So, are skinwalkers real? According to Navajo legend, a skinwalker is a medicine man who has turned to the evil side and can shapeshift into animals and humans. They take on a new shape at night and cause misery and pain.
In this article, we’ll learn more about skinwalkers being real or just a myth.
So, let’s get right to it!
What Are Skinwalkers?
People believe that the Navajo, a Native American tribe that resides in the southwestern United States, were the ones who originated the legend of skinwalkers. Due to the increasing reputation of The Skinwalker Ranch in Utah, a destination in the state where strange events continue to take place, they have attracted much attention in recent years.
There is still much mystery and doubt about this creature’s true origins and background.
However, others believe they are evil witches who can transform into several forms. For example, they can take control of other individuals as well as animals. For example, the Navajo expression “yee naaldlooshi,” which translates to “with it, he gets on all fours,” may include a hint about the menacing capabilities of these beings.
The existence of these animals is shrouded in a great number of tales, myths, and legends. Others claim that skinwalkers were previously practitioners of alternative medicine.
Unfortunately, their strength tainted them, leading to their transformation into wickedness. People link The Sith Lords from the Star Wars world to them because of their presence in the present day.
Some myths and legends claim that anybody may get the ability to change into a skinwalker if they commit enough social offenses and breach enough tribal taboos. Instead, people portray them as horrifying mutant versions of creatures like wolves, bears, and coyotes.
They are powerful beings that cannot be vanquished and are unaffected by death. However, prevailing knowledge seems to be pointing in the other direction. They claim that all that is needed to kill them is a gunshot, a knife, or some rubber mixed with white ash.
The appearance of these beasts is often mistaken for that of wolves, foxes, coyotes, owls, or crows. However, some skinwalkers can also take other individuals’ faces and may even pose as someone you recognize.
Suppose you make eye contact with a skinwalker. In that case, legend has it that they will try to integrate themselves into your body and take control of your activities. This happens if you look directly into their eyes. A select few skinwalkers may enchant the powder made from the remains of dead creatures. They apply the drug to the victims as poisonous dust.
Before the year 1996, no one ever spoke a single word regarding skinwalkers. Instead, a group of scientists traveled to a ranch in Utah to explore a strange occurrence that had been occurring there. Hence, that is when the rest of the world first learned about them.
Skinwalkers have several abilities and can run large distances in a single burst of speed. According to urban legends, they can travel more than 300 kilometers (200 miles) daily.
These critters also have a propensity for hanging around at the cemetery. Skinwalkers have an incredible advantage regarding the speed with which they can excavate graves.
Although they may take many different shapes, the most prevalent one is that of hollowed-out creatures that resemble dogs. Every human being who has come into contact with this species has remarked on how similar they are to the look of a dog.
One of the terrifying aspects of skinwalkers is that they can recruit other skinwalkers. Unfortunately, nobody has done enough study on how it takes place. Instead, some people hold an official ceremony. These ceremonies contain the assembly of many individuals who chant certain phrases.
According to urban legend, someone may neutralize a skinwalker’s supernatural abilities if one addresses them by their natural, human name.
Even though people have claimed to see them throughout the United States of America, you may find these animals near-native reservations at a far higher frequency than in other parts of the country. For example, people have theorized that the ‘Rake,’ a monster often seen in the northeastern United States, is comparable to a skinwalker in its abilities and physical appearance.
Are Skinwalkers Real?
No.
Native American residents seldom discuss aspects of their culture with people from other cultures, which is completely understandable. Unfortunately, this information is often misappropriated and utilized in inappropriate ways. For example, J.K. Rowling included skinwalkers into her canon “Magic in North America” mythology, which you can find on Pottermore.
Dr. Adrienne Keene, a native of the Cherokee Nation and an assistant professor at Brown, expressed her disdain for Rowling’s careless exploitation of a sensitive issue in her culture. Keene described why she finds Rowling’s actions offensive. According to what she writes in her essay on Native American Appropriations, “The belief in these things…has a profound place in Navajo understandings of the universe.”
“It is intertwined with a great number of other ideas, as well as many other ceremonial understandings and lifeways. It is not only a frightening narrative or something you tell children to encourage them to behave properly; it goes far deeper than that.
