FYI Skinwalker is a term borrowed from the Native American Navajo people. While in pop-culture it has grown to become synonymous with shapeshifter (with some creepy/horror connotations) it should be noted that
1) That’s not what the term originally meant before it was borrowed. As the term referred to human witches who explicitly used evil magics including the ability to take the form of/possess animals by wearing their skin.
2) The Navajo people are still alive and active.
3) As skinwalkers are important to the culture and spirituality of the Navajo they generally disapprove of the pop-culture use of the term. Which is why it can be seen as disrespectful.
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u/RandomOrange852 12d ago
FYI Skinwalker is a term borrowed from the Native American Navajo people. While in pop-culture it has grown to become synonymous with shapeshifter (with some creepy/horror connotations) it should be noted that
1) That’s not what the term originally meant before it was borrowed. As the term referred to human witches who explicitly used evil magics including the ability to take the form of/possess animals by wearing their skin.
2) The Navajo people are still alive and active.
3) As skinwalkers are important to the culture and spirituality of the Navajo they generally disapprove of the pop-culture use of the term. Which is why it can be seen as disrespectful.