My hubby is taking an afternoon nap but I can tackle some of your questions now in regards to Coyote and his role with skinwalkers. First of all, Coyote is a hunter and therefore, it is his job to understand other animals. He is the one that was sent into the fourth world (this world) ahead of the people to understand what sort of animals lived here. Doing so, he is kind of the master of information in regards to animals of this world. For an animal shaman, a hunting deity who knows all about animals would be their primary deity. For the previous incarnation of skinwalkers, this would be Coyote. Now, just because they are now using their gifts for ill and harm, the importance of Coyote's knowledge would still have great pertinence to them. My uncle-in-law has often told me that they pervert the Beauty Way. Speculation, of course, but could it also mean that they find some sort of revenge in perverting Coyote in the same way?

Why they changed, I don't know. My snoozing husband may have more information on this aspect beyond that at some point in the relatively recent past, they ceased their positive function in the tribe and switched to a negative. However, we could be perceiving them absolutely wrong. Perhaps they feel that what they are doing is somehow right and that the rest of the Navajo tribe is somehow wrong, thereby excusing their activities. Perhaps they are at war with the Navajo tribe? Pure speculation, of course, but, like you, I find it troublesome for an animal shaman to switch so entirely as well.

Stephanie



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