse the hunter with bad weather and bad luck.

However, if a hunter pleases Nanuq on their hunt, the polar bear spirit will grant the hunter an opportunity to hunt a polar bear, which were so valuable to the Intuit people in the old world, and a blessing of greater success than their previous hunt.

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Kevin Moses is an award-winning videographer and director at the Montreal film festival in 2015, and at 26, he graduated from Algonquin College's professional writing program with the goal of becoming a published fiction writer. He recently written and published several short stories that are popular among young readers. He recently published his new novel, "Dreams of Magic," which many readers found thought-provoking, epic, entertaining, inspiring, and heartwarming.

The Bear(-woman) Fell for the Man

Why don’t we pull back a little? We focused on beings found in Korean folklore and mythology in the past posts, so let’s switch things up a little. All mythologies have an origin, their own story of creation. Korea is no different.

Reading myths, Korea’s foundation and birth is all thanks to a couple of gods that cast their gaze to the Earth and a tenacious bear that wished to be more.

Hwanung Casts His Gaze to the Earth.

Teakbaeksan National Park from This is Korea tours

In the ancient times, Hwanin, known as the Heavenly Emperor, noticed his son, Hwanung, has cast his gaze towards the Earth, and expressed the desire to rule it. In some versions of the myth, Hwanin was the one to cast his gaze upon the Earth and tasked Hwanung to rule. Either way, with his father’s blessing, Hwanung descended onto Mt. Taebaek and sought to build his kingdom.

Though this number can vary depending on the myth, he was accompanied by three thousand devotees and built Sinsi, the holy city where he ruled. Aside from the three thousand followers, the Wind God, Rainfall God, and Cloud God came with Hwanung.

Along with them, Hwanung also had the Three Seals of Heaven (Cheonbuin)—which is said to be a divine mirror, divine sword and a divine rattle or drum—as proof of his rule.

Hwanung, the Bear and Humanity

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A post shared by amanda (@acarriganart)

acarriganart’s depiction of Ungnyeo, emerging from the cave as a woman.

While Hwanung began overseeing the numerous affairs of the human world—from grains to life to diseases to mediating between good and evil—two animals caught his attention.

A bear and a tiger prayed to him with the desire to become human and Hwanung instructed them to stay inside a cave for 100 days, with only mugwort and 20 cloves of garlic as food (in some versions, instead of divine mugwort, they had to eat garlic and wormwood) to earn in their humanity.

Partway through, the tiger grew impatient and left the cave. This left the bear alone, but through perseverance, the bear emerged from the cave as a human woman. She took on the name Ungnyeo meaning Bear-Woman.

Ungnyeo is happy with her new life as a human, but eventually as a result of loneliness, she prays to Hwanung and asks for a child since she had no one. Hwanung having heard her prayers and feeling pity, turned himself to a mortal man and married her. Together they had a son Dangun who eventually established Gojoseon that became the Korean peninsula.

Dangun and Gojoseon

Dangun became known as the first mortal prince of the land. He later established his own kingdom, Gojoseon or the Ancient kingdom Joseon.

Dangun set up capital at Pyeongyang Fortress. The capital moved several times before finding its way back to Pyeongyang Fortress. Dangun continued to rule for approximately a thousand and five hundred years  before the Zhou dynasty, a Chinese dynasty, came into the picture and appointed Jizi to govern Joseon. Dangun moved to different states, Jangdanggyeong then to Asadal, before he went to the mountains nearby Asadal and ascended into godhood as a Sansin or Mountain God at the age of 1,908 years.

Historical Notes

Some suggest that the myth of Dangun actually parallelizes the actual founding of Korea. Hwanung and Ungnyeo’s union representing the union between foreigners—Hwanung, God and Sky—that settled the land that Korea now stands, and one of the Indigenous tribes in proto-Korea—Ungnyeo, bear, woman, and Earth— to unify their people under a marriage alliance, although some say the Bear Tribe Ungnyeo represented was still subjugated by the former.

Some Irony

Tiger Family, The Cleveland Museum of Art

Funnily enough, despite referred to as the Dangun Myth, most of the focus of the myth is on Hwanin and Hwanung. The myth does acknowledge Dangun as the founder of Korea. So, while in folklore Dangun can be attributed to the creation of Korea, the creation of Dangun is the focus of the myth itself instead of a detailed account of his life and rule.

Furthermore, it was mentioned earlier in Ungnyeo’s myth that a bear and tiger begged for a human form, the tiger left early due to its impatience and hunger. Despite this portrayal, the tiger is a revered animal in Korea. Portrayals of tigers as creatures that protect humanity against evil spirits is depicted throughout Korean history and artwork. This reverence may be the reason why the tiger is Korea’s national animal.

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Rica Equibal, a Philippine-born writer and artist, started Algonquin college with the goal to find her way into publishing. She went into her Algonquin journey with from her literature degree and proofreading experience supporting her, but she’s always up to learn more to add to her knowledge and repertoire. Aside from that, she also writes fiction—with hope to turn those little scenes and moments into a full story or novel—and draws.

She writes as inspiration strikes and primarily draws digital—that is, if she's not distracted by whatever video game she has in reach.

There is no Records, There is no One Story and There is no True Creation.

Introduction

Credit: Ancient Orgins-April Holloway

Every culture has their own myths on creation, or do they? What happens when a culture leads no trace behind? Well, one needs up with conflicting stories. Perhaps you even get a scenario where none of the legends are true. What do you do then? Well, the answer is not that simple, or maybe there is no answer at all. Like many things, myths can be interpreted anyway. Whether they are correct, remains to be discussed. But, one thing remains clear, there are no shortages of stories.

Now, it should be noted that based on all research, there seems to be three different legends on how the world came to be. But only one of them is mentioned more than once. However, that doesn’t mean the other ones, to some extent, aren’t true to the myths. It is impossible to know the truth, especially since no written records survive. Although that doesn’t stop us from looking into them.

Story of Donn and Danu

One myth that explains the creation of the world is the story of Donn and Danu. The tale tells of these two gods created in a great void. And it tells of when they looked upon each other, a sacred flame burned inside their hearts. Finding love, the two embraced, never to be separated. It was love to last forever, but as usual with these tales, it didn’t last.

Just like most mythologies, the children of these two gods were caught in an interlock. The children wanted to be free, and so a plan was devised. A son of these two, named Briain, convinced his mother to let her embrace go. As a result, Briain slayed his father.

The fury from Briain was so great that he cut his father into nine pieces. Danu, horrified, broke down in tears. Because of her crying, her tears swelled into a great flood. This action caused her children to be sent to earth. The parts of Donn washed away as well. His head became the skies, brain the clouds, face the sun, mind the moon, his bones the stones, and his breath the wind. Combined with Donn’s blood and Danu’s tears, the sea’s were created.

The Tree of Life

 Another tale is called the “Tree of Life.” The story starts as follows:

credit: Celtic mythology-Meck

In an era when there was no time, no gods or humans walked among land, there was the sea, and there was land. And where they met, a mare was born, she was white, made of seafoam and named Eiocha. A tree grew as well. It was strong and sturdy oak. On the oak a plant grew, whose seed formed from the tears of the sea. Eiocha ate the seeds, which were white berries, and they transformed within her.

She grew heavy with child, which became the god Cernunnos. The pain was too great for her, and she ripped a piece of bark. The bark was hurled into the sea, and it was transformed into the giants of the deep. Cernunnos, lonely, coupled up with Eiocha, and created the other gods after seeing the giants of the deep. From that, the tree was used to create the world.

The Giant Story

 This one, in different forms, tells that giants were the original gods. When it comes to the myth, there is not a lot of information, but it is the most common. And it goes as follows:

During the first winter, a giant was created from the “hoarfrost.” Fire emerged and melted the giant. Parts of his body then formed the universe. Body formed the world, blood flowing created the seas, mountains from his bones, trees sprung from hair, and skull the sky.

And in the heart of the earth, the gods lived on mountainous hills and below the Underworld boiled as a home for the dead.

Now, it should be noted, that this myth shares a lot with the first one. This could be as perhaps they came from a similar source. Or it is possible they took ideas from each other. But it is hard to say for sure.

