54 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 
Nature Beings 
The Sun among the nature gods, is recognized by the Seneca as a 
powerful being. Yet, unlike the gods in other theogenies, the Sun 
is a creation made after the formation of the world—at least so it 
would appear from the common cosmogeny. The Sun was created 
from the face of the earth mother, yet it may be that her face was the 
sacrifice that brought the Sun into evidence. There is evidence of 
attempts to conceal the origin of the Sun in several of the myths. 
He appears as the messenger of the Sky Chief and as the special god 
of war, Ho‘sgé™ age’ dagowa, he also appears as existing before the 
birth of the primal twins, and it appears that he is the being who 
sat on the mountain “to the east across the sea,’ and who gave power 
to the Good Mind, or T’haho™hiawa”ko". It thus appears there is 
an imperfect assimilation of conflicting myths, probably from dif- 
ferent sources. 
Each day the Sun starts from his resting place in the branches of 
the celestial tree, takes his path under the lifted east sky, rolls up 
the dome and commences his unerring watch of the movements of 
men. Wherever there is light, there is the messenger of the Sky 
Chief watching human behaviour. Returning at night, he recites all 
that he has observed on earth. He bears the name Endéka 
Gaa’kwa, diurnal orb of light. 
The Moon is Soi’ka Gaa’kwa, nocturnal orb of light, and she is 
hailed as “Our Grandmother.” In each of her several phases she 
has a different name and function. She is watched by the females 
as a sign of health, and by the men as a sign of hunting luck. By 
the moon, time is regulated, and each monthly moon has a special 
name. Of all heavenly bodies she is the most mysterious, though 
not the most powerful. 
Morning Star, Génden'wit‘ha, is one of the great beings of the sky 
and her appearance is watched as an omen. Once Morning Star 
was an important celestial personage, but the Iroquois have drifted 
away from giving her special honors. She appears in several roles, 
sometimes as a siren who lures hunters into a luckless marriage, | 
mysteriously leaving them to wander the world over in search of her. 
She is said to have charmed an elk into loving her. She also ap- 
pears as a rescuer of starving villages in time of famine. She is 
called Gadji‘so™da’ génden’ witha’. 
Storm Wind, Dagwanoeient, (Dagwano’éf’ien) is a being of great 
activity and has a whole tribe of subordinates bearing his name. 
He appears to men as a Flying Head, with long streaming hair, and 
his exploits are generally discreditable. He is a great wizard and 
