Explore captivating indigenous myths from North America, including Skinwalkers, Cannibal Dwarves, and Wendigos.
The indigenous cultures of North America possess rich and diverse traditions that span millennia, varying greatly from one tribe to another. In recent times, several captivating folktales and myths from these tribes have gained increased recognition. Here are four of the most intriguing:
The Skinwalker One of the most well-known legends is that of the Skinwalker among the Navajo people. This legend has gained notoriety, partly due to Skinwalker Ranch in Utah, a location known for its strange phenomena. The origins of the skinwalker myth are shrouded in ambiguity, but they are generally depicted as malevolent witches with the ability to shape-shift or possess animals and people. In the Navajo language, they are referred to as ‘yee naaldlooshii’, which translates to ‘with it, he goes on all fours.’ Some versions of the story suggest that skinwalkers were once healers and medicine men who turned to evil due to their own power or as a result of social transgressions.
Skinwalkers are often envisioned as monstrous coyotes, wolves, or bears and are believed to be nearly invulnerable. However, lore suggests that a bullet or knife coated with white ash may be effective in defeating them.
- The Cannibal Dwarves of the Great Plains Several tribes in the Great Plains, including the Arapaho and Cheyenne, share a frightening legend of cannibal dwarves with exceptional strength. Known by various names, these creatures were child-sized and insatiably aggressive. Some versions of the legend state that they engaged in warfare because they believed that dying in battle was the only way to reach the afterlife. Their characteristics vary in different tellings, with some accounts describing them as one-eyed, squat, winged, or possessing magical powers.
These malevolent goblin-like beings are commonly believed to have been eradicated in an ancient battle with a coalition of tribes. However, tales of little folk, some of which are mischievous rather than malevolent, are integral to the legends of many North American tribes.
- Wendigos Wendigos are among the most terrifying creatures in the lore of the Algonquian tribes of North America. While contemporary portrayals often liken them to werewolves with antlers or horns, the original lore describes wendigos as giant, emaciated humanoids driven by an insatiable appetite for human flesh. They are believed to symbolize the harsh winters and food scarcity experienced by many tribes. “Wendigo psychosis” was an early psychiatric condition used to describe individuals in Algonquian regions who were gripped by cannibalistic compulsions.
One notable case associated with wendigo psychosis is that of Swift Runner, a Cree Indian trapper in Canada, who slaughtered and consumed his own family during the harsh winter of 1878. He claimed to have been possessed by a wendigo spirit, but he was sentenced to hang by a jury of his fellow Cree people.
- Queen of Death Valley In California’s scorching Death Valley, a place known for extreme heat, the Timbisha Shoshone tribe has passed down legends for generations. These stories tell of a time when Death Valley was a lush, green landscape with meadows and springs, ruled by a matriarch who ordered her people to construct a grand palace for her. Over time, the queen’s tyranny and enslavement of her people led to a curse placed upon her by her own daughter. Nature retaliated, causing the sun to intensify in heat and turning the once fertile land into a barren desert.
This legend serves as the origin story of Death Valley as it is known today, and it is said that the queen’s cursed palace can still be seen as a mirage in the desert’s shimmering heat.