Conclusion

It is clear that these myths are similar in one way or another. But that shouldn’t stop someone from researching and determining what was part of the original mythology and what was lost or influenced by other sources. Only time will tell if we learn what the truth is, and what legend came first. Or perhaps none of them are the original and they were created to fill in a gap.

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Joshua Young is a professional writing student at Algonquin College. He looks to one day be a published fantasy author. He is inspired by both the Science Fiction and Fantasy genre. The books in this genre include A Song of Ice and Fire, Berserk, Dune, and the Dark Tower Series. He is a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, although he sometimes hates to admit. This is because he is afraid of getting beat up. Like any Leafs fan, he waits for them to get passed the first round of the Playoffs and win a Stanley Cup.

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Philippine Creation and Origin Myths

There are many different creation and origin myths from the diverse cultures of the Philippines. These are some of the most well-known ones from the three different regions. 

Malakas at Maganda

Credit: Cenon Rivera

The Tagalog creation myth is often referred to as “Malakas at Maganda” (meaning “strong and beautiful”) and is about the origin of the first man and woman.

When the world began, there was only the sea and sky. The eagle Amihan, deity of peace and wind, flew about for days on end with nowhere to rest. Amihan, in frustration, stirred up the sky and sea, which caused them to fight.

Amidst their stormy battle, the sky threw rocks at the sea, which became islands that the eagle could finally rest on. After sky and sea calmed down and the islands were made, bamboo was born.

Amihan was curious about these new bamboo shoots and began pecking at one of them, causing it to split. From one of the split halves emerged Malakas, and from the other Maganda. It’s worth noting that the words malakas and maganda are gender-neutral, and so Malakas and Maganda in the story could be either gender.

Bakunawa

This myth is about the Visayan moon-eating dragon Bakunawa, often thought to be an explanation for the lunar eclipse.

Bathala, ruler and creator of the universe, created seven moons, which shone bright and beautiful and illuminated the night.

Deep within the ocean lived a massive serpent called Bakunawa. The serpent looked upon Bathala’s creations with envy, for in his cave he was surrounded by darkness.

Credit: Eve Berthelette, Artstation

Bakunawa decided to steal one of the moons. He rose from the ocean, causing the earth to quake, and swallowed the moon whole. However, to his dismay the moon melted away in his stomach.

He stole another moon, and another, but each of them would all melt away. Soon, there was only moon one left in the sky. 

As the Bakunawa began to swallow the last moon, the world became shrouded in darkness. Humans, terrified by the darkness and of losing their last moon, shouted and banged drums and made as much noise as they could. 

“Return our moon!” they screamed.

Bakunawa was scared by the noise and retreated to his cavern in the ocean. The moon returned and lit up the night sky once more.

To prevent the last of his moons from being stolen, Bathala planted bamboo on the moon. From then on humans remained vigilant, and whenever the Bakunawa would try again to steal the moon, they would shout and make noise and scare him away. 

Tambanokano

Another myth associated with the eclipse, these two stories from Mindanao tell of a colossal crab responsible for floods and the tides.

The first variation is a tale from the Mandaya people. The great crab Tambanokano was a child of the sun and moon. He is such a powerful being that lightning flashes every time he opens and closes his eyes.

Tambanokano rests in a large hole at the bottom of ocean. When he sleeps, there is high tide. When he rises, water floods in the hole and there is low tide. As he moves about, the surface of the sea churns and causes big waves.

Sometimes, when Tambanokano is angry at his mother, the moon, he tries to eat her, causing the eclipse. It’s also said that the crab is so massive that when he rises, he blocks out the moon. Just like the Bakunawa, people scare Tambanokano away by making noise.

In this Bukidnon story, Tambanokano crawls into the sea and causes a massive flood.

Credit: Anthony Kristan dela Cruz, Wix

A wise man warns the people of his village that they must build a raft. Over the next month, the people cut down many trees and tied them together, then fastened the raft to a large pole in the ground.

Shortly after they finished building the raft, the water rose. 

Tambanokano went into the sea, and because of his gargantuan size the water flooded the land. It rose as high as even the tallest mountains. 

The people and animals were safe on the raft, and the pole kept them from drifting away. After the flood, they were the only people left on Earth.

There are many more myths in the Philippines about how the world and its wonders came to be. If you found these three myths interesting and would like to hear more, let me know in the comments!

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Koda Hann is currently a student in Algonquin College’s Professional Writing Program. He loves learning about different cultures and his latest hyper-fixation is anything and everything Philippines-related (shoutout to all the Titas and Titos out there, mano po).

His dream is to be a scriptwriter for animation, and he has several ideas for compelling fantasy stories that he plans to put to screen. Two of his biggest inspirations are Avatar: The Last Airbender and How To Train Your Dragon.

He’s just a lil’ guy.

Izanagi and Izanami: Japan's Cursed Creators

The Beginning of the End

The land and the sky, the forests and the sea; the very earth we inhabit may exist only thanks to a tragic tale of divine lovers. Thus, as my final post, allow me to raise the curtain on Japan’s Izanagi and Izanami, the parent deities of the island nation.

Primordial Soup

Credit: Kobayashi Eitaku

According to the Kojiki, before there was, there was not; in the heavens above an infinite void of formlessness, various elder kami (Japan’s gods) existed in the limitless space. After seven generations, the male kami Izanagi and female kami Izanami were tasked with creating something from the ocean of chaos that surrounded them.

Gifted a jeweled spear from the elders to assist in this task, they used it to stir the sea of chaos below. The drop that fell from the spear once lifted became the first island of Japan, Onogoro. Upon that island, they built a palace they would call home, and from there, they decided to start a family. Through a marital ritual that they first fumbled twice, the two successfully created the islands of Japan and its kami.

The Embers of Tragedy

However, all was not peachy and proper for the parents of this land; whilst Izanami safely gave birth to Japan’s islands and numerous kami of nature, when she birthed the flame kami Kagutsuchi, she was fatally burnt. Izanagi tried to save her, but it was all for naught.

Many more kami were created in her death, but Izanagi didn’t care; outraged by such a tragedy befalling his wife, he took out his rage on Kagutsuchi, cutting him down. Though unnecessary blood was spilt that day, countless more kami spawned from Izanagi’s tears and his bloodied blade.

The Journey to the Worst

Izanagi mourned the loss of his love long after her passing, until, ironically, the flame in his heart was spurred; he quested to Yomi, the land of the dead and darkness, to save Izanami. Through a great many trials and tribulations, Izanagi finally arrived at the palace of the dead.

He snuck in through the back, and deep within the palace’s corridors, he finally found her. Izanami awaited him with open arms, and whilst a loving reunion was had, bad news was quick to follow; she had eaten the food of Yomi, and as such, was no longer capable of leaving.

Izanagi didn’t care, however, and pleaded that she return with him. Whilst she couldn’t comply in that moment, she had an idea: she would appeal to the kami of Yomi, asking to return to the land of the living with him. However, Izanagi would have to remain outside, and not enter the palace no matter what. He agreed, took his leave, and waited eagerly for Izanami’s return… He waited… And waited… And waited.

Soon, an entire day had passed without word from within the palace. Izanagi, worried and impatient, forsook his promise to his wife and barged back into the palace.

That would be his ultimate mistake.

Credit: Caelan Stokkermans Arts on facebook

Making a torch out of his comb’s tooth, he treaded carefully through the pitch black halls of the palace. Indeed, he found Izanami, but she was no longer the same kami that created the world with him; her body lay collapsed, her flesh rotting, swarmed with magots, and various kami of thunder had formed from her limbs. Izanagi was horrified, speechless, and beyond grief stricken.

In the face of such overwhelming horrors, he ran. In his attempt to escape, the warriors of the palace, the thunder kami from his wife’s body, and Izanagi’s decaying corpse itself pursued close behind. Pushing past his fear and limits, he escaped the palace of the dead by a hair, before fleeing Yomi and sealing it behind him with a massive boulder.

Izanami would remain there, eventually gaining the moniker “Goddess of the Dead”, whilst Izanagi would purify himself in the sea. As he did, even more kami came into existence, chief among them being the sun goddess Amaterasu, the moon god Tsukuyomi, and the sea god Susano’o…

Izanagi’s looking a little different here… credit: atlus, sega.

