Apotamkin

The Apotamkin (/äbudämkɪn/, ah-boo-dahm-kin) is a creature in Maliseet and Passamaquoddy mythology.[1][2] It is described a giant fanged sea monster that lives in the Passamaquoddy Bay, specifically at the mouth of St. Croix River,[2] and pulls people in to eat them, particularly careless children.[2]

Description

The Apotamkin is sometimes described as being humanoid, and sometimes as having a fully fish body with human hair.[2] It is consistently said to have long red hair, and in some versions, it was a human woman before being changed into a serpent.[3] In 1888, the Journal of American Folklore described it as similar to a mermaid.[2] Whilst it is defined as a monster, it is not always evil. Its presence deters children from entering the water without parental supervision, avoiding injuries or death. The Passamaquoddy tribe believe that the Apotamkin prevents children from falling through thin ice.[4][5] The Apotamkin has been compared to the Ponca legend of the Indaciga.[6]

Legends from the Pacific Northwest also have a monster called an Apotamkin. This version is tall and apelike as opposed to aquatic, with orange-brown hair and fur. It is said that its cry is so terrifying as to give a person a heart attack on the spot.[2]

Both the Northeast and Northwest versions of the Apotamkin were bogyman figures used to instill fear into children to keep them from venturing dangerous areas alone.[7][6][2]

The Pacific Northwest version of the Apotamkin appears in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series.[2] Because of this, it is sometimes assumed to be a vampiric creature.[5]

Writer-director Carly Sappier of the Tobique First Nation released a 2017 short film called APOTAMKIN based on stories of the creature she had been told by elders. The film stars Ciara John and Riaan Smit and was produced by Eveleen Kozak. It premiered at the Laemmle Monica Film Center in Santa Monica.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Apotamkin Native American Mythology at godchecker.com
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Fee, Christopher R.; Webb, Jeffrey B. (29 August 2016). American Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales: An Encyclopedia of American Folklore [3 volumes]. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 979-8-216-04654-7. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "Apotamkin, the Real Story". Native American Language Net. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  4. ↑ "Native American Legend Of Apotamkin Teaches Children Obedience". Ancient Pages. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  5. 1 2 Opanike, Ojo (6 February 2024). The Little Encyclopedia of Fairies: An A-to-Z Guide to Fae Magic. Running Press. ISBN 978-0-7624-8738-7. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  6. 1 2 Rose, Carol (2001). Giants, Monsters, and Dragons: An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and Myth. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-32211-8. OCLC 48798119.
  7. ↑ Krensky, Stephen (2007). The Bogeyman. Lerner Publications. p. 20. ISBN 978-0-8225-6760-8. OCLC 77476563.
  8. ↑ "APOTAMKIN". Red Nation Film Festival. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2026.


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