Flying Head facts for kids
 Flying head by Jesse Cornplanter
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| Grouping | Legendary creature |
|---|---|
| Sub grouping | Spirit Monster |
| Other name(s) | Big Head Mohawk: Kanontsistóntie's Onondaga: Ganoñ’waeñ•dye’s Kunenhrayenhnenh Kwennenhrayenhnen Konearaunehneh Unenhrayenhnenh Ko-nea-rau-neh-neh Ro-nea-rau-yeh-ne Seneca: Takwánö'ë:yët |
| Country | New York, United States |
The Flying Head is a scary spirit from the old stories of the Iroquois and Wyandot peoples. It's also known as Big Head or the Great Head. This creature is famous in Native American legends, especially in the New York state area.
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What is a Flying Head?
According to both Iroquois and Wyandot legends, Flying Heads are spirits that are always super hungry. They can never get enough to eat!
Appearance of the Flying Head
A Flying Head usually looks like a giant human head. It has long, dark hair and "terrible eyes." Its mouth is very big and filled with super sharp fangs.
Some stories say the Flying Head has bat wings on its cheeks. Other stories say it has bird wings. It might also have bird-like talons. No matter the version, these creatures are always bigger than the tallest person. Their skin is also super tough, so no weapon can hurt them.
The Legend of the Flying Head
Old stories say the Flying Head scared away the first people who lived near the Hudson River in New York. This was in the Adirondack Mountains, long before Europeans came.
The Cursed Village Hill
A Mohawk guide named Capt. Gill said the legend happened at Sacandaga Lake. The tribe lived on a hill that is now behind the Hamilton County buildings. No one remembers the tribe's name. The legend of the Flying Head made other tribes stay away for many years.
The hill where the village was is thought to be cursed. Three different hotels were built there. All three burned down mysteriously after a short time.
How the Flying Head Began
One story tells how the Flying Head came to be. There was a very cold winter. Plants died, and animals like moose and deer left the area. The tribe's hunters couldn't find food. Even fishing failed. People began to starve.
A Difficult Decision
Younger people in the tribe wanted to leave. They wanted to find new hunting grounds far to the west. But the older people disagreed. They said leaving their homeland was a bad idea. They believed the famine was a test from the Master of Life. They felt that if they stayed and faced the challenge, it would pass. They said running away would only bring more trouble. The old men said they would rather die on their own land than live well somewhere else.
The Monster's Creation
The younger people became very angry. They decided to offer the bodies of the old men to the Master of Life. They agreed to sink the heads into the lake. When they did, bubbles and slime appeared on the water. This signaled the arrival of a terrible monster: a giant head with wings. The legend says the tribe could never escape this creature.
Other Flying Head Stories
Many Iroquois people were supposedly bothered by the Flying Head. When it rested on the ground, it was taller than a man. It had thick black hair, bat-like wings, and sharp talons.
The Woman and the Acorns
One evening, after being troubled by the Flying Head for a long time, it came to a lodge. A woman was inside, sitting by the fire. She was roasting acorns. As they cooked, she took them from the fire and ate them. The Flying Head saw her eating the hot acorns. It thought she was eating live coals! Terrified by her power, the Flying Head left and never bothered the people again.
Another version of this story says the Flying Head stole hot coals from the woman. It thought they were acorns and tried to eat them. Of course, this was very painful! The Flying Head fled in agony and was never seen again.
See also
- Chonchon
- Krasue
- Leyak
- Penanggalan
- Zardoz