Thriving in the Modern Era.

This tale of creation and destruction became the legend at the center of Japan’s greater mythos, being adapted, recreated, and referenced in media all throughout the world:

• The videogame Smite, a multiplayer game featuring gods from various mythologies, included Izanami as a core character.

• The protagonist of the game Persona 4 calls on a powerful spirit to aid him in his quest into the Shadow World, with that spirit being aptly named Izanagi.

• In the hit manga and anime series Naruto, the names of Izanagi, Izanami, Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susano’o are given to godly techniques and powers used throughout the story.

The End of the End

From the creation of the world to the end of this blog and beyond, the world that the married two kami created, as well as the story they left behind, will live on to be re-experienced and retold long into the future. Thank you for reading.

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Sebastian Switzer, best known for his short story Ronin, lives in southern Ontario with his family. Sebastian began writing in 2018, specializing in suspenseful, high-fantasy fiction, and dabbling in as much mystery as he can manage; a sucker for action, his style’s never found standing still. He’s currently aiming his attention towards this very blog, where he covers myths and folklore from Japan’s storied history. Sebastian is often accompanied by his two cats, who frequently find themselves seated stoically between himself and his work.

Welcome to the Amazing World of Iroquois Mythology

PHOTO BY RON GRAHAM BECKER

The Iroquois were the most powerful tribes in North America, with their own military power that other tribes struggled to match. With this power, the Iroquois led a bloody, semi-sedentary, and prosperous life. Most Iroquois tribes lived in structures known as "longhouses," which could fit more than five families or roughly twenty-five to fifty people in a single house. Some tribes had over ten or even sixty longhouses, making one tribe a formidable force.

The Iroquois hunted and fished, but most importantly, they learned how to cultivate corn, beans and squash to sustain their growing population. They traded with other local tribes and fought anyone who trespassed on their territory or threatened their livelihood. Despite being the only military power in North America, their reign ended with the arrival of the Europeans.

The Iroquois myths and legends ranged from five (later six) different tribes that banded together to form the Haudenosaunee confederacy or "people of the longhouse" around 1400 AD, however some archaeologists estimate it could’ve been earlier. The tribes included the Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, and Kanyen'keha:ka. Later, the Tuscarora joined in the early 18th century. Although the six nations began as separate tribes. When they came together, they shared their beliefs, language, myths, and legends with one another, forming a long-lasting alliance that still exists today.

The Iroquois, also known as the Haudenosaunee people, lived in northern areas of New York, along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, and throughout the Great Lakes region. From Lake Superior to Lake Ontario, between Canada and the United States.

Today, we will look at some of the Iroquoian myths and legends that have been passed down through the centuries. Without further ado, let us drive.

CREATION STORY

aRTWORK: Sky Woman by Bruce King

According to many Iroquoian beliefs, in the beginning there were the sky people, they lived in light, harmony and could never die. A sky woman became pregnant with twins one day. When her husband discovered she was pregnant, he uprooted a giant tree in a fit of rage, leaving a massive hole in the ground. Inside the hole was another world in complete darkness with no land, only endless water. The husband threw the sky woman down to the earth and left her to drown.

At that moment, two birds were flying over the waters when they saw a bright light appear in the sky. When they saw the sky woman fall, the birds immediately flew to catch her. When they caught her, the woman remained on the birds' backs. With nowhere else to go, the birds accompanied the sky woman to meet the other spirit animals. The woman convinced the spirit animals to help her build a land but she needed a piece of the ground. Many spirits tried to dive beneath the Great Turtle and to scoop up dirt and mud at the bottom, but all failed because it was too deep. Then a Toad volunteered and went down. For a long time, the Toad did not rise, and the spirits assumed it had failed. After a long time, the Toad emerged, his mouth full of dirt and mud.

The sky woman smeared the earth on the turtle's back to create the land. When she was done, all the spirit animals rejoiced because they now had a place to live. The woman also took the dirt and threw it into the sky, forming the moon and stars. The hole in the sky became the sun. Once the earth was finished, she gave birth to two powerful twins: one loved her and everything she created, while the other despised everything, including his own mother.

Notable Iroquois mythological beings

The Twin Gods

Credit: Light vs Dark by Ronron84

The twin gods represent the forces of good and evil. Sapling, the good god, loved animals, so he created vegetation, rivers, trees, and other things to benefit and foster life.

Flint, the evil god, despised everything and created fire, earthquakes, and other natural disasters to exterminate and destroy life. Together, they created humanity to serve the earth, but Flint instilled darkness in mankind's hearts, while Sapling instilled light. The Iroquois believed this is the reason why humans are both good and bad.

The Thunder Spirits

Hinon is the leader and most powerful of the sky spirits. They take on the appearances of both humans with wings and giant birds. They rule the skies with their powerful wings, which can produce thunder. It was believed that when Hinon or the other Thunder spirits fought, lightning struck the ground. They often appear as good and fair spirits who protect the earth from certain monsters.

The three sister goddesses

The three sister spirits are agricultural goddesses who gave humanity the knowledge and power to grow crops like corn, beans, and squash. Disrespecting their gifts resulted in famine and a land cursed with infertility.

The stone coat

The stone coats are a race of giants who hailed from the coldest regions of the world. These monsters were impenetrable and incredibly strong. They were twice the size of a man and could easily kill any animal or human without mercy or thought. Some tribes believed they killed and devoured humans and would often appear during the winter. Some thought these were servants of Flint, the evil god.

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Kevin Moses is an award-winning videographer and director at the Montreal film festival in 2015, and at 26, he graduated from Algonquin College's professional writing program with the goal of becoming a published fiction writer. He recently written and published several short stories that are popular among young readers. He recently published his new novel, "Dreams of Magic," which many readers found thought-provoking, epic, entertaining, inspiring, and heartwarming.

Fooling Fools But Never Twice

From “Sun & Moon: Fairy Tales from Korea,” by Kathleen Seros, published by Hollym

Not all tricksters are created equal.

They’re found throughout all media, literature and mythology, and can range from harmless little critters that will gaslight you by moving your things around to large malicious creatures that will see you hurt. Despite the caution and the red warning signs in literature alike, people are still drawn to them—whether for their own gain or not is up to interpretation.

Dokkaebi Through Time

Like any country, Korea has different of crafty tricksters that appear in their mythology—good, bad, and indifferent. Dokkaebis, or Doggaebi, are one of plenty that appear throughout history with diverse and conflicting appearances.

Dokkaebis have origins dating back to Korea’s ancient history and share some characteristics with humans. Although descriptions paint them as small, ugly and foul much like the goblins from western mythologies than man. Dokkaebis wore colourful hanbok, however, making it easy to mistake them for children from afar. They, however, carry clubs that channeled their powers.

Furthermore, some myths say there are different types of Dokkaebi, each with their temperament and own domain. With so many kinds of Dokkaebi, this might explain why their portrayal and demeanour myths can be so polarized. Though in some later myths, Dokkaebi are seen as silly and comical that only retaliates if they get cheated in something instead of their bloodthirsty roots.

Origins

Dokkaebi are born from objects that get stained with human blood, and because of this unique birth, myths often have them as something that borders life and death—natural with the supernatural. This perception is not helped by accounts that say you can only see Dokkaebis during the dark like spirits and ghosts, but they’re corporeal like man

Interestingly, the nature of their origin is partially similar to Japan’s Tsukumogami. However, in contrast to the Dokkaebi, the tsukumogami are born from forgotten objects turning one hundred years old.

Dokkaebi in Myths

Later myths about Dokkaebi show how eager and open they are to help people and how vulnerable they are to being taken advantage off, but they have a once bitten, twice shy approach with deceit.

Like in the story of the Goblin Reservoir, the Dokkaebis helped the protagonist build a reservoir. The promise of food in exchange for help was a great motivator for them, that they finished building in one night. After receiving their promised red bean porridge and portioning it among themselves, one Dokkaebi did not get its share of food and undid its part of the work out of spite. However, ironically because of the holes that Dokkaebi left, the reservoir did not collapse when it flooded.