“There are shape-shifters in my community as well, but I’m not going to go into that either. The result of Rowling’s decision to include this element is that Native Americans, in general, are now subjected to an onslaught of inquiries about the religious and cultural practices to which they adhere. But, these are not topics that need to be addressed by outsiders, nor should they be talked about by outsiders.”
“I apologize if you find it “unfair,” but the survival of our civilizations depends on it. Another aspect to consider is that Rowling is rewriting these traditions from the ground up. Traditions originate from a certain time and place on particular knowledge and the truth. These objects are not “misunderstood magicians,” as some have referred.” Hence, she concludes that it is “not even remotely possible.”
What is a Skinwalker Ranch?
The discussions on Skinwalkers and Skinwalker Ranch go hand in hand. After purchasing what is now known as the Skinwalker Ranch in 1996, Gwen and Terry Sherman(commonly called the Sherman family) resided on the property for 18 months before selling it. After seeing what they did, they urged their family members to get out of there as quickly as possible and go somewhere else.
1996 saw the publication of an article titled “Frequent Fliers,” which contributed to the word “skinwalker” becoming increasingly commonplace. This article described everything that occurred throughout the Sherman family’s time spent living on the ranch.
The happenings, which ranged from the mutilation of their livestock to their disappearances, as well as sightings of unidentified flying objects and the discovery of random crop circles, were part of their experiences.
The Sherman family experienced a terrifying thing happened to them as they left the ranch where they had been staying. Terry took the family dogs that belonged to his family out for a stroll at night. He thought a wolf had suddenly appeared in front of him.
He said this creature was approximately three times the size of an average wolf. Its eyes radiated a reddish glow. When it was somewhat close to him, Terry made three attempts to fire the device. The bullets had no impact on it all, however. Soon after buying the property, the family moved out. The area surrounding skinwalker ranch is now a hub for paranormal investigation in the present day.
Facts About Skinwalkers?
- A person who can change their appearance into any animal at a whim is a skinwalker.
- People often mistake them for coyotes, wolves, foxes, eagles, owls, or crows when they see them.
- Some individuals can “steal” the looks of other people, and they may pretend to be someone you know to trick you.
- A skinwalker can “absorb” itself into your body and take control of your activities if you accidentally lock eyes with one of them.
- Some rare skinwalkers can enchant the powder of corpses and employ the resulting material as a cloud of poison dust on victims. This skill is very uncommon.
- The Navajo, an indigenous people group from the southwestern United States, is credited with creating the myth of the skinwalkers.
- The name “skinwalker” comes from the Navajo language and is pronounced “yee naagloshii.” This term means “one who walks on all fours” in English.
- Compared to other phenomena, the topic of skinwalkers has only been brought into the public conversation relatively lately. For example, in 1996, a group of researchers traveled to a ranch in Utah to explore a string of unexplained occurrences.
- As if their other abilities weren’t impressive enough, it is stated that Skinwalkers are also able to run very vast distances in a single evening. Some sources even indicate they can run more than 200 miles.
- Skinwalkers have a propensity for hanging about cemeteries and can excavate graves at an incredible rate.
- Although they may assume a wide variety of appearances, most individuals who encounter them now describe them as “hollowed out” canine-like creatures.
- Skinwalkers are reported to recruit new skinwalkers themselves. There is considerable disagreement over how this takes place. However, some believe there is a formal ritual. Skinwalkers can only materialize when a group of people join together and chant a certain set of words.
- Even though skinwalkers have many forms, it is stated that it is possible to kill one by just addressing them by their real (human) name.
- Skinwalkers are most often seen in the vicinity of native american reservations, despite individuals having reported seeing them throughout the United States (the Skinwalker Ranch in Utah is the most well-known of these locations). The ranch acts as a place of paranormal investigation nowadays. Some people believe that the “Rake,” often seen in the northeast, is analogous to a skinwalker.
Final Words
All across social media, the Skin walker stories or partial encounter stories are making headlines, particularly on TikTok. Ther are an essential part of the native American culture and European folk stories.
A global fascination with skinwalkers and the stories, fables, and mythology surrounding them has emerged. They’ve been the subject of memes, jokes, and tales across the internet. However, although some people dismiss them as another piece of fiction, others believe they are real.
In this article, we discussed all of that.