Mishipeshu, the Underwater Panther
On a cliff above Lake Superior is a painting of a horned cat with a spiked back. The Anishinaabe say it lives in the lake and stirs up its storms.
What was reported
Mishipeshu, the great lynx or underwater panther, is a powerful being in Anishinaabe tradition. It lives at the bottom of the Great Lakes and has the body of a big cat, horns, and scales or spikes along its back and tail. It rules the waters, and can raise storms, whirlpools and dangerous ice.
At Agawa Rock, on the shore of Lake Superior, red ochre paintings show it among canoes and other figures. People made offerings of tobacco before crossing the lake. It was also said to guard the copper of Lake Superior's shores.
Explanations offered
Mishipeshu is part of a living spiritual tradition. The lake's sudden, violent storms, which have sunk many ships, give its power a real-world meaning. Agawa Rock is a protected site in Lake Superior Provincial Park.
- When
- Painted centuries ago
- Where
- Agawa Rock, Lake Superior, Ontario, Canada
- Witnesses
- Anishinaabe tradition
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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