Underwater panther

An underwater panther (Ojibwe: Mishipeshu (syllabic: ᒥᔑᐯᔓ) or Mishibijiw (ᒥᔑᐱᒋᐤ) [mɪʃʃɪbɪʑɪw]), is one of the most important of several mythical water beings among many Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands and Great Lakes region, particularly among the Anishinaabe.

Mishipeshu translates into "the Great Lynx". It has the head and paws of a giant cat but is covered in scales and has dagger-like spikes running along its back and tail. Mishipeshu calls Michipicoten Island in Lake Superior his home and is a powerful creature in the mythological traditions of some Indigenous North American tribes, particularly Anishinaabe, the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Potawatomi, of the Great Lakes region of Canada and the United States.^[1]^[2] In addition to the Anishinaabeg, Innu also have Mishibizhiw stories.^[3]

To the Algonquins, the underwater panther was the most powerful underworld being. The Ojibwe traditionally held them to be masters of all water creatures, including snakes. Some versions of the Nanabozho creation legend refers to whole communities of water lynx.^[4]

Some archaeologists believe that underwater panthers were major components of the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex of the Mississippian culture in the prehistoric American Southeast.^[5]^[6]

^ Cite error: The named reference conway was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Kohl, Johann (1859). Kitchi-Gami: Life Among the Lake Superior Ojibway. ISBN 0-87351-172-7. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^ Barnes, Michael. "Aboriginal Artifacts". Final Report — 1997 Archaeological Excavations La Vase Heritage Project. City of North Bay, Ontario. Archived from the original on 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
^ Bolgiano, Chris (August 1995). "Native Americans and American Lions". Mountain Lion: An Unnatural History of Pumas and People. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0-8117-1044-0.
^ Townsend, Richard F. (2004). Hero, Hawk, and Open Hand. Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-10601-7.
^ Reilly, F. Kent; Garber, James; Steponaitis, Vincas P., foreword (2004). Ancient Objects and Sacred Realms. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. pp. 29–34. ISBN 978-0-292-71347-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[conway-1] Cite error: The named reference conway was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Kohl-2] Kohl, Johann (1859). Kitchi-Gami: Life Among the Lake Superior Ojibway. ISBN 0-87351-172-7. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)

[Barnes-3] Barnes, Michael. "Aboriginal Artifacts". Final Report — 1997 Archaeological Excavations La Vase Heritage Project. City of North Bay, Ontario. Archived from the original on 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2008-10-05.

[Bolgiano-4] Bolgiano, Chris (August 1995). "Native Americans and American Lions". Mountain Lion: An Unnatural History of Pumas and People. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0-8117-1044-0.

[5] Townsend, Richard F. (2004). Hero, Hawk, and Open Hand. Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-10601-7.

[6] Reilly, F. Kent; Garber, James; Steponaitis, Vincas P., foreword (2004). Ancient Objects and Sacred Realms. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. pp. 29–34. ISBN 978-0-292-71347-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

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