EP 59: NEW MEXICO'S SKINWALKERS!

There is a witch out there that is able to conjure some of the darkest magic around. They started off with the best of intentions and used magic to help the public, but somehow the lure of having magic grew too strong. In order to obtain more power they must be willing to make a sacrifice to prove their willingness