Home › Glossary › Letter D

Dzonokwa

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

In Kwakwaka’wakw myth, Dzonokwa is a fearsome wild woman of the woods who steals children but also bestows wealth and power.

Detailed Definition
Dzonokwa is a fearsome, giantess forest spirit in Kwakwaka’wakw myth who steals children but also bestows wealth and power to those who outwit her. She embodies wilderness, danger, and potential. In ceremonial masks and stories, she represents the untamed feminine. Poets invoke Dzonokwa to explore themes of fear, transformation, and the dual nature of the wild as both threatening and generative.
Example
Example in poetry:
Dzonokwa, the Kwakwaka’wakw wild woman, stomps through poems as the untamed force that steals disobedient children; A cautionary verse shows Dzonokwa’s basket filled not with kids but with forgotten songs; Poets use Dzonokwa to reclaim “wildness” as sacred feminine power; In feminist poetry, she embodies the rage of stolen generations; Her mossy hair becomes a symbol of forest memory in climate verse.
Additional Notes
Dzonokwa (or Dzunukwa) is a giantess in Kwakwaka’wakw mythology who steals children but also bestows wealth and power; she embodies the duality of danger and blessing—often depicted with wild hair and a deep call, Dzonokwa appears in potlatch regalia; poets should respect her ceremonial significance and avoid portraying her as a mere monster.
Also Known As
Dzunukwa Tsonoqua
Skip to main content