Okay guys, from one true blooded Navajo to everyone here... Take a deep breath.
Skinwalkers are a great Navajo legend passed down. There are many stories; even some of my friend’s uncles say they have seen them. Personally, I think he was drunk, and when I said this to my friend... he laughed and agreed.
His uncle said that one night he saw a man on the side of the road. He almost stopped to pick him up, but something in him told him to keep driving. A minute later, he looked in his rearview window and saw the man running after the car, so he sped up. He reached 55 and figured he had well lost the man. But he turned to look at his left side-view and saw the man sitting running alongside the car. He yelled and pushed the car as fast as he could. Finally losing the man. The next day, after the sun had risen, he went to look at his car and found several large scratches on the door handle, as if some wild animal had tried to open the door, but was stopped by its claws.
Skinwalkers in Navajo legend are represented by Coyote, the trickster. So it is not a big leap to go from that to the wolves, hence werewolves in this dumb*** movie.
I am disappointed that they are making a movie called skinwalkers that is so blatantly unrealistic to my culture. And yes, I am upset that it has none of the legends I grew up with in it, but I'll live.
You say that my culture is being stomped on; some idiot got the idea to write a crappy horror movie about werewolves. What offends me most as a Navajo is that it won't be able to measure up to "Silver Bullet" which still remains the best and scariest werewolf movie I ever saw.
As to the comment about history repeating itself. You have no idea what you're talking about. Yes, we have been treated badly by "white men" (which I find the term offensive, and always have) but we are talking about history, it is in the past. It happened to my ancestors. Yes, it is sad that it happened, but it did happen, nothing can be done to change the past. And saying Hollywood is the "Man", and the "Man" is stomping on my culture is plane ignorance. You're comparing a stupid movie to the Long Walk.
It is not "white man" who is stomping all over the Navajo people, but our own corrupt government. Meaning the Navajo Nation, not the US government. All the money that should go to the people is only going to line the government officials’ pockets. If you really want to stop someone from stomping on us, look no further than the Navajo Nation’s president.
Amanda
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thatcrazyredhead
17 years ago
sb_girl, you said: "Yes, we have been treated badly by "white men" (which I find the term offensive, and always have)"
I'm a very curious German/Gaelic American (whose ancestors had settled in Appalachia) who would really like to know why you find the term "white men" offensive, esp. if you are Navajo. I'd think that it wouldn't matter too much to a Navajo what a white person like me was called.
I'm fascinated.
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sb_girl500
17 years ago
My mom is german/dutch/irish/cherokee and my father is Navajo. I grew up with both side of the argument, but I am mostly indian. I grew up with my mom, and find it offensive that people call her white and me Navajo. It made me feel like they were trying to seperate us, like she didn't deserve to have me. That's why I find it offensive.
I hope that answers your question.
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klittlewolf63
16 years ago
HI Amanda,
I am a Lakota and I replied to someone else that I had thought that this subject was not suppose to be talked about (can't remember who told me). Since you are Dine you would know. This is an old topic, but I would still like to know.
Put this in your signature if you are an atheist and not afraid to say it.
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sb_girl500
16 years ago
I agree, everyone tries to turn this stuff into a "race/racist" thing. I just posted here however long ago that was and let it pass. If people choose to be ignorant, it's their own problem, there's nothing I can do to stop them.
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daver6
9 years ago
I realise this is 8 years later, but great story sb_girl500; if my uncle told me that story I would think twice about driving along that road at night!!!
On a similar theme, when I was about 14 (I am now in my 50s) there was a deserted mansion called Overcourt, several miles from where I lived, that was reputed to have several ghosts haunting its extensive grounds; including a grey lady and a white horse. One night, greatly daring with a group of friends, I walked to the mansion and approached the mansion's grounds from the rear through a wood and a meadow. I crawled through a hedge next to a tree and on emerging at the other side I looked up and saw a huge white horse towering over me on it's hind legs. I immediately cried out in terror and backed out of the hedge and ran as fast as I could with my friends trailing behind me. For 40 years I have believed I saw the ghost horse. Two years ago I was reading about Overcourt, and found out that it contains a deer park famous for having white deer that stand on their hind legs to reach the leaves (or fruit) of the lower branches of trees!!!! I felt an idiot; but that night I saw what I was half expecting to see. Such is often the way with ghosts and legends.
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