Origin Myth From Onondaga Nation
Iroquois oral history tells the beginning of the False Face tradition. According to the accounts, the Creator Sögwa:ya'dihsa'ih ( 'our creator' in Onondaga), blessed with healing powers in response to his love of living things, encountered a stranger, referred to in Onondaga as Etihso:da' ( 'our grandfather') or Hado'ih, and challenged him in a competition to see who could move a mountain. Ethiso:da' managed to make the mountain quake and move but a small amount. Sögwa:ya'dihsa'ih declared that Ethiso:da' had power but not enough to move the mountain significantly. He proceeded to move the mountain, telling Ethiso:da' not to look behind him. Turning his head quickly out of curiosity, the mountain struck the stranger in the face and left his face disfigured. Sögwa:ya'dihsa'ih then employed Etihso:da' to protect his children from disease and sickness. But knowing the sight of Etihso:da' was not suitable for his children's eyes, Sögwa:ya'dihsa'ih banished him to live in underground caves and great wooded forests, only to leave when called upon to cure or interact through dreams. Hado'ih then became a great healer, also known as "Old Broken Nose". People often claim to see Etihso:da', who is described as a very large man with Iroquois regalia, long hair, and a red or black face who peers from behind trees.
Read more about this topic: False Face Society
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