Little people (mythology)
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Little people have been part of the folklore of many cultures in human history, including Ireland, Greece,the Philippines, the Hawaiian Islands, Flores Island, Indonesia, and Native Americans.
The Native peoples of North America told legends of a race of "little people" who lived in the woods near sandy hills and sometimes near rocks located along large bodies of water, such as the Great Lakes. Often described as "hairy-faced dwarfs" in stories, petroglyphs illustrations show them with horns on their head and travelling in a group of 5 to 7 per canoe.[1]
Native Legends often talk of the little people playing pranks on people such as singing and then hiding when an inquisitive person searches for the music. It is often said that the little people love children and would take them away from bad/abusive parents or if the child was without parents and left in the woods to fend for themselves.
Other legends say the little people if seen by an adult human would beg them not to say anything of their existence and would reward those who kept their word by helping them and their family out in times of need. From tribe to tribe there are variations of what the little people's mannerisms were like, and whether they were good or evil may be different. Many of the Elders still have a belief in these beings, but younger generations tend not to believe in these stories.
One of the common beliefs is that the little people create distractions to cause mischief. They were believed to be gods by some. One North American Native Tribe believed that they lived in nearby caves.[citation needed] The caves were never entered for fear of disturbing the little people.
[edit] Native American Little People
- Nimerigar- Shoshone
- Yumwi - Cherokee
- Nunnupi - Comanche
- Geow-lud-mo-sis-ing
- Menehune - Hawaiian native
- Memegwesi/Memegawensi/Memengweshii/Pa'iins - Anishinaabe names[2]
- Mannegishi - Cree
[edit] Evidence
Pygmy skeletons have been found all over the world, and are often claimed to be evidence of little people lore being true. The real life Pygmies of Africa were once thought to be a subhuman species complete with tail and feline face[citation needed]. Mummies of little people were often faked in the early 20th Century with pieces of shrunken fruit. The possible exception, Wyoming's Pedro Mountains Mummy, possessed a genuine human skeleton, but has been lost. Some suggest an anencephalic infant.
Prime evidence can be found in the existence of Muna Abdel-Hadi.
[edit] Native American Folklore
The North American version of fairies are actually called the "little people" and reside in the Pryor Mountains of Montana & Wyoming. The Pryors are famous for their "fairy rings" and strange happenings that suggest little people still exist and make their home there. Some members of the Crow Tribe consider the little people to be sacred ancestors and require leaving an offering for them upon entry to the area. [3]
[edit] Types of Little People in Mythology
- Faeries
- Brownies / Tomte / Tonttu / Domovoi / Kobolds
- Alfar / Dwarves
- Gnomes
- Nimerigar
- Goblins / Gremlins
- Leprechauns
- Pixies
[edit] Types of Little People in Fiction
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Furtman, Michael. 2000. Magic on the Rocks. Birch Portage Press.
- ^ Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary
- ^ Cheung, Theresa. 2006. The Element Encyclopedia of the Psychic World. Harper Element.
