Jane Wrote:
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> Hi Stephanie,
>
> About the confusion about "animal powers," I was
> wondering myself in a general sense because I
> suppose we are all familiar with the manner in
> which "new age" interpretations of shamanism in
> essence exploit NA cultures, and there has been
> lots of curiosity raised about shapeshifting by
> the Castaneda tales. Not to suggest that is what
> Ritva has had in mind ... I think her questions
> about taking on the animal spirit are certainly
> apropos and your answers and stryfe's have been
> helpful.

The Nahual stories, I think are kind of interesting. I can't remember where I read it from but I seem to recall the name as meaning "that which is my skin". Castaneda's observations put to the wayside (I can't comment too much because I haven't had a chance to read what he has to say in depth about nahual or look at sources beyond his), I think there is a general similiarity between the nahualli and the yenaldlooshi. Whether they are connected, I don't know. But yes, there is a great deal of "new age" interpretation out there in regards to Native beliefs and shamanism. I remember seeing a comment before by tribal officials that complaints by native americans in regards to different people doing the exploiting number into the thousands. Sometimes these people are from outside the culture, othertimes it's from within it itself. I remember reading one book in regards to skinwalkers that was written by a Navajo woman. I can't recall the name of it but I have heard different Navajo people refer to it as being rubbish and way too "new age".

> Along related lines, I have a question about
> "spirit of place." You mentioned that skinwalkers
> are known to hang out in Canyon de Chelly, for
> example. I'm familiar with the area and wondered
> if certain locales are considered sacred by
> skinwalkers or, as sometimes happens, a rumor is
> spread to discourage unwanted visitors from
> entering a site considered sacred by the tribe or
> perhaps both?

The Navajo do believe that places and even objects can retain spirits. Some traditional Navajo will not look at "Anasazi" aka ancestral puebloan artifacts because of fear of evil spirits becoming attached to them and following them home. Places are no different. Canyon de Chelley is the home of White House ruins. The Navajo are permitted to enter these ruins but often, you'll find that many will not because of spirit association. For instance, my son's almost entirely Navajo class were to go on a field trip to the Canyon and enter the White House ruins. The permission slip dispersed for this field trip was two part. First for the trip to the canyon itself and secondly, whether or not the parents permitted their child to enter the ruins themselves. It's rather like a death hogan. To put it simply, you don't enter into the homes of the dead. This is a strong Navajo belief and the association with skinwalkers to places of the dead (whether it be burial grounds or ruins) is within the culture itself. I don't believe that it is a deterrent to keep people out as a result. I have mentioned before that potsherds cover a good portion of the family's ranch and a skinwalker haunt is suspected of being on the butte itself. The belief that it is a skinwalker haunt is solely based on observations of the family itself so it has no "public" form in the instance of the butte. Skinwalkers are also noted as enjoying canyons and washes as their own "highways.

There is a strong affiliation with skinwalkers and the dead that is notable in many of the stories in regards to them. Their most infamous poison is called "corpse powder" and is believed to be made from the remains of human corpses. Accusations of graverobbing and necrophilia also exist as well. Whether or not these things do in fact happen or not is speculation. However, just the seeming attraction between skinwalkers and places of death would be repugnant to a Navajo. My uncle in law has talked about this association before with me and he feels that it is possible that the skinwalkers attempt to draw spiritual power from the dead, particuliarly "anasazi" spirits.

Stephanie





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