Another interesting myth that loosely involved Dokkaebi was the story of the Goblin Hat. Dokkaebi’s have hats called dokkaebigamtu that turns them invisible. However, it was not a Dokkaebi causing mischief, instead it was a man using the dokkaebigamtu to steal from his neighbours until he was caught and beaten up by an angry mob.

Lastly, two stories that follow a similar theme, The Goblin’s Magic Club and The Old Man with a Lump on His Neck. They both follow a man somehow outsmarting the Dokkaebi and coming out richer, and a friend or neighbour asked how that happened. This friend would then try to do the exact same thing in hopes of having good fortune themselves but met misfortune instead. The second woodcutter from The Golbin’s Magic Club got beaten up when the Dokkaebis thought it was the thief wanting to steal another club from them, and the second old man in the latter story was left two lumps on his neck after his encounter with the Dokkaebi.

This even sparked the Korean proverb: “Went to lose the lump but returned with another” similar to ‘counting your chickens before they hatched.’

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A post shared by Chris Dokebi | Artist & Toy Maker (@chris_dokebi)

Chris Dokebi’s art showing how to pronounce their username which is similar to dokkaebi

Dokkaebi in Media Now

In modern media, the portrayals of Dokkaebi varies. Some portrayals reimagine them like the creatures of myths they used to be, while others just use the moniker Dokkaebi with loose ties to the actual creatures.

The webnovel Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, have Dokkaebis as bit-sized, bloodthirsty troublemakers while in the Korean drama simply named Goblin, the entity known as goblin is more god-like than the fickle Dokkaebi. The video game Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege has a character named Dokkaebi. Chris Dokebi is an artist that creates and sells mischievous and playful figurines and art based off and named after the Dokkaebi.

Despite myths taking a step back as the world keeps moving forward, leaving the supernatural in myths, it doesn’t mean they’re completely forgotten. People adapt and so do myth.

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Rica Equibal, a Philippine-born writer and artist, started Algonquin college with the goal to find her way into publishing. She went into her Algonquin journey with from her literature degree and proofreading experience supporting her, but she’s always up to learn more to add to her knowledge and repertoire. Aside from that, she also writes fiction—with hope to turn those little scenes and moments into a full story or novel—and draws.

She writes as inspiration strikes and primarily draws digital—that is, if she's not distracted by whatever video game she has in reach.

Great King Of Ulster: Conchobar mac Ness

Many of the great kings that existed throughout history are defined as having power, wisdom, and strength. Conchobar mac Ness, the legendary king of ancient Ulster, was no stranger to such things. His life, shrouded in mystery, wasn’t an easy one, especially for a man of his status. His tale, both epic and tragic, paved way for more kings of his caliber emerge.

Mysterious Childhood

Conchobar mac Ness’s life began with unknown origins. It is wildly accepted that Conchobar was the son of Ness, but the identity of his father remained mysterious. One tale proclaimed him the son of Fachtna Fáthach, who was the High King of Ireland. While another one claims he is the son of Cathbad the chief druid. Either way, it was a confusing start to Conchobar’s life.

Not everything would be bad for the boy, however. It was prophesied by Cathbad (the possible father of Conchobar) that the boy was destined for greatness, and to rule with strength and wisdom. Such prophecies were not seen as foretelling for the future, but as divine mandates. This news gave Conchobar a sense of both duty and destiny.

Ruler of Ulster

Credit: Danaka Johnson on pintrest

Conchobar rose to power through his stepfather, Fergus mac Roich, after the king fell in love with Conchobar’s mother. Ness would convince Fergus to give up power for a year to let her son be king. The plan worked, as Conchobar became popular amongst the population for his ability to lead. This caused Fergus to lose his throne after a war with Conchobar. 

 Ulster would become a powerhouse. Conchobar, wise himself, was backed behind a strong council. He held on to the Brehon Laws that governed everything about Ireland. The political landscape of Ulster turned into one of vigilance and strategic defense. Despite this, the kingdom still found itself being a nexus broad regional conflict. But Conchobar countered this with diplomacy and marital prowess.

 Yet, the king was no stranger to conflict. He was a warrior, as most kings were, but the difference was his ability to understand strong defense and use of allies. He focused most of his policies on strengthening up the fortifications of Emain Macha, the capital of Ulster. He kept his warriors loyal through his use of grants of land and the promise of wealth.

 One of Conchobar’s famous campaigns was during the Tan Bo Cuailnge or the Cattle Raid of Cooley. Queen Medb of Connacht started the conflict after a bid to steal a prized bull named Donn Cuailnge. This conflict proved importance for the king. As his leadership and ability to inspire his warriors was fully presented. Plus, the conflict showed the true might of the Ulster army.

credit: Giacento Gaudenzi

Elite Warriors

But his biggest contribution to the military came with the creation of the Red Branch Knights. These warriors, intertwined with the royal court of Ulster, held high positions of honor. Their elite status came from their exceptional skills in combat, unwavering loyalty, and their primary role in protecting the king and realm. The duties of these high members included, defending the kingdom, execute the orders of the king, and continue the principles of honor and bravery.

Because of these honors and duties, Conchobar and his knights had a complicated relationship. Despite being a king and having power, he still needed the Red Branch Knights. The Red Branch Knights owed everything to their king, including their honor and prestige. Without the support of such warriors, Conchobar wouldn’t have had the chance to keep his power. This relationship, no matter how important, showed how much King Conchobar valued the warriors around him.

Fall of the King

Conchobar mac Ness, a life that began tragic, and ended the same. During times of battles, and gruesome rituals, Conchobar would find himself a victim. A lead ball, used in these rituals, found itself in the hands of a Connacht warrior. A treacherous chance had emerged for this warrior, most likely as an attempt to impress ladies from the opposing army. The ball slammed into the king’s skull, but he had survived. Although he was told do avoid exertion, anger, or excitement.

However, he finally met his end when he heard of Jesus. He was devastated to find Jesus was executed despite committing no crimes. In a fit of rage, he bashed his sword against several trees. Due to his weakened frame, and excessive emotions, he strained himself and took his final breath.

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Joshua Young is a professional writing student at Algonquin College. He looks to one day be a published fantasy author. He is inspired by both the Science Fiction and Fantasy genre. The books in this genre include A Song of Ice and Fire, Berserk, Dune, and the Dark Tower Series. He is a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, although he sometimes hates to admit. This is because he is afraid of getting beat up. Like any Leafs fan, he waits for them to get passed the first round of the Playoffs and win a Stanley Cup.

Cryptids of the Philippines: Diwata, Kapre, and Batibat

There are many cryptids and spirits in Philippine mythology. Most are evil and dangerous by nature, but there are some that are peaceful… unless you cross them.

Diwata

Diwata are probably the friendliest of Philippine cryptids. They are nature spirits that guard natural landmarks like mountains or forests, similar to Greek nymphs. Modern media depicts them as beautiful, ageless women, but diwata can be either male or female.

Credit: Nat Lamina, Instagram

Many people pray to diwatas for good harvests and protection from sickness. However, if humans disrespect the diwata’s domain, they will be met with curses and illnesses instead.

One of the most well-known diwata is Maria Makiling. She is the protector of Mount Makiling and an ethereally beautiful young woman wearing a white dress made of moon beams and mountain mist. Some think she is the mountain itself, which is said to resemble a sleeping woman, the peaks making up her face and breasts.

Maria Makiling is a very kind and loving spirit. Whenever the forest is ravaged by a typhoon, she will repair the destruction it made to the trees and animals. She also often gives gold and other precious materials to the poor, either in secret or because they asked for her help.

However, for as generous as she is, Maria Makiling is very territorial and protective over her land. She will curse anyone who harms and disrespects the mountain, keeping travellers lost in the forest until they right their wrongdoings.

Kapre

Credit: Abe Joncel Guevarra, Philippine Spirits

Kapre are 10 ft. tall, muscular tree-dwelling spirits. They have dark skin and mossy hair, which allows them to blend in with the trees at night and hide from humans. It’s said to have a very deep voice that resonates through the night and sometimes draws travellers to it.

Kapre love tobacco. The number one, telltale sign that a kapre is near is the scent of cigar smoke in the air. They usually spend their time sitting in the branches of their tree or at the base of it and smoking cigars.

