Skinwalkers

[Please Leave Me]

i am interested in any knowledge Natives can spare on the subject
i already know what's common knowledge
what i really want to know how did this practice begun
what was the reason of it's start
was there an outrage between tribes
who permitted and forbidden the practice
and is the practice it self considered bad
or it depends on whom used it

mostly what i want to know history of the practice
rather what's being shared and distorted by online media lately

sorry in advance if it's in wrong section of forums
i just thought it could fit here
better than it would fit in legends or myth sections

[Thunder Bow]

To the Navajo a skinwalker is a witch. In the negative sense.

[Please Leave Me]

thanks for your reply Thunder
yeah i have heard the witch connection
but am more interested on history of this
i would approicate any preference or information

[Native spirit]

All i know about skinwalkers is what i heard my grandmother and her sister speak of, they are all suppposed to be evil ie witches etc some tribes say they can take shape of the wolf,bear coyote,they are mind benders they read your mind but all say they are evil,
look on the net it could tell you more about it than i can


Namaste

[Please Leave Me]

thanks for the effort Native Spirit
yeah but interestingly i have read somewhere
that the practice was not all evil at some point of time
it was used in war to scout enemies or in hunting
it wasn't bad until some individual started using it against each others
that is if i what i read was accurate i can't be sure of

[Thunder Bow]

In a sense that was true. This was called shape shifting.

[Star Wolf Medicine Woman]

I too understand it to mean a 'Shape shifter'.... Spirit being.. Not everything is of evil intent ..

are you sure you don't mean shape shifting?

[Please Leave Me]

i think skin-walking and shape-shifting
are very different practices although looks similar
they're very different on the reasons of each
and the goal of each and the means to aquire each
all of those set them apart as two entirely different practices

[GlowWorm]

This is an old post but as I googled skinwalkers & it showed up on the forum, why not. After all, I grew up with Indians as friends. My brother went to university in a program that spanned four years & saw aboriginals from ALL across the country attend. My family has always had a good rapport with the local tribe going back generations.

And a close friend is an authentic Navajo Indian. Pureblood, not diluted by the blood status & whites intermarrying. Nor is he some of these want-a-bes who thinks putting eagle feathers in their hair, wearing beaded clothing, beating a deerskin drum and smoking a peace pipe makes them "Indian" LOL.


I'll keep it short & simple. Nor will I tell you everything because it is not my right to say anything. If you are really curious then PM me & I will see if he or his sister will educate you on skinwalkers, real skinwalkers not internet drivel, via email.


First though get rid of the "witch" concept. Witches are European. Anything abnormal or not understood by Europeans [aka those-scared-of-their-own-shadow] are considered a "witch" including back in the day their own healers.

Witches don't belong in authentic native culture. Any native who says "witch" is just using European terms either cause they know no better or they can't be bothered educating you properly.

Originally Posted by Shadow Of A Knight

what i really want to know how did this practice begun

If you really do then PM.

Originally Posted by Shadow Of A Knight

what was the reason of it's start

I could be mundane and say something like "protection against enemies" but the original practice started as far more than just that.

Originally Posted by Shadow Of A Knight

was there an outrage between tribes

Natives just don't sit around the teepee smoking peace pipe all day. Of course there was outrage. Native tribal affairs were [and still are to degree] very complex, a number of them have never possessed anything resembling "central government", a "king" to follow like Europeans, and consider themselves responsible to no one but themselves [even if in alliance with others].

But such outrage didn't necessitate the start or origins of skinwalkers.

Originally Posted by Shadow Of A Knight

who permitted and forbidden the practice

The same people that allowed it to happen forbid it.

Originally Posted by Shadow Of A Knight

and is the practice it self considered bad

Yes. A skinwalker is something corrupted.

Originally Posted by Shadow Of A Knight

or it depends on whom used it

No it doesn't matter "who used it" because not just anyone can become a skinwalker. Anyone that thinks or says otherwise suffers more than just delusions [but possible mental disorders].



That's all I'm going to say. Like said if you want to really know more PM me.