Skinwalkers? (Navajo: casino, live, pine)

[bigduly]

My uncle works with a Navajo man who encountered a skinwalker. The guy said he was coming from Gallup late at night. And he was about to fall asleep at the wheel, when he stopped on the side of the road to try and wake himself up. Right when he stepped out of the car, he saw something gliding across the tree tops like in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. He said he was scared stiff, then the skinwalker stopped and was just sitting atop the trees. He looked at the skinwalker and saw an old lady with a painted face. He said he doesn't know how he got home. Plus there are many stories of skinwalkers chasing cars. That's why don't like driving from Gallup late at night.

[desert sun]

I've heard a few stories that involve skinwalkers between Gallup and Shiprock, it is scary driving through the rez at night knowing what goes on.

[songinthewind7]

I think I know where my next drive will be. Sounds interesting and spooky.

[nightwishfan]

The legends and stories I've heard growing up in NM, adds that if it's dangerous/deadly to look a skinwalker in the eye. There are many stories of truck drivers trucking down the highway only to look out their side window and see a skinwalker racing along side them. I've also heard from a Navajo police officer that on two occasions he saw an animal/person and when he looked again it was a person/animal. One was in a rural area, but the other was right in the middle of Albuquerque.

Oh and also, the Northern NM Spanish (old land grant families), have similar beliefs in that one type of their witches (I believe there are 3 types, and this one is considered very evil and dangerous) have shape shifting abilities, mainly in the form of ravens and owls. There are particular roads and passes where one is more likely to run into one of these people/creatures late at night.

[john4355]

Originally Posted by tecpatl

With all due respect to the Dine' and their ancient beliefs, and all people who believe in spirit beings, angels, werewolves, ghosts, poltergeists or weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, one has to sincerely believe such things exist in order to encounter them. That encounter, then, can be as real and true as the sun rising in the East.
Jesus doesn't save the atheist family by waking them when the house catches fire in the middle of the night, the dog does. Hey, wait....d-o-g...g-o-......hmmmmm
Without the belief I don't think skinwalkers or similar beings are a real threat issue in New Mexico, though everybody loves a ghost story, or a Tony Hillerman book.

Relax, it's OK to admit you're afraid of skinwalkers (I am), you don't have to hide it.

[DgoNative]

Skinwalkers are also talked about amongst the Ute Mountain Utes and Southern Utes. A couple of friends from the Southern Ute tribe and I talked about skinwalkers and they were telling me weird stories they have had driving on the rez. But they also told me, people outside of Native American descent have nothing to worry about, skinwalkers only mess with fellow Natives.

[songinthewind7]

I'm wondering if one shows no fear of skinwalkers, for instance, if one is minding there own business, and stands there ground if faced with a challenge, if that's a good thing to do.
I'm confused as to why a skinwalker would want to hurt somebody.
I've heard about shapeshifters and they don't hurt anyone.

[Idunn]

Would reiterate that witches with such skill unlikely to have much interest in human affairs. But there are exceptions to everything.

I've been in the Navajo Nation many times, day and night. Nothing untoward. A certain amount of luck, but I generally wasn't looking for anything like this. If Native American's are more susceptible possibly because they have usually been raised to believe in such things as a matter of fact. If expecting something, sometimes you can find it. Something like opening a door; they can't necessarily pass through but if you do better be prepared for what is on the other side.

Anyone, of any persuasion, spending some time alone in the wilds of the rez, or at a place such as Hovenweep National Monument
Hovenweep National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)
in the dark of night might be persuaded of any number of things.

[sjbasin]

The most frightening thing about skinwalkers is that people actually believe in them.

[songinthewind7]

The more frightening would be, people that don't believe. Those are the ones they may go after.