Though their large size may make them intimidating, kapre are generally gentle creatures, happy to spend their days lazily smoking tobacco. They are guardian spirits of the forest and animals, and may even provide protection and guidance through the forest to people who respect nature.

However, if someone messes with their tree or disrespects the environment, then the kapre will retaliate. They’ll use their shape-shifting or illusion-making abilities to mislead travellers and get them lost in the forest or play pranks on them. 

Batibat

credit: Enrico Delos Reyes, Facebook

Batibat are described as very obese, ugly, old women. They’re another nature spirit that lives in trees, which they are extremely territorial over.

If someone cuts down the batibat’s tree to use as a post for their house, the spirit will be very enraged and refuse to leave what remains of their tree. She will take up residence in the human’s house, and if anyone sleeps near her post, she will give them nightmares and sleep paralysis, and sit on them until they suffocate and die.

Batibat are often credited as the cause of bangungot (meaning “nightmare”), or a disease known as Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS). The disorder mainly occurs in Southeast Asia, and mostly affects young, healthy men.

There are few ways to prevent being attacked by the batibat. Some say that you should drink a lot of water before going to sleep; others believe that you shouldn’t got to bed after eating a large meal or drinking a lot of alcohol (both potential causes of SUNDS). Some even say that you should dress up as a woman before going to bed, since batibat target mostly men.

Once you’ve been trapped by the batibat, however, the only way to escape is too either bite one of your fingers or wiggle your toes. So, in other words, good luck.

Beings like the diwata, kapre, and batibat remind us to respect nature and be careful what we take from it, lest we invoke the wrath of these territorial nature spirits.

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Koda Hann is currently a student in Algonquin College’s Professional Writing Program. He loves learning about different cultures and his latest hyper-fixation is anything and everything Philippines-related (shoutout to all the Titas and Titos out there, mano po).

His dream is to be a scriptwriter for animation, and he has several ideas for compelling fantasy stories that he plans to put to screen. Two of his biggest inspirations are Avatar: The Last Airbender and How To Train Your Dragon.

He’s just a lil’ guy.

Be My Yuki Onna: A Deep Dive into Japan's Elusive Snow Woman

Overview

The leaves tumble and the winds chill, the winter storms are nigh as November casts a chilling shadow on the fading fall. However, be wary; a final stroll through the twilight days of autumn may lead to an icy encounter with the Yuki Onna, the mystical Snow Woman of northern Japan! With skin as pale as ice, a translucent white robe, and hair like a pitch black- wait, white? White hair? But… Huh, this one ain’t so cut and dry…

Credit: Sawaki Suushi

A Primer

The Yuki Onna is a Japanese Yokai, or spirit, whose written origins date back to 1333 – 1573. Since then, tales involving the Yuki Onna have sprung up all over the place, generally in the northern, colder regions of Japan. In essence, she’s a snow spirit, though what she actually does, as well as her exact appearance, are mysteries with no concrete answers; for every story about her, there’s a wildly different depiction in tow. However, the most well-known story about her, and the one you’re likely familiar with if you’ve heard of the Yuki Onna before, comes from a writer named Lafcadio Hearn in 1905.

Hearn’s Version

credt: KWAIDAN: Stories and Studies of Strange Things, by lafcadio hearn

In Hearn’s telling, two woodcutters, a master and apprentice, end up trapped in a blizzard that forces them to take shelter in a ferryman’s cabin for the night. However, the apprentice awakes in the night to find an icy white woman leaning over his master, whilst a chilled breath flows from her mouth; the master is already dead. The woman plans to do the same to the apprentice, but stops when she notices his beautiful youth. She tells him that she’ll let him live for now, but will return to take his life should he tell a soul about that night.

The apprentice survives the rest of the storm, and the next year, he encounters a woman who’s passing through his town. After some conversation and a visit to the apprentice’s house, the woman decides to stay there, and eventually, the two are wed. They live happily and raise numerous children, but one night, a chance bit of lighting from the window behind his wife reminds the apprentice of when he saw the Yuki Onna. So, he tells her about it… Much to her dismay.

Once the words had left his lips, the wife’s expression turned from cheer to anguish. She revealed that she is the Yuki Onna from all those years back, and were it not for the children they raised together, she’d kill him just as she did his master. Instead, she vanishes into the air, never to return, and leaving the apprentice heartbroken, regretting his every word…

Folktales

Now, whilst that may be the most popular depiction of the Yuki Onna, it is far from the only one. Stories dating as far back as the 1300s paint her in a bevy of different lights; the monk Sogi wrote that, on his travels through the Echigo province, he encountered a ten-foot tall, snow-white woman standing outside his house during a blizzard. When he tried to talk to her, she simply vanished, and he later learned from some locals that what he saw was the Yuki Onna.

In Yamagata prefecture she’s known as the moon goddess, who became bored and fell to earth, but can no longer return home. Meanwhile in Aomori, Miyagi, and Nigata prefectures, she’s known as something of a “snow vampire” who feeds on the life force of travellers; the moral spectrum of the Yuki Onna is a broad one indeed…

Credit: The Pokemon Company, Gamefreak, Nintendo

Modern Media

These days, things have changed; like with many mythical monsters and legends, the Yuki Onna has been depicted and referenced in countless forms of media. In the gaming sphere, the Yuki Onna has appeared as a boss fight in Nioh, and has also served as the inspiration for Froslass, a character from the massively popular Pokémon series (pictured left). The anime Kyokou Suiri features the Yuki Onna as a key character, and she acts as an attendant to the protagonist in Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan.

Whilst her legends have existed since ancient times, the Yuki Onna’s legacy remains strong today, chilling the bodies and minds of readers and travellers alike.

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Sebastian Switzer, best known for his short story Ronin, lives in southern Ontario with his family. Sebastian began writing in 2018, specializing in suspenseful, high-fantasy fiction, and dabbling in as much mystery as he can manage; a sucker for action, his style’s never found standing still. He’s currently aiming his attention towards this very blog, where he covers myths and folklore from Japan’s storied history. Sebastian is often accompanied by his two cats, who frequently find themselves seated stoically between himself and his work.

Japan’s Three Sacred Treasures: Mythic Relics to Modern Legends

Overview

The sword Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, the mirror Yata-no-Kagami, and the jewels Yasakani-no-Magatama; these are Japan’s three royal regalia, and have been passed down from emperor to emperor over centuries! They’re known as a key part of Japan’s culture and history, but where are they from? Why do they exist? What myths surround them, and what value do they hold today? Allow me to introduce to you, Japan’s three Sacred Treasures!

The Myth

Legends (and the eighth century Kojiki, a book full of Japanese myths and traditions) say that thousands of years ago, the sun goddess Amaterasu-no-Mikoto and her brother, the god of storms and the sea, Susano’o-no-Mikoto, got in a heated conflict; Susano’o had upset the lands of Japan, got kicked out of the heavens for it, and was banished to Earth.

perhaps amaterasu was drawn out by a sight similar to this…

On the other hand, Amaterasu hid away within a cave, and in doing so, all light vanished from Japan, cloaking the land in darkness. This was, obviously, a problem, so hundreds of other gods came together to cook up a plan to get her out. They threw a grand party outside of the cave, with a long string of magatama jewels and a shining bronze mirror hung from a tree outside.

This commotion caused Amaterasu to poke her head out of the cave to investigate, and upon being told that they were celebrating due to finding a deity far superior to her, she was shown a reflection of herself within that hanging mirror. Enthralled and confused, she was stunned for just long enough for the other gods to pull her out and shut the cave behind her, returning light to the land. Now, it’s not stated anywhere, but I’d like to believe that Amaterasu got to enjoy the party for herself, at least a little bit, before it wrapped up.

Perhaps susano’o got kicked out of the heavens for pulling stunts like this… (credit to hokusai, the painter of this piece)

Meanwhile, Susano’o wandered the lands of Japan following his divine expulsion and happened across a weeping elderly couple with their lone daughter. They told him that an eight-headed and eight-tailed serpent was praying on their family, so with some cunning strategy involving getting the serpent drunk before slicing off its heads, Susano’o managed to fell the beast. After doing so, he went to cut off the monster’s tails, but found his blade shattered. After investigating, he found an impeccable blade lying within the tails and claimed it as his own. However, he soon chose to offer it to Amaterasu as repentance for his earlier misdeeds.

