Raven Mocker
A Cherokee witch that steals life by consuming hearts.
The Raven Mocker (Cherokee: ᎪᎳᏅ ᎠᏰᎵᏍᎩ, romanized: Kâ'lanû Ahkyeli'skï) belongs to Cherokee mythology as a witch or evil spirit that extends its own life by targeting those who are sick or dying. It is known for stealing the remaining years of a victim’s life by eating their heart, and a tradition holds that if someone sees a Raven Mocker in its true form, the creature will die within seven days.
These beings are often described as withered and aged. At night, they fly through the air in a fiery shape, with arms stretched out like wings and sparks trailing behind. Their flight produces a sound like rushing wind, and their cries—similar to a raven’s dive call—are taken as an omen of death. Raven Mockers gather at the homes of the dying, tormenting victims by pressing on their chests to make breathing difficult or throwing them to the ground. After death, they remove and consume the heart to absorb the victim’s remaining lifespan. No marks are left on the body, but the heart is missing. Other witches are said to avoid the Raven Mocker, though medicine men with special knowledge can detect and repel them from entering homes. The renowned Cherokee shaman Gunskaliski reportedly destroyed several Raven Mockers by using a tea made from duck-root, which allowed him to see them.
In Cherokee tradition, the Raven Mocker is also called “Kâ'lanû Ahkyeli'skï” (“The Death Spirit”) and “Tsundige’wi” (“He Who Covers His Face”). Other names like “Death Caller” and “Heart Eater” reflect its feared ability to consume hearts and steal life.
Several stories feature Raven Mockers. In one, a young hunter took shelter in what seemed an abandoned home. Hearing a raven’s cry, he then saw an old man and woman return and reveal themselves as Raven Mockers while discussing stealing lives. The hunter watched them roast what looked like a human heart. The next morning, the old man gave him beadwork and warned him not to speak of what he saw. The hunter threw the gift into a stream and told his village. Seven days later, warriors found the couple dead and burned their home to ensure the Raven Mockers were destroyed.
Another tale tells of two men who fasted for seven days under a medicine man’s guidance and took a vision-enhancing remedy made from muskrat brain. This allowed them to see creatures, including a Raven Mocker, gathered near a grave.
Quick Facts
- Aka
- Kâ’lanû Ahkyeli’skï (ᎪᎳᏅ ᎠᏰᎵᏍᎩ), Tsundige’wi, He Who Covers His Face, Death Caller, Heart Eater
- Folklore
- Cherokee mythology
- Grouping
- Witch, Evil spirit
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Appalachia
- Details
- Steals life from the sick and dying
- First Attested
- Pre-colonial Cherokee folklore
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Raven Mockers are described as withered and aged beings that fly through the night emitting cries resembling a raven’s call. They are said to prey on the sick or dying to extend their own lifespans. At night, they fly in fiery form with outstretched arms resembling wings and sparks trailing behind, accompanied by the sound of rushing wind. Their cries are considered an omen of death. Raven Mockers gather at the homes of the dying, tormenting victims by pressing on their chests to restrict breathing or throwing them to the ground. After death, they remove and consume the heart, leaving no marks on the body but the heart missing. Though feared, other witches are said to avoid the Raven Mocker. Skilled medicine men can detect and repel them using special knowledge. Tradition holds that if a Raven Mocker is seen in its true form, it dies within seven days. The renowned Cherokee shaman Gunskaliski destroyed several Raven Mockers by using a special tea made from duck-root, enabling him to see them.
Reader's Guide
The Raven Mocker holds significance in Cherokee mythology as a feared embodiment of death and predation, representing the belief that some beings can steal life from the vulnerable. Its legacy is preserved through traditional stories and accounts of medicine men who could detect and repel them. Notable tales include that of a young hunter who witnessed Raven Mockers roasting a human heart and later caused their death by speaking of it, and a story of two men who, after fasting and using a vision-enhancing remedy made from muskrat brain, saw a Raven Mocker digging near a grave. Another account describes a man left to die alone because his family feared Raven Mockers, who tormented him by pressing on his chest and lifting him from his bed. A final tale tells of a medicine man who successfully repelled a Raven Mocker from a dying person's home, causing other witches to scatter. The Raven Mocker has also appeared in modern fiction, including Manly Wade Wellman's novel The Old Gods Waken, Scott Nicholson's They Hunger, P.C. Cast's House of Night series, and an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger, among others.
Did You Know?
- The Raven Mocker is also called 'He Who Covers His Face' (Tsundige’wi).
- Gunskaliski, a renowned Cherokee shaman, used duck-root tea to see and destroy Raven Mockers.
- Raven Mockers leave no marks on the body, but the heart is said to be missing.
More in Legendary Creatures of the Indigenous Peoples of North America 1-24
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