Ritva Kurittu Wrote:
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>
> I agree! And as it happens, I find the third
> possibility most probable. In other words, I'd say
> skinwalkers are humans with supernatural
> abilities. With supernatural abilities I mean
> powers, that are not reached by everybody. Just
> like the powers of a whitchdoctor, a medicine man
> or a magician. In this context it does not really
> matter how we call them, but the bottom line is,
> these people have the ability to reach to the
> essence of the Coyote (as being part of the
> universe, naturally).

It seems like many of you seem to presume that I discount anything that would seem "paranormal" or "supernatural" in regards to skinwalkers, which is absolutely wrong. If we are to take anything that is perhaps unexplainable as being supernatural, than I would fully agree with your statement that skinwalkers are humans with supernatural abilities. The distinction, however, is the perception of what is a supernatural ability and what is attainable by humanity in nature. Their ability to run on all fours, the nightshine and even the appearance of looking like other animals are not supernatural abilities. You may find alot of distorted tales about them that would make it seem like these are but, to the firsthand viewer, it is not the case. They are definitely human. However, I absolutely do not deny that these creatures work magic. Their entire purpose of visiting a victim is to work ill magic on that person. Now, when we've been visited, I don't start counting bad luck moments in response, unlike my husband but I also do not dismiss what they are doing. Sometimes the sheer intention of doing another ill can cause that person ill. This has been the way of witchcraft in Europe as well as the Americas.

> Stephanie seems to put a lot of weight to the
> fact, that the skinwalkers are trained since their
> childhood, and possibly sees that as a sign of
> them being just "mere humans". Well, the medicine
> men and witchdoctors have the same sort of
> training also. They need to learn the herbs, the
> drugs, the rituals and the workings of the
> energies used.

That is a no brainer, Ritva. I have been trying to address the issue of skinwalkers in segments. Just because I have not discussed some of the negative medicine lore that they do (and is their whole purpose) does not mean that I discount it. Skinwalkers are an infinitely complex topic. Understanding them entails knowledge of the taboos associated with them, their position in Navajo society, how they conflict the beauty way both in regards to regular Navajo society and medicine men, their own medicine lore and tactics, outside of just their physical appearance. I was actually very hesitant to even begin to discuss their physical abilities but in the taboo thread, it seemed obviously clear to me that there was confusion and interest in this aspect. If I erred anywhere, it was by posting this thread first. You cannot even comprehend how unbelievably frustrating this has been for both my husband and I, especially when even briefly touching on any of the above is made and presumptions in regards to our beliefs are made.

> Add to this, that the skinwalkers actually need to
> learn how to move on all four, which IMO, probably
> is the hardest part of all. A good pointer to that
> direction is the picture of the skinwalker in this
> thread: the turquoise jewelry seems to cover the
> knuckles, as if being protective.

Yes and it is apparent by experience that not all skinwalkers can move on all fours. Some are very much stuck running around on two. However, one has to keep in mind that the skinwalkers that Jacquez may have seen may have had their own "style". My husband has never seen turquoise jewelry on a skinwalker from his own recollection. It doesn't mean that either of them are wrong. It just means that skinwalkers in different areas may have their own "fashion".

> Another pointer towards this is, as Joanne tried
> to bring up here, is the reaction of the animals.
> Animals are very sensitive to powers of this sort.
> If the overall feeling flowing from the
> skinwalkers is fear (as it probably is) then they
> control the animals by it. And can very probably
> get the dogs and cats to link the feeling of fear
> to the mere sound of the flute.

I do not dismiss the ability of animals to sense negative emotions. I just don't perceive it as being an "animal power" personally. Every living creature on this earth emits different odors depending on their mood. It's rather like how we're more likely to have a bad body odor when we are nervous or stressed. Dogs have an exceptional sense of smell and probably can smell a whole slew of odors emanating from humans. My late cat was the one who informed me that I was pregnant by sniffing curiously at my tummy and cautiously stepping over it instead of just tromping across it in her usual way...Animals can sense far more with their noses than we can.

> The wear of the animal skins is symbolic. In it's
> simplicity it means having the power of the animal
> which skin is involved. I honestly don't think any
> native would do it lightly and therefore see it as
> probable, that these people have the power of the
> Coyote. Why Coyote? Because it involves fear, and
> fear is the most powerful weapon in the world.
> Just my two cents, and European at that.

If somebody believes fervently that they can do something, odds are, they can do it just on sheer belief alone. The wearing of animal skins is very symbolic. However, not all animal skins are coyote skins. The preferred skin of a skinwalker can vary. One man who worked at a home for children on the reservation woke up to see a skinwalker wearing what appeared to be a goat's skin, complete with a horned head looming at the building's sliding glass door. It's a mistake to assume that they are just using "Coyote power" (a term that gave my husband a chuckle). The predominant skins of our last set of skinwalkers was mountain lion. As I've said before in this thread, the desired abilities that the skinwalker wants enhanced dictate the skin. Though why a skinwalker would necessarily choose a goat skin personally stumps me. Wisdom perhaps? Who knows. However, the wearing of these skins does not make them into shapeshifting creatures. Skinwalkers appear to shapeshift but any Navajo who has had alot of opportunity to examine them will tell you that they are simply tricksters. They're not shapeshifting, they're tricking you.

You need to dismiss out of your mind that they are only using the power of a coyote. It is absolutely wrong. They are associated with Coyote and they mimic Coyote. You need to also dismiss Coyote as being something totally scary and evil. Learn as much as you can about Coyote in the Navajo context because it is really quite different from that. Coyote has a very curious place among the Navajo. Yes, a coyote crossing the road from the wrong direction can be bad luck to the Navajo but Coyote, himself, does not entirely equate with evil. He's almost a comic character at times (Coyote tales are usually a favorite of children) and often gets himself and the tribe into trouble. In the Coyote tale of skinwalkers, Coyote is being Coyote. He's humoured by this man's admiration and decides to play with him. Coyote is NOT evil. He's a divine person and he is also responsible for much good for the tribe as well (ie hogans are accredited to Coyote). Coyote is used in almost every story about morals. The Japanese have a similiar animal person that gets into trouble in similiar ways that is a badger.

I have a Coyote pendant that I really like. If Coyote was an evil personage to the Navajo, not only would such a pendant been for sale so publicly but wearing it would be a serious cultural faux pas. My husband uses an alias similiar to Coyote sometimes because he understands the trickster quite well. My husband gets up to mischievious no good just like Coyote.

Here's a good link for you to read so perhaps you can understand Coyote better: [www.triplehood.com]

Stephanie




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