#Skinwalkers

[losthavenmine]

"I am what they say I am... I'm a monster."

Van Helsing (2004); The Howling (1981); Bad Moon (1996); The Wolf Man (1941); An American Werewolf in London (1981); Penny Dreadful (2014-2016); Underworld (2003); Skinwalkers (2006); The Wolfman (2010); Dog Soldiers (2002)

[thepalecrawlers]

Texas is at it again with some scary shit

[allmythologies]

day 1 of 30 days of horror mythology: skinwalkers

In navajo culture, a skin-walker is a type of harmful witch who has the ability to turn into, possess, or disguise themselves as an animal. the term is never used for healers.

[spookcataloger]

Different Perspectives (2017)

[theirwolfbicanthrope]

Skinwalkers (2006) dir. James Isaac

[annalegacy]

BloodMoon First post 👍

[luulapants]

Stop Being Weird About Indians

Let’s talk about virtue signalling when talking about American Indians and how it’s doing more harm than good. I saw a take that writing about Kaia, an indigenous character in Supernatural, in fanfiction is a cancel-able offense because the way she’s depicted in the show is problematic. I’ve heard similar things about the skinwalkers in Teen Wolf - I’ve also heard that you shouldn’t even type the word “skinwalkers” because it’s offensive, which... I’m not gonna go into all the details, but that’s a gross misunderstanding of the belief around the word, and also the actual word the belief is about - you won’t believe this - isn’t an English word.

Anyway.

The topic of indigenous oppression in the US is complicated, but one of the fundamental issues, which actual indigenous activists (not just keyboard warriors) constantly talk about, is the way indigenous people are ignored and erased from the story. It’s called “The Terminal Narrative.” Text books talk about indigenous people like they’re a relic of the past, like they’re all dead and gone. (Do you know how weird it is for Indian children on reservations to read a US history book that implies they don’t exist?) Human rights abuses and social issues on reservations are left out of the conversation or skimmed over as if they’re too obscure to be fully understood, or like they impact so few people, it doesn’t really matter.

Policing wording is not activism. Sharing call-out posts isn’t activism. You are not doing anything to help anyone. You’re not funding, volunteering, calling politicians, or doing any actual work to better the lives of indigenous Americans. (Before anyone calls hypocrite, I do work with an indigenous rights group IRL.) When someone scolds another person online over using a word that isn’t PC, 99% of the time it’s clear they don’t actually care - they derive a sense of moral superiority from knowing the “correct” way to speak. And they don’t care about the chilling effect it has on speech overall. This naturally leads to one of the most toxic elements of liberal conversations about race: that you must have the conversation perfectly or not at all. And that’s the impact it has. People just stop talking about it for fear of being wrong.

Can you see how, in a society where indigenous oppression is actively facilitated by silence and erasure, making people afraid to speak about Indians is one of the worst things you could possibly do?

It’s become standard fare for Indian Studies books to start with a disclaimer explaining that “Indian” actually isn’t an offensive word and is the word that most indigenous people use for themselves. The disclaimer isn’t because it’s new or radical information. It’s because white Americans are so goddamn weird about virtual signaling about ~The Native Americans~ that they would condemn a much-needed book of scholarship on native issues just for using a word that they thought was offensive.

Native people aren’t a monolith. You’ll find Indians that insist you need to spell it NDN or that XYZ is offensive. Production companies can pay a native person to come tell them they’re allowed to write about something most people from their tribe would find offensive. Fact of the matter is, a lot of Indians are not experts on like... heritage culture. If they grew up on a rez, they can tell you about rez culture, but they’re not all Indian Studies scholars, the same way not all Irish people are experts on Celtic paganism. Not all Indians are experts on indigenous politics, the same way not all Americans are experts on American politics. And it goes without saying that a GODAWFUL amount of the people lecturing on acceptable ways to interact with indigenous characters are not only uninformed about indigenous issues (I saw one post where someone clearly linked the first thing that came up when they googled “Native American drug addiction”) but are also not indigenous themselves.