The Passing of the Treasures

Beyond that, it is said that Amaterasu later gifted the blade, mirror, and the string of magatama jewels to her grandson, Ninigi-no-Mikoto. It is believed that the three treasures represent the three virtues that are considered key to ruling over the land: The sword represents valour, the mirror represents wisdom, and the jewels represent benevolence. Ninigi was sent down to Earth to end the wars in Japan, with the three treasures in hand, bringing peace to the nation. Ninigi is said to be the great-grandfather of Japan’s first emperor, Jimmu, from whom the current emperor is directly descended. To this day, the three sacred treasures have been passed down from emperor to emperor, used to seal one’s ascension to the throne beyond any doubt. Whilst the treasures themselves are kept hidden from all but the current emperor and select priests, their influence and cultural weight remain as prominent as ever.

Their Appearances in Pop Culture

That influence even stretches beyond the confines of the emperor’s lineage, as modern pop culture has adopted and interpreted the sacred treasures in numerous different ways over the years. For example, a blade sharing the name Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi appears in the anime and manga Naruto, the character Kizaru from the anime and manga One Piece has a fighting technique named after Yata-no-Kagami, and numerous depictions of sacred magatama have appeared across media, from the Secret Stones in adventure game The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom to the psyche-lock busting Magatama in the mystery games of the Ace Attorney franchise.

The three sacred treasures play an enormous role in Japan’s history, mythology, and culture, and that impact continues into the modern day as more and more stories adapt the mythic items for a modern audience. Even if the real regalia never see the light of day again, their story will shine on far into the future.

Sources used

·         Takenaka, Kiyoshi. “Factbox: Japan’s ‘Three Sacred Treasures’ Symbolise Emperor’s Legitimacy | Reuters.” Reuters, 26 Apr. 2019, www.reuters.com/article/world/factbox-japans-three-sacred-treasures-symbolise-emperors-legitimacy-idUSKCN1S303I/.

·         Charney, Noah. “Lost Art: The Mysterious Allure of Japan’s Three Sacred Treasures.” The Art Newspaper - International Art News and Events, The Art Newspaper - International art news and events, 15 July 2019, www.theartnewspaper.com/2019/07/15/lost-art-the-mysterious-allure-of-japans-three-sacred-treasures.

·         Holland, Oscar. “Japan’s Ancient and Mysterious Royal Regalia.” CNN, Cable News Network, 21 Oct. 2019, www.cnn.com/style/article/japan-enthronement-royal-regalia/index.html.

·         “Sanshu No Shinki.” Hubert Herald, www.hubert-herald.nl/NihonSanshunoShinki.htm. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.

·         Doug. “The Three Sacred Treasures of Japan.” Gleanings in Buddha-Fields, 10 Mar. 2024, nembutsu.cc/2024/03/10/the-three-sacred-treasures-of-japan/.

·         Martin, Paul. “Ushering in the Reiwa Era: The Importance of the Three Sacred Treasures.” JAPAN Forward, 30 Apr. 2019, japan-forward.com/ushering-in-the-reiwa-era-the-importance-of-the-three-sacred-treasures/.

·         Philippi, Donald L., and 安万侶(-723). Kojiki; Translated with an Introduction and Notes by Donald L. Philippi. University of Tokyo Press, 1968.

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Sebastian Switzer, best known for his short story Ronin, lives in southern Ontario with his family. Sebastian began writing in 2018, specializing in suspenseful, high-fantasy fiction, and dabbling in as much mystery as he can manage; a sucker for action, his style’s never found standing still. He’s currently aiming his attention towards this very blog, where he covers myths and folklore from Japan’s storied history. Sebastian is often accompanied by his two cats, who frequently find themselves seated stoically between himself and his work.

Welcome Wondering Spirits to Algonquin Mythology

Native american wolf art by bob crawford

Welcome to the mythology of Canada's Indigenous peoples. Here, we will explore the rich and wonderful indigenous stories that have been passed down through generations. So, sit back and relax.

Indigenous mythology varies greatly between tribes in America. Each tribe had their own stories, beliefs, and myths that explained how they viewed the world around them. Many oral stories were passed down through generations before colonialism, when the indigenous population still owned the majority of the land. Stories about good and bad spirits, stories of legendary warriors, and hunters were common.

Indigenous people's stories were more than just tales; they contained insights, warnings, dangers, knowledge, and wisdom. The Old Americas was a dangerous world, populated by large beasts, and the once mighty and revered ‘Thunderbird’, which could swoop down and carry a full-grown person away. Or packs of large wolves that are heavier than two-men roaming the land. The indigenous people also had to contend with natural elements such as wind, rain, snow, and heat. Without any modern gadgets, shelter or weapons. It would appear that life would be unbearable at this time, but these stories were passed down by the people, indicating that they were more than just entertainment; they were a way of life.

Without further ado, let's dive into mythology. We'll start with "the Algonquin people," one of Canada's largest indigenous tribes. They lived in New York, Ottawa, Nova Scotia, British Colombia, and all along northern part of Canada.

Algonquin Deities and Monsters:

The Creator

Kitchi Manitou, Gitche Manitou or Chemantou: Kitchi Mantou is the great spirit responsible for the creation of the universe. It is said that he created the sun, earth, water, and sky. Then he filled the newly created universe with all kinds of spirits, both good and evil. Kitchi Manitou is the god of harmony and life. It is believed that when the creator sleeps, the entire world goes dark, and when he wakes up, the sun rises.

Creator Myths

In the beginning, there was only the Creator. While the universe had nothing, the creator became bored and sparked his own creation, the sun. The sun drove away all darkness, but that wasn't enough; he went on to create other things such as the world, stars, water, clouds, and spirits. When the world was young, there was no land or ground for the spirits to roam because the earth was still all water. The creator commanded the great turtle "Tolba" to emerge from the ocean. The creator saw the vast land on the turtle's back and told the spirits, "Here is your home". At that point, the earth was in chaos, with no balance. Then The creator commanded that all spirits play a role in order for the world to remain balanced.

However, some stories from other Algonquin tribes suggest that the creator was angry with the spirits because they were erratic, wicked, and ungrateful for the life they were given. So the creator drowned the entire world and started again.

Great Turtle Island

Tolba: One of the largest and most powerful spirits that still remains on the Earth. The Algonquin and Iroquois people have long believed that a large turtle lives beneath the land and carries the land (continent) above seas on its back; it is an icon of life and a savior for all living animals. It was believed that the ground we walk on is actually the back of a turtle.

Turtle myths

Tolba is an incredibly wise and loving giant. However, the other spirits did not appreciate his help, love and treated him cruelly. Unable to tolerate the abuse, the Turtle submerged itself to drown out the negativity of the other spirits. For a while, spirits swam on open water with no land in sight, and many died until 'Michabo', the great rabbit, and her lover the Muskrat devised a plan to create their own land. The muskrat dove deep into the water, gathered dirt, rocks, and other matter, and concentrated it on the turtle's back, successfully recreating the land over time.

winter wendigo by chrislab 2024

The Man-Eater

Wendigo or Windigo: It is often depicted as an immortal winter monster who hunts and stalks any animal to devour, especially humans. It was thought to be a cursed spirit that can possess any body (including animals) and once an animal or human is cursed, they show signs of insatiable hunger for flesh and blood. Indigenous people believed that if a man eats another man, even if it is for survival, he will be cursed with the Wendigo and will become animalistic and constantly hungry. 

Wendigo myths

Myths about the Wendigo have existed since time immemorial. The legends and myths surrounding this terrifying monster differ greatly between tribes, but one thing remains consistent: it is a monster with a voracious appetite. The wendigo represents the dark side of humanity, including murder, hatred, rage, and cannibalism. He also represents greed, as he can eat and eat without ever being satisfied. The wendigo legend has three recurring themes: cannibalism, starvation, and insanity. It was believed that whoever eats another human would be cursed with the wendigo, and that anyone with too much greed in their hearts would summon the wendigo. Wendigo is often associated with winter because in Ojibwe, his name means "the winter cannibal monster."

