18 Spooky Native American Monsters That Will Keep You Awake At Night

18. The Underwater Panthers lived in the Great Lakes and could control the waters of their domains

The Mishibizhiw (also known as the Underwater Panther or Great Lynx) is a legendary creature belonging to the mythologies of native inhabitants of the Great Lakes region of North America. A monster from the underworld the panther resides in creeks and rivers, hiding in wait to drown unsuspecting prey. Described by the Sioux as possessing a body shaped like a buffalo, albeit with paws allowing for rapid swimming, the Mishibizhiw has just one eye, horns – either a single horn in the center of its forehead, or a pair – dorsal fins, a spiked tail, and is covered in scales; because of the latter characteristics, it has been speculated that the Mishibizhiw is in fact derived from a prehistoric stegosaurus.

Feared by the Ojibwa as the cause of waves, whirlpools, and rapids, it was considered within tribal folklore that each lake might be inhabited by its own Mishibizhiw who controlled its conditions. Despite being mortal enemies of the Thunderbirds some native communities revered the creatures as symbols of great power and hunting prowess, whilst at least one tribe fearlessly employed Mishibizhiw as part of a children’s game similar to “tag”. According to an ancient Chippewa tale, the Mishibizhiw lived on an island of mud situated between two lakeside villages. Avoided by locals for fear of an evil spirit, two girls crossing one day encountered the monster. Cutting off the beast’s tail with an oar, the severed limb transformed into a solid piece of copper and became a talisman for good luck in fishing and hunting for their tribe.

Where did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:

The Mythology of All Races, Vol. Ten: North American, Hartley Burr Alexander, Marshall Jones (1916)

Legends, Traditions and Laws, of the Iroquois, Or Six Nations, and History of the Toscarora Indians, Elias Johnson, Union Print and Publishing Co. (1881)

The Legends of the Iroquois, William Walker Canfield, A. Wessels Co. (1904)

American Indian Myths and Legends, Richard Erdoes, Pantheon (1984)

An Introduction to the American Indian, Paul Pettennude (1996)

Indian Legends from the Northern Rockies, Ella Elizabeth Clark, University of Oklahoma Press (1998)

“‘Lake creature saves tot’s life’: Flathead monster stories go back more than a century”, Vince Devlin, The Missoulian (2018)

Montana Myths and Legends: The True Stories behind History’s Mysteries, Edward Lawrence, Rowman & Littlefield (2016).

Oral Literature of the Indian Peoples of the Inland Northwest, Tom Yellowtail, University of Oklahoma Press (1999)

Handbook of Mesoamerican Mythology, Kay Almere Read and Jason Gonzalez, Oxford University Press (2000)

In Search of Ogopogo, Arlene Gaal, Hancock House (2001)