Haakapainiži (or Aatakapitsi in
Chemehuevi
The Chemehuevi ( ) are an indigenous people of the Great Basin. They are the southernmost branch of Southern Paiute. Today, Chemehuevi people are enrolled in the following federally recognized tribes:
* Colorado River Indian Tribes
* Cheme ...
) is a spirit or ogre from
Kawaiisu
The Kawaiisu Nation (pronounced: "ka-wai-ah-soo") are a tribe of indigenous people of California in the United States.
The Kawaiisu Nation is the only treatied tribe in California, Ratified Treaty (No. 256), 9 Stat. 984, Dec. 30, 1849. This Tr ...
folklore, taking the appearances of a giant grasshopper with two canes and a basket on his back, an old man, or a swarm of grasshoppers. Haakapainiži sings to children and talks sweetly to them, putting them in his basket when their guard is down and taking them back to his lair to eat.
[Zigmond, M. L. (1980) Kawaiisu Mythology. Ballena Press, Socorro]
References
Legendary creatures of the indigenous peoples of North America
Mythological insects
{{NorthAm-myth-stub