Hé-no facts for kids
Hé-no is a powerful thunder spirit from the beliefs of the Iroquois and Seneca Native American peoples. He is also known by other names like Heno, Hino, Hinu, or Hinun.
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Who is Hé-no?
Hé-no lives high up in the clouds, far to the west. His wife is the beautiful rainbow. He is often seen with two special eagles, Keneu and Oshadagea. Keneu is a golden eagle. Oshadagea carries a small lake of dew on its back. This eagle sprinkles the dew as rain when fire spirits attack the land.
Hé-no is a strong protector. He carries a bow and arrows and a pouch filled with thunderbolts. When he travels through the sky, he also carries a basket of special rocks called chert boulders. He throws these rocks at evil spirits. Any rocks that miss the spirits fall to Earth as lightning. Hé-no also wears a magic feather to keep evil away. He has two helpers who do not have names, so they can serve him secretly.
Hé-no's Role and Personality
People described Hé-no as a peaceful and kind spirit. He was known as an enemy of witches and bad people. He was a friend to important crops like corn, beans, and squashes. Besides bringing thunder, Hé-no was also believed to create clouds and bring water to the Earth. This water was vital for plants and people.
Hé-no's Heroic Deeds
In Iroquois mythology, Hé-no came down to Earth two times to help his people.
Defeating the Great Water Snake
The first time, a young hero named Gunnodoyak was serving Hé-no. Gunnodoyak had the spirit of thunder within him. Hé-no told him to kill the Great Water Snake of the Great Lakes, which was a danger to humans. But the serpent swallowed Gunnodoyak instead! Hé-no then shot flaming arrows from the sky, killing the serpent at Lake Ontario. He cut open its belly and brought Gunnodoyak back to life. Gunnodoyak was then taken up to heaven. When the serpent died, its body broke into many small pieces. These pieces formed the islands of the Great Lakes. The native people believed that the strong waves of Lake Ontario were the serpent still moving in anger.
Saving from Stone Giants
On his second visit, Hé-no saved his people by defeating the Stone Giants from the west. These giants were very dangerous. When Hé-no shattered their bodies, they turned into small pebbles. Hé-no is also believed to send three Thunderers to Earth every year to destroy evil.
Hé-no and Niagara Falls
Hé-no once lived in a cave hidden under Niagara Falls. One day, a young girl living above the falls was supposed to marry an old man she did not like. Instead of marrying him, she got into a canoe and went down the river. The canoe and the girl went over the falls. People saw the canoe break apart, but the girl disappeared. Hé-no and his two helpers caught her in a blanket. They brought her safely back to his cave. One of his helpers was so amazed by her beauty that he married her.