And, yes, the vast majority of depictions of Indians in American media are problematic in one way or another, but saying that the solution is to erase indigenous characters from fandom entirely (because they’re all problematic) is the absolute WORST conclusion to reach. Fix the characters if you care that much! Give the Teen Wolf skinwalkers names! And an iPad! Let Kaia be the master of her own destiny! Let her bitch Dean out for pointing that gun in her face! Let her live happily ever after with her girlfriend! What the hell is fandom for if not fixing the issues we see in canon? Why are we allowed to reclaim and rewrite problematic queer characters but not problematic native characters? Who is that serving? Because it sure as hell isn’t serving Indians.

Anyone that tells you it’s better to ignore Indians than say the wrong thing about them is, knowingly or not, actively promoting a terminal narrative and the continuation of indigenous genocide.

[georgeromeros]

Skinwalkers (2006) dir. Jim Isaac

[gooch333]

[tildeathiwillwrite]

The Elf Under the Ice, Part 3

Fandom: Original Work

WIP: The Hunter, the Myth and the Cure (Tales from Valaria)

<- Previous Part | Next Part ->

Words: 700

Tag List: @fourwingedsnake @whumperofworlds @pigeonwhumps @mr-orion @scaewolf

@the-ellia-west

CW: transformation, referenced death

A/N: last little bit of the chapter. Not much happens but of course Draven can't just take Octavian's word that he's a skinwalker.

----------

Making a snap decision, Draven rose to his feet, sliding one of his small knives from his sleeve. He held it out towards Octavian hilt-first. “Hey.”

The elf froze mid-step at his approach, eying the proffered knife. He still appeared half-crazed with an emotion Draven couldn’t place, but he exhaled slowly, and the emotion became neutral, almost calculating. “What are you doing?”

“I have a… proposition.”

Octavian raised an eyebrow.

“I assume you know your way around this part of the Fells. I propose a deal. You help me track down my mark and I split the payment. You get time to process… whatever the depths you seem to be processing and some funds. I get a hand in my job and… you answer some of my questions. You have no weapons, but I assume you prefer knives, so you can borrow one of mine.”

Octavian stared at him.

“Plus,” Draven added, shrugging, “you kinda owe me for saving your life.”

The elf regarded him and the knife, eyes darting to the mouth of the cave and his stuff near the fire, almost dry by now. He slowly reached out, slender fingers wrapping around the knife.

Draven didn’t let go. Not yet. “First question: what are you?”

“Are you sure you really want to know?” The answer was quiet, devoid of emotion, and yet somehow thick with it.

Draven hesitated, noting the look in the elf’s eyes. “Yes. I’ve met elves before.” Like two in passing. “You’re different. Somehow.”

“Perceptive.”

“I try.”

Octavian exhaled slowly, thinking. “How familiar are you with the myth of the skinwalkers?”

Draven shrugged. “Familiar enough. Not too different from lycanthropes, the way I understand it. Two forms, a humanoid and a creature of some sort. But they can change whenever they want.”

“Yes.”

“You’re one of them?”

“Yes.”

“Prove it.”

Octavian narrowed his eyes, but Draven let go of the knife’s blade and stepped back, so he slowly tucked it away into one of the empty sheathes and cocked his head, as if he were listening intently to a far-off sound. He frowned slightly, staring into space, a low growl rumbling in his throat.

The transformation was so swift Draven almost missed it. Octavian’s body seemed to melt and mold itself into an entirely different being, flesh twisting and bones breaking and reforming, fur appearing from nothing, his clothes disappearing into thin air. It was strangely graceful and grotesque, within seconds he had changed completely from an elf into a massive silver wolf.

It was as long as Octavian was tall, coming about to Draven’s waist at the shoulder. Its fur was the same color as the elf’s hair, and it watched him with eyes identical to its humanoid form, the same wariness and apprehension apparent.

He’d been correct in his initial estimation. It was similar to a lycanthrope’s transformation under the full moon. It was similar, but so different it was unfair to compare them at all. A lycanthrope changed unwillingly, their body and mind wracked with agony and terror throughout the process. No control, no choice, only pain and the beast. He’d watched it unfold many times, had been forced to kill the beasts who moments before were people he’d considered friends.

