The Complete Idiot's Guide to Werewolves (4 page)

All that is known for certain about these rites is that the initiates are taken deep into the forest to a very secret and still completely unknown location (at least, it’s unknown to outsiders). It is there that the initiates are instructed in the tribal lycanthropy traditions. This is thought to be a time for the elder generations to pass on their tribe’s ancient heritage, which is rich with secret rites and ceremonial initiations. Most speculate that, during this time, initiates are instructed in the proper lycanthropic chants, songs, dances, and meditations.

According to the myths of many southern tribes, a group of powerful magic users called the
Yeenaaldlooshii,
or “skinwalkers,” became a widespread terror in a time long ago. Technically, skinwalkers are not lycanthropes but
therianthropes
since they are said to be able to assume the form of many different animals (one of which, of course, is the form of a wolf or other canine). Therefore, if one were to witness a person transforming into the form of a wolf or canine, there is at least a minute possibility that one has encountered a skinwalker and not a werewolf. Unfortunately, the only way to find out would be to ask … and this is definitely not recommended.

In certain regions of the United States (mainly in the Southwest) and in parts of northern Mexico, the subject of skinwalkers is still discussed in hushed tones. The few remaining descendents of this ancient and powerful people are believed to live in these areas and are usually either feared or revered. However, those they live among usually prefer that these skinwalkers remain anonymous.

 

Skinwalkers are now believed to be a part of an ancient tribal group called the
Anasazi,
which means “ancient enemy.” This tribal group is believed to have been hunted down by other tribes and nearly wiped out. They were feared and hated for their powers and for the violently bloody rituals they were known to perform. These skinwalkers are believed to be all that remain of them.

Today, not all skinwalkers are considered to be inherently evil. All of them are thought to be powerful, of course, and most would rather give them a wide berth. However, the current general opinion is that their individual personalities determine whether or not a skinwalker is evil. For example, in the Navajo language, the word for skinwalker has come to simply mean “witch.” One might compare the Native American view of skinwalkers to the Haitian view of a Voodoo priest or priestess or to the Hispanic view of practitioners of Santeria.

 

Belief in a similar figure called the
Nahual
(or
Nagual
), which is a shaman practice believed to originate from the Toltec peoples, exists among the Pueblo peoples and in rural Mexico. The relationship between the Nahual and the people they live among is similar to that of skinwalkers.

 

Unlike the naturally malevolent perception of skinwalkers, however, the Nahual are not often considered especially evil or unnecessarily violent. They are, however, said to be extremely lazy by nature. Having one living nearby can turn out to be a real headache, according to the lore. As a result of their laziness, the Nahual are said to misuse their powers in order to steal food or money from the homes of their neighbors. Anyone who lives alone and does not work but never seems to have trouble paying bills or getting food is often suspected of being a Nahual.

At one time, the Hopi people of the Pueblo tribes took part in a ritual called the Ya Ya Ceremony. This rite was believed to grant the participants the abilities of certain animals, which commonly included the wolf. The details are not well known, but the gist of the ritual is understood. Basically, the participants would first gather a collection of skins from the animal whose spirit they wished to invoke, thereby receiving that animal spirit’s abilities. Once the skins were gathered, a shaman would lead the participants through a ceremony that involved rubbing the skins on the areas of the body where the individual wanted to receive power. For example, if the speed of a wolf was desired, then the skins would be rubbed on the feet and legs. If strength was desired, then they would be rubbed on the major muscle groups. If one wanted to have the eyesight of a wolf, then one would rub the skins against one’s eyes. And this was where the Hopi ran into a problem.

 

These days, the Hopi no longer perform the Ya Ya Ceremony because the entire group was afflicted by an eye disease epidemic that remains officially unidentified. Some Hopi believed that the animal spirits had cursed them for abusing this sacred ceremony.

The Ya Ya Ceremony is currently forbidden, and it appears unlikely that its practice will ever be resumed (at least, not in its original form).

Before you begin this section, it is very important that you understand one important fact. The
Wendigo,
technically speaking, is
not
a werewolf. The Wendigo is more like a demon or spirit than a physical creature. Of course, it
could
be a werewolf, and there are some who believe it is. However, most people are of the opinion that it is some species of Sasquatch (better known as “Bigfoot”), which is something entirely different.

No one is quite sure where the stories of the Wendigo first began or how the word came to be considered the name of a creature. In truth, the word “Wendigo” roughly translates as “cannibal.” The native tribes of Canada and northern Minnesota created this word to refer to a person who had resorted to cannibalism in order to survive. During the winter months, they were often short on food and cut off from travel. Therefore, cannibalism became a concern, and this likely led to the creation of the Wendigo myth. When a person turned cannibal to survive, it was said that they had been possessed by the Wendigo. In such cases, these people were no longer seen as humans, and it was believed that they had the potential to undergo a physical transformation.

 

Over time, certain members of the tribe took on the task of being professional Wendigo slayers. The last known case of this took place in October of 1907. A Wendigo slayer of the Cree tribe by the name of Jack Fiddler had a very successful career, proudly claiming to have slain no less than 14 Wendigo. His last Wendigo slaying was of an elderly Cree woman, whom Fiddler vehemently claimed had been possessed by the Wendigo. He insisted that she had been on the verge of undergoing the physical transformation, after which there would have been no stopping her. She would have turned and, according to Fiddler, slaughtered the entire village had he not intervened. Unfortunately for him, the courts did not see the situation in the same light. Jack Fiddler and his son, Joseph Fiddler, stood trial for the woman’s murder. Interestingly enough, neither man ever denied having killed her. In fact, they both pleaded guilty but claimed the killing was necessary in order to protect the rest of the village. Both men were imprisoned for her murder. Jack Fiddler was 87 years old at the time.