Skinwalkers and Navajo Witchcraft

Key Concepts

• Skinwalker: A term from Navajo culture, known as "yee naaldlooshii," meaning "with it, he goes on all fours."

  • Refers to an individual with the ability to transform into a four-legged animal.
  • Often depicted as a coyote, wolf, fox, owl, or crow.

• Navajo Witchcraft: A taboo subject in Navajo culture due to its associations with death.

  • Different types include witchery, sorcery, wizardry, and frenzy.
  • Considered an integral part of the spiritual system but is amoral.
  • Medicine men serve as a bridge between Earth People and the spirit world, while Skinwalkers are practitioners of the witchery way.

Cultural Beliefs

• Harmony with Nature: Concept of living in harmony with nature, anthropomorphized as Mother Earth.

  • Two types of beings: Earth People and Holy People.

• The Number Four: Significance of the number four in Navajo and Apache beliefs.

  • Stories often include spans of four days, four beings, or four elements.

Origins and Accounts

• Transformation Legend: Origin stories suggest Skinwalkers were medicine men corrupted by power or hunters using animal skins.

• Historical References:

  • Washington Matthews (1894): Discussed the emergence story of First Man and Woman learning secrets of witchcraft.
  • Navajo Witch Purge of 1878: A cultural response to colonialism and hardships faced during the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo.
  • Impact of Witchcraft: Used to explain sickness and tragedy during difficult times.

Contemporary Understanding

• Gender and Skinwalkers: Both men and women can become witches, though predominantly men are associated with Skinwalker traits.

  • Typically, women who become Skinwalkers are either old or childless.

• Cultural Continuity: Witchcraft is seen as part of the Navajo way, existing since the creation myths of First Man and Woman.

References

• Allison, A. Lynn. "The Navajo witch purge of 1878," PaloVerde 9(1).
• Kluckhohn, Clyde. "Navajo Witchcraft," Boston: Beacon Press, 1944.
• Locke, Raymond Friday. "The Book of the Navajo," Los Angeles: Mankind Publishing Co, 1976.
• Matthews, Washington. "Creation of First Man and First Woman," 1897.
• Underhill, Ruth M. "The Navajos," University of Oklahoma Press, 1956.