Octavian’s shift, however… it was something else entirely. He’d summoned it, brought the transformation on by his own choice, at Draven’s urging. And while it had been slightly sickening to witness, the change had caused him no suffering. Was the consciousness the same, too? Or would that have shifted too, compensating for the senses and instincts of a predator while still maintaining sentience?

“Wow…” Draven breathed. 

The wolf regarded him for a long moment before standing on its hind legs and melting back into the form of Octavian, who wore an expression of mild self-satisfaction. “We call ourselves devar.” He hesitated before continuing, “this might sound strange to you, but I’ve never heard of these ‘lycanthropes’. They sound close, in concept, but we are not the same.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Draven agreed, “not anymore. But it still doesn’t explain how you ended up under the ice—?”

Octavian held up a hand and crossed the cave, kneeling and picking up his tunic. “First, we find your lycanthrope. Then I answer that.”

Draven sighed but turned away and began gathering up his own stuff. “Fair enough, elf. Fair enough.”

[trippin-chippin]

Some more kitts (my version of skinwalkers) that I doodle yesterday in math class

But this one….. THIS ONE I’d pet and make it a good doggo

[losthavenmine]

Skinwalkers (2006)

[thepalecrawlers]

Dog child spirit

[prussianmemes]

these tumblr live people are evil. not a single one of them are real tumblr users.

[spookcataloger]

The category is skinwalker shitposts:

Justified skinwalker (2013)

The bodysnatcher moves out (2013)

Theres 50 of him now (2015)

It was acid all along (2013)

Don't spook on me (2016)

That'll fool them (2014)

[itzmushusworld]

Skinwalkers

Everyone has heard of a myth or legend growing up that has been passed down for generations. From the boogie man to sirens. Normally these Myths are created to make a kid scared to be out late at night or to make them take percussions when going outside. Today i’m gonna touch base and a very well known myth, known as the mimicking and shape shifting spirit…Skinwalkers.

What are skinwalkers?

Skinwalkers are often known as a skinny and pale creature with glowing eyes that walk on all fours. They are known to mimic animals,baby cries or anything that will make you search for the sound you are hearing. They can also shapeshift into animals like deer, your dog or anything they please. In some places skinwalkers ain’t a skinny pale creature but they’re a witch or shaman who can transform into animals. In some places skinwalkers are evil entities who intent harm on people.

Where did they originate from?

Skinwalkers are apart of the Native American Navajo lore. The skinwalker lore likely began as a way to convey moral lessons and explain occurrences that were inexplicable at the time. It serves as a cautionary tale within the culture, warning against certain behaviors and the misuse of spiritual power.

Skinwalker Ranch

Skinwalker Ranch, also known as Sherman Ranch, is a property located in Utah that's infamous for reports of paranormal and UFO-related activities. It's named after the skinwalker of Native American legend and has become a hub for those interested in the supernatural.

How to know if you spotted one?

Most of the time when someone thinks an animal is a skinwalker is when they have glowing or human like eyes. Another way people think they seen a skinwalker is when a 4 legged animal walks on its two back legs like it’s natural to them.

How were they created?

Skinwalkers, in legend, were once healers or spiritual guides who have been corrupted by dark magic. They're said to have chosen to gain their powers by breaking a cultural taboo, which varies among the stories told.

What is associated with them?

Skinwalkers are often associated with malevolent acts, shape-shifting abilities, and certain animals like coyotes, wolves, bears, and birds of prey. They're also linked to various supernatural phenomena within their lore.

What to do if you ever encounter one

If someone believes they've encountered a skinwalker, folklore often suggests not to engage or lock eyes, as it's said they can absorb themselves into your body. It's also advised to keep the encounter to oneself, as speaking about it might attract their attention.

The world of Skinwalkers and their ability to be anything or sound like anything is a way to attract the human attention. When you hear an animal in pain or a baby crying you subconsciously want to go help them without thinking any danger is involved.

I enjoy deep diving into legends, myths, mysteries and just anything that has many different ways to look at it. If you have any suggestions for a post, let me know and i’ll make a post about it and it’s history!

-Someone who thinks 24/7