The Wild Woman of the Woods

The Wild Woman of the Woods is a supernatural being. She goes by many names including Tsonoqua, Tsonokwa, Dzunuk’wa, Zuniquwa, Th’owxiya, The Giantess, The Ogress, and Wealth Giver. This being is often considered female, but may be depicted as male or female.

Tsonoqua and First Nations

The Wild Woman of the Woods is part of a large family of giants. She is known to roam the forests in search of children who have disobediently wandered too far from the village into the woods. It is told that she steals the children, covers their eyes with pitch, puts them inside a basket that she carries on her back, and takes them back to her home where she eats them. However, she is considered very clumsy and dim-witted, so the children are usually able to outsmart her. This terrifying figure is seen as a deterrent for anyone venturing too far away from their village.

In addition to being a dark and threatening figure, the Wild Woman also has great powers and is considered a bringer of good fortune. If you manage to trick her, she will bring you great wealth. For some, she is in possession of great knowledge, with powerful abilities to change her shape and size, and carry a basin of water that could turn the ugly beautiful and revive the dead.

The Wild Woman is seen in some ceremonial dances wearing a traditional Dzunuk’wa mask. She is often portrayed as a narcoleptic creature, stumbling around the fire in the wrong direction only to fall into a heap, asleep on the ground. Others help her to her seat, only for her to fall asleep again.

Native Art - The Wild Woman of the Woods Symbol

Wild Woman Mask by John Livingston

She is identified by her black hairy body, pendulous breasts, recessed eyes, hollow cheeks, and bushy unkempt hair. She walks with a shuffle, her back hunched over. She is usually depicted with pursed lips to make her signature cry "Huuu! Huuu!".

Spirits of the West Coast Native Art Gallery sells masks and other works inspired by the Wild Man of the Woods symbol.

Contributions

If you have any further information or stories with or about this Native American Symbol or totem and you would like to share them with our readers, please feel free to email them to us. If they are appropriate we will add them to this page. Thank you!