Other notable deities:

The Great Hare

Michabo: A shape-shifting deity, the hero-god of humanity and the creator of the land. It was thought that he created humankind by mating with a muskrat and he saved the rest of the spirits from death. He is the perfect combination of deity; his grandmother is the moon goddess, his mother is the sun goddess, and his father is the West Wind spirit, the father of all wind spirits. Michabo is often depicted as a cosmic rabbit, representing strength, courage, and great wisdom.

The Four-Wind Spirits

Wabun or Kabun: The east wind spirit, the youngest and most unpredictable of the four. It is depicted as a beautiful golden eagle.

Shawnodese: The south wind spirit is the laziest and relaxed of the four spirits. It is depicted as the (now-extinct) mountain lion or cougar.

Mudjeekeewis: The west wind spirit is the father of all wind spirits, and he is depicted as a bear.

Kabibonnokka: The north wind spirit, is the oldest sibling of the east and south wind spirits, also he’s one of the most powerful of the four wind spirits. He is depicted as large Buffalo.

The Four Wind Spirits' roles include changing the weather and moving and spreading energy across the land. They assist the creator by giving life to barren areas. They provide light, rain, and protection from the sun's powerful rays.

REFERENCES

Black, Meredith Jean. "Algonquin." The Canadian Encyclopedia (2024). 16 October 2024. <https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/algonquin>.

Huffman, Carla. "Michabo The Great Hare." myth symbols sandplay (2017). 16 October 2024. <https://mythsymbolsandplay.typepad.com/my-blog/2017/03/michabo-the-great-hare.html>.

Justo. "Unveiling the Rich History of Algonquin Indian Tribes: Exploring their Culture and Traditions." Native tribe Infro (2023). 16 October 2024. <https://nativetribe.info/unveiling-the-rich-history-of-algonquin-indian-tribes-exploring-their-culture-and-traditions/>.

Laura Redish, Director. "Algonquin Legends, Myths, and Stories (Algonkin)." (2020). 16 October 2024. <https://www.native-languages.org/algonquin-legends.htm>.

Leland, Charles G. "The Algonquin Legends of New England." scared-texts (1884). 16 October 2024. <https://sacred-texts.com/nam/ne/al/al05.htm>.

O'Neal, Shannon Leigh. "Algonquin American Indian Tribe Beliefs." The Classrom (2019). <https://www.theclassroom.com/algonquin-american-indian-tribe-beliefs-7457.html>.

Sutherland, A. "Michabo (Michabou) – Algonquins’ Great Spirit With Power Over The Earth." ancientpages.com (2024). 16 October 2024. <https://www.ancientpages.com/2024/08/06/michabo-algonquins-great-spirit-with/>.

The Enlightenment Journey. "The Legend of the Wendigo: A Terrifying Folklore." (2024). 16 October 2024. <https://theenlightenmentjourney.com/the-legend-of-the-wendigo-a-terrifying-folklore/>.

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Kevin Moses is an award-winning videographer and director at the Montreal film festival in 2016, and at 26, he graduated from Algonquin College's professional writing program with the goal of becoming a published fiction writer. He has written and published several short stories that are popular among young readers. He recently published his new novel, "Dreams of Magic," which many readers found thought-provoking, epic, entertaining, inspiring, and heartwarming.

Tricky Trekking Tail-Wagging Fox Spirits

Asia is such a large continent made up of numerous countries, all diverse and connected not only by stretches of land and seas, but by history, people, and trade. Each one teeming with stories and myths, because of this, many Asian cultures share or have similar myths, spirits and creatures in their mythologies and would make direct mention of other countries in their retelling.

A common mythological figure that appears across cultures would be fox spirits. They appear across many Asian cultures and are known by different names. Some of the most well-known fox spirits type are the kitsune of Japan, huli jing or hu li jing of China and the gumiho of Korea. What is interesting about the gumiho is that they are often portrayed as malevolent spirits in contrast to the kind and helpful kitsune and huli jing.

Despite Korean myths giving various deities and spirits roles to play depending on the myth, and details can change depending on the island and region as well, the gumiho being an evil being is a persistent image. The gumiho, alternatively called kumiho, are often portrayed in ancient myths as a nine-tailed fox that has lived for over hundreds of years. They gain a tail for every hundred years they live and can shape-shift their form.

Pretty Faces, Bloody Kisses

Gumiho can take the appearance of a young, beautiful maiden or man to disarm and lure people so that they can kill and consume their heart or their liver as it’s believed that is where the soul is stored or kiss them to steal their lifeforce after placing a marble in the recipient’s mouth. A gumiho’s reason for luring people can vary. In some myths, a gumiho needs to kiss 100 men or consume their liver to become human. She can also simply want to sate her hunger.

Night Walks

There are stories of travelers encountering a woman with a lantern at the dead of night. She offers to help guide them, but something about the woman is uncanny. It could be the appearance of fox ears at the top of her head, her nose too sharp that it’s almost a snout or even fur of her tails sticking out from under the hem of her clothes. These inconsistencies are a result of the gumiho not being used to maintaining the illusion of a human form.

Fox Doubles

When a gumiho can hold their disguise well, they can easily replace their initial victim. It happened to parents that wanted a daughter badly after having son after son. They finally got their daughter and years later, their livestock were being killed. The father tasked his sons to keep watch, one by one. They all reported the same thing, their sister came out at night, oiling her hands before taking the cow’s heart, but their father was in denial and banished his sons.

A Marvel of a Marble

The ‘yeowoo guseul’ or their fox marble where their knowledge and power are stored. The gumiho charms their victims so they can put the marble into their mouth and absorb their energy, but if someone manages to swallow this marble before the gumiho can take it back, they can attain the gumiho’s knowledge.

In numerous versions of this myth, a young man often encounters the gumiho before consulting his teacher who advise him if the gumiho appears again, swallow their ‘yeowoo guseul’ and look to the sky to gain the knowledge of the heavens. But throughout different versions, the young man always fails to attain the knowledge of the heavens, almost giving the impression that man is not meant to have the knowledge of the heavens.

The Evil Image

The gumiho’s negative reputation persists in modern South Korea’s consciousness, but it is slowly changing into a more neutral and nuanced image. It’s interesting that the sentiment has persisted in modern times, and even modern media and popular culture still portray the gumiho negatively. One person suggested the reason for the negative image of the gumiho in Korean society was due to the Japanese occupation and the effect it left on people, though the situation is likely to be more nuanced than that.

Regardless, the gumiho, hated or loved, still has its place in the South Korean landscape. Still milling among the common folk in the streets like they always have.

Sources:

Kim, Tae-Woo, et al. “Fox Marble.” Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore and Traditional Culture, vol. 3, The National Folk Museum of Korea, Samcheong-Ro, Jongno-Gu, 2014, pp. 292–294.

Kim, Tae-Woo, et al. “Three-Legged Dog.” Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore and Traditional Culture, vol. 3, The National Folk Museum of Korea, Samcheong-Ro, Jongno-Gu, 2014, pp. 212–213.

“Nine Tails.” Tales of Korea, koreanmythtales.weebly.com/nine-tails.html. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.

Phanich, Pallavi. “Asian Folklore: The Tails of the Kumiho.” Asian Youth Act, Asian Youth Act, 2 Feb. 2021, asianyouthact.org/2021/02/02/asian-folklore-the-tails-of-the-kumiho/.  

Won-Oh Choi. An Illustrated Guide to Korean Mythology. Brill, 2008. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=389372&site=ehost-live&scope=sit

Note: one of the online references has formatting issues, I recommend to open in read view.

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Rica Equibal, a Philippine-born writer and artist, started Algonquin college with the goal to find her way into publishing. She went into her Algonquin journey with from her literature degree and proofreading experience supporting her, but she’s always up to learn more to add to her knowledge and repertoire. Aside from that, she also writes fiction—with hope to turn those little scenes and moments into a full story or novel—and draws.

She writes as inspiration strikes and primarily draws digital—that is, if she's not distracted by whatever video game she has in reach.

