Cornhusk dolls have been made by Northeastern Native Americans for at least a thousand years ago. In addition to being used as children’s toys, some cornhusk dolls are used in sacred healing ceremonies. A type of Iroquois cornhusk doll was made in response to a dream. The doll was then discarded, put back to earth to carry away the evil of the dream.

The dolls are not given a face because of the following mythic story.

Many, many years ago, Corn, one of the 3 Sisters, wanted to make something different. She wanted to do something different so Great Spirit gave her permission. She made little people out of corn husk and they roamed the earth so that they could bring brotherhood and contentment to the Iroquois tribe. She made one that was very, very beautiful. This beautiful corn person went into the woods and saw herself in a pool. She saw how beautiful she was and she became very vain and naughty. That began to make the people very unhappy and so Great Spirit decided that wasn't what she was to do. She didn't pay attention to his warning so her punishment would be that she'd have no face, she would not converse with others or the birds or the animals. She'd roam the earth forever, looking for something to do to gain her face back again.