Moon Eyed People
The Moon Eyed People are mythical beings from Cherokee myth. It’s believed they lived in modern-day North Carolina and Georgia. Supposedly, they predated the Cherokee and lived in the Southern Appalachians. Despite this, however, no one knows where they came from or where they eventually went. They were often referred to as albinos with blond hair and large blue eyes. They were small and fat compared to others and frequently had long beards. Some actually believed these beings to be immortal. They were referred to as “moon eyed” since it was thought they could see better at night than in the day. In some versions, however, they see fine in the daylight but go blind during certain phases of the moon. Whatever the reason, they were nocturnal by necessity and lived in dense woods or in secluded caves. They were believed to build circular houses out of logs. In the past, they warned the Cherokee of giant leeches, but they were still disliked despite this. Eventually, they were kicked out by native people for the sake of peace. One story suggested the Creek Native Americans ambushed them during a full moon, taking advantage of their aversion to bright light. Another story says the Cherokee drove them west towards modern-day Tennessee. They were believed to have made boulder dwellings and chairs on Fort Mountain of the Cohutta Mountains. They are also thought to have built a wall that gives Fort Mountain its name. A statue was discovered in Murphy, NC, in 1841. It was so old that it was made with a technique of hitting stones together to chip away rather than carving. This statue depicts two individuals conjoined at the hips, thought to be Moon Eyed People. Some believe the Moon Eyed People may have been the Spanish, and others have suggested they were albinos descended from the Kuna people of Panama. Others think they were descendants of a Welsh prince named Madoc a Gwynedd. This is because some Europeans claim to have encountered tribes of white Native Americans that spoke in broken Welsh. This has been investigated by hundreds of geologists, archaeologists, and historians, with no clear conclusion.
Citations:
Appalachian Folklore Unveiled: Mysterious Happenings of Folk Spirits and Mystic Shades from the Ancient Foothills. United States, Wellfleet Press, 2024.
Brendle, W.J.. The Cryptids & Monsters of North Carolina: Exploring The Legends, Lore and Witness Accounts. N.p., Outskirts Press, 2024.
Brown, Alan. Georgia Legends & Lore. United Kingdom, History Press, 2022.
Miles, Jim, et al. Weird Georgia: Your Travel Guide to Georgia’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets. United States, Sterling Publishing Company, Incorporated, 2006.
Ocker, J. W.. The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters. United Kingdom, Quirk Books, 2022.
Offutt, Jason. Chasing American Monsters: Over 250 Creatures, Cryptids & Hairy Beasts. United States, Llewellyn Publications, 2019.
