Yes, it seems that the split was fairly recent in the tribe's history. There are stories associating the departure at being around the time that europeans arrived. This could be the Spanish conquistadors, which could place it in the mid 16th century or perhaps the later when the area started getting settled. However, there is also the long walk story of the skinwalker abusing his abilities for his own needs (a bad thing for a holy man in the tribe to do). If the long walk story has any validity, this would place the skinwalkers as still being members of the tribe around the 1860's. Either case, we are looking at a relatively recent split, historically, where the skinwalkers have spent more time as being favored members of the tribe than as outcasts.

Stephanie

In every man there is something wherein I may learn of him, and in that I am his pupil.--Ralph Waldo Emerson