Skin-walker
A harmful Navajo witch that can transform into an animal.
In Navajo tradition, a skin-walker—called *yee naaldlooshii* in the Navajo language, meaning "by means of it, it goes on all fours"—is a malevolent witch capable of transforming into, taking over, or disguising themselves as an animal. This term is never applied to healers. Skin-walkers are seen as the opposite of Navajo values, using harmful rituals and manipulative magic that corrupt the beneficial work of medicine people. The legend is deeply woven into Navajo culture and is seldom shared with outsiders, both because of cultural taboos and because non-Navajos often lack the necessary context to understand it. Stories about skin-walkers often involve them using their powers for evil, and they are regarded with fear and mystery. While the *yee naaldlooshii* is the most common type in outsider horror fiction, it is just one of several kinds of skin-walkers in Navajo belief, specifically a form of *'ánti'įhnii*. These witches may be male or female, and the animals they are linked to often include tricksters like the coyote, as well as creatures associated with death or bad omens. They might also possess living animals or people. Navajo children’s stories about skin-walkers can be complete life-or-death struggles ending in a killing, or partial encounters that end in a stalemate—sometimes as victory tales where the skin-walker is scared away from a hogan. Non-Native versions, however, tend to be road encounters where the protagonist escapes in ways not typical of Navajo tradition.
- Navajo term
- yee naaldlooshii
- Translation
- by means of it, it goes on all fours
- Category
- type of 'ánti'įhnii (Navajo witch)
- Associated animals
- tricksters such as coyote, creatures associated with death or bad omens
- Gender
- may be male or female
Lore & Background
Skin-walkers are seen as the antithesis of Navajo values, performing malevolent ceremonies and using manipulative magic in stark contrast to the beneficial works of medicine people. Traditional accounts describe them as powerful sorcerers who, after engaging in various nefarious acts, gain the ability to transform into animals at will. They may also possess living animals or people and walk around in their bodies.
Stories told among Navajo children may be complete life-and-death struggles that end in either the skin-walker or the Navajo killing the other, or partial encounter stories that end in a stalemate. Encounter stories may be composed as Navajo victory stories, with skin-walkers approaching a hogan and being scared away. Non-Native interpretations typically take the form of partial encounter stories on the road, where the protagonist is temporarily vulnerable but then escapes in a way not traditionally seen in Navajo stories.
The legend is not well understood outside Navajo culture, both due to reluctance to discuss the subject with outsiders and the lack of necessary cultural context. Traditional Navajo people are reluctant to reveal skin-walker lore to non-Navajos or to discuss it at all among those they do not trust.
Reader's Guide
The skin-walker legend holds deep significance within Navajo culture as a representation of evil and the antithesis of Navajo values. While community healers and medicine people perform beneficial works, skin-walkers are seen as corrupt individuals who pervert traditional magic for harmful purposes. The legend is rarely discussed with outsiders, a reticence rooted in cultural taboos and the belief that non-Navajos lack the contextual understanding to properly grasp the stories. Cherokee Nation academic Adrienne Keene has noted that when non-Navajos incorporate these legends into their writing, it opens Native people to a barrage of questions about beliefs and traditions that should not be discussed by outsiders. This protective stance is seen as essential for the survival of Navajo culture. The legend's legacy in non-Native contexts often takes simplified forms, such as partial encounter stories on the road, which differ from traditional Navajo narratives that may involve complete life-and-death struggles or victory stories where skin-walkers are scared away from a hogan.
Did You Know?
- The term yee naaldlooshii translates to 'by means of it, it goes on all fours'.
- Skin-walkers are one of several types of 'ánti'įhnii (Navajo witches).
- Animals associated with skin-walkers usually include tricksters like the coyote, as well as creatures linked to death or bad omens.
- Traditional Navajo people are reluctant to discuss skin-walker lore with outsiders, a practice that helps preserve their culture.
More in Legendary Creatures of the Indigenous Peoples of North America 1-24
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