Methoataske

Methoataske (or Methoataaskee, meaning " [One who] Lays Eggs in the Sand") was the mother of Tecumseh, the famous Shawnee leader. Her tribal affiliation is uncertain: depending on the source or interpretation, she was either Creek, Cherokee, or Shawnee. Scholars John Sugden and Noel Schutz believe that she was Shawnee by birth, and was a member of the Pekowi division and the turtle clan.

Her husband, Puckeshinwa, was a Shawnee war leader killed in 1774 during the Battle of Point Pleasant. Her other sons included Tenskwatawa, the famous prophet, and Cheeseekau, Tecumseh's mentor. The dates of her birth and death are unknown. According to tradition, she died at an advanced age while living among the Cherokee, which is probably the source of the story that she herself was Cherokee.

References

*Schutz, Noel. [http://www.shawnee-traditions.com/Lineage.html "The Family of Tecumseh & Tenskwatawa"]
*Sugden, John. "Tecumseh: A Life". New York: Holt, 1997. ISBN 0-8050-4138-9 (hardcover); ISBN 0-8050-6121-5 (1999 paperback).