Cryptids of the Philippines: Tikbalang, Nuno sa Punso, and Aswang

The Philippines is a collection of thousands of wonderfully unique islands, home to diverse flora and fauna, rich culture and cuisine, quaint rural villages and bustling urban cities… and a myriad of malevolent, yet fascinating supernatural beings. Today, I will explore three of the Philippines’ most popular cryptids.

Tikbalang

The tikbalang is a fearsome spirit, with the torso and arms of a human, and the head and feet of a horse. The creature is tall and thin, and its limbs are abnormally long, with legs resembling those of a locust.

Credit: Jacob Blackman (ProdigyDuck), Deviantart

Tikbalang usually appears at night, seeking to mislead travelers in the forest by playing tricks on them. It can make itself invisible or transform into people that you know and trust to lead you astray. Many believe the only way to break free from the spirit’s illusions and escape the forest is to turn your clothes inside-out.

There is a way to beat and tame the tikbalang; however, it’s no easy task. You must jump onto the creature’s back and restrain it with a special rope. Then, you hold on for dear life. You must stay on the tikbalang’s back and keep it tied until it tires out. Once it’s exhausted, you take one of three golden hairs from its mane. It’s said that whoever has this golden hair can control the tikbalang.

There is contention about the origins of tikbalang in the Philippines, since horses are not native to the islands. Most theorize that it came after Spanish colonials arrived in 1521, since they introduced horses when they colonized the islands. Others think it may have either been influenced by the Hindu deity Hayagriva, who is a horse-headed avatar of the god Vishnu, or from Chinese merchants, who rode horses on land when they traveled to the Philippines.

Nuno sa Punso

The term nuno sa punso translates to “ancestor from the anthill”. It’s a small earth spirit, depicted as a little old man, that lives under anthills. The nuno is said to be as tall as a three-year-old, have a long, white beard, and wear a conical, wide-brimmed hat made from reeds called a salakot.

credit: Gabe Fua (gabefuadraws), Instagram

Nuno is a grumpy little creature though, as old men often are, and he will curse those who trespass on his territory or disturb him. Parents advise their children not to play outside too late, and to avoid playing around anthills that might have a nuno in them. It’s best not to be too noisy in the nuno’s neighborhood.

You may also upset the nuno by stepping on his anthill, cutting down trees in his territory, or peeing on his home.

The nuno will curse offenders with various ailments, such as a high fever, dizziness, sores on the feet that make it hard to walk, or swollen genitals (for peeing on the anthill).

Those cursed must seek aid from an albularyo, a traditional folk healer, who usually advises the victim to give an offering to the nuno. Some common offerings include boiled chicken, rice, an animal sacrifice (typically a white chicken), fruit, and coconut wine.

The best way to avoid nuno sa punso’s wrath is to say the phrase “tabi tabi po” (please step aside) whenever you walk by an anthill or the nuno’s territory, which is a way of warning him that you’re passing through and to ask for his pardon.

Aswang

Credit: Tobet Lacuarta, Artstation

There are many different Philippine mythological creatures that fall under the term aswang. The most popular depiction in modern media is a blood-sucking, predatory monster similar to vampires in Western mythology. They can shape-shift into any form, most commonly of a beautiful young woman with long dark hair. Other aswang transform into animals, often dogs or pigs.

The aswang feeds on human flesh, with a preference for blood and the liver. It’s said to have a long, flexible, proboscis-like tongue that they use to drain their victims’ blood. It usually preys on pregnant women and their unborn fetuses, but also eats children and sick people.

The aswang often uses its shape-shifting ability to infiltrate human villages and pretend to be just another human (or, for the other shape-shifting varieties, a normal animal). Then, at night, it takes the opportunity to strike. The aswang lures its victims out, often with a strange sound like a tick tick tick, pretending to get quieter as it nears closer to lull the victim into a false sense of security.

And with that, we reach the end. Which of these cryptids has peaked your curiosity the most?

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Koda Hann is currently a student in Algonquin College’s Professional Writing Program. He loves learning about different cultures and his latest hyper-fixation is anything and everything Philippines-related (shoutout to all the Titas and Titos out there, mano po).

His dream is to be a scriptwriter for animation, and he has several ideas for compelling fantasy stories that he plans to put to screen. Two of his biggest inspirations are Avatar: The Last Airbender and How To Train Your Dragon.

He’s just a lil’ guy.

Legendary Irish Heroes: Fergus mac Roich

Over the course of Irish mythology, there have been many different legendary heroes and kings. And Ireland is no stranger to these kinds of myths. One of these such heroes is a man named Fergus mac Roich. A king of legend that spread across the Irish Celt landscape. His story is still remembered today, for both his achievements and downfall.

Fergus Mac ROICH: ILLUSTRATED BY gEORGE dANHAM

Fergus mac Roich was the warrior king of a legendary kingdom called Ulster. His sword that was called Caladbolg, was a sword of great power. But his early mentions in the myths are characterized by his powerful sexual desire. It is referred that he had huge genitalia. It was written that it required a total of seven women to satisfy the man. His lust was seen as a major flaw with the man, and his only one.

His lust soon got the better of this man, as it was bound to do. He falls in love with a woman named Ness and takes her as a sexual partner.

Unbeknownst to the king, this woman that he desired, would be his downfall. Ness already had a son named Conchobar. She convinced the powerful and lustful man to make her son a king for a year. But the woman had a plan, she conspired with the nobles to prevent Fergus from entering the city. He had been driven out of his own kingdom by his wife and her treacherous son.

He had now lost his kingdom. He encourages the sons of Usinech, Noise, Adran, and Ainnle to return with Deirdre from Scotland. He did this because Conchobar desired her. In response to this action, Conchobar murdered her sons and took Deirdre for himself. Fergus goes to his old residence of Emain Macha and burns it to the ground. Now, he is in full rebellion mood. He departs for Cruachain and allies himself with Mebd and her husband Ailill of Connacht. Fergus and his new allies are reluctant to fight, however, and leave enough time for the Ulstermen to prepare for battle.

Caladbolg: Courtesy of the sword library

Now in a desire situation, the two armies meet in battle. Fergus shows off his skills against his enemies. He uses his sword Caladbolg to slay hundreds of soldiers, all while looking for his wife’s son. Nothing could have stopped this vengeful king from achieving his goals. But unfortunately for this bloodlust ridden man, he would have no such chance. He was prevented from killing his stepson, not by his own choice, but by the choice of the son of Conchobar. Cormac Connloinges stopped his grandfather from killing his father.

And as a result, the former king, was defeated. Furious, he was said to have used Caladbolg to cut down the tops of three mountains.

The man was broken by his son, and there was nowhere left to turn. He was now set to live his life as a poor man with nothing to show for his achievements. But something would change for the former king, he would once again find love.

And that was in the form of Mebd. Fergus would one day go down to a lake where Mebd went with him, unable to control herself, she joined this man in the lake. She put her head on his breast and entwined her legs around him. This, of course, made her husband, Ailill jealous. A household comrade of Ailill’s named Lugaid Dalléces, who Ailill considered a brother, rode down to the lake on a chariot with a lance. It was said that he never missed. He threw the lance at the once king, and it went through his back.

Fergus climbed out of the lake onto the hill and straightened himself. His soul soon passed out of him, and thus ended the life of a king, who once had it all.

Sources:

Oxford Reference, “Fergus mac Roich.”

Kuno, Meyer, “The Death of Fergus mac Roich.”

Elva, Johnston, “Fergus.”

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Joshua Young is a professional writing student at Algonquin College. He looks to one day be a published fantasy author. He is inspired by both the Science Fiction and Fantasy genre. The books in this genre include A Song of Ice and Fire, Berserk, Dune, and the Dark Tower Series. He is a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, although he sometimes hates to admit. This is because he is afraid of getting beat up. Like any Leafs fan, he waits for them to get passed the first round of the Playoffs and win a Stanley Cup.

Introduction

From the scrolls of history to the screens of today, we introduce you to myths and legends from all corners of the earth! Featuring stories and lessons ranging from Japanese to Mexican, Irish to Indigenous, prepare to delve into a variety of tales in one historic hub. Explore culture and mythology right here, with Legends Across the World.