Kushtaka: North American Folklore

The Kushtaka, or Kooshdakhaa, of American mythology is often confused with the Urayuli of Alaskan folklore, due to their proximity in territory and the fact that they are both covered in hair. But that is where the similarities end. Unlike the Urayuli, Kushtaka are malevolent beings.

Not just limited to Alaska, the Kushtaka legend spreads down to the Pacific Northwest. The Kushtaka are shapeshifting creatures, based in the mythos of the Tlingit and Tsimshian peoples native to the area. The word Kooshdakhaa translates to “land otter man”, as otters are a form this creature chooses often. However the Kushtaka can also take the form of a man.

They are dangerous for their ability to lure their victims to the ocean, and inevitably to their demise. Legend has it that they lure these unsuspecting people to the water by imitating the cries of a child or the screams of a woman in danger.

Other stories tell of a bittersweet trait of a Kushtaka. Those lost in the freezing woods will be distracted by visions that resemble otter versions of their loved ones. While the lost person is pursuing these otter-spectres, the Kushtaka transform him or her in to one of their own. This allows the person to survive the freezing temperatures, but now they are no longer a human and no longer allowed to return home, making this quite the mixed blessing.

For those not interested in being tricked into becoming an otter person or lured to their death in the cold waters of the Pacific, some say the Kushtaka can be warded off with dogs. If you don’t have a canine companion, you should flee if you hear a high pitched whistle, a low pitched whistle, and then another high pitched one. This is the noise of a Kushtaka, and that means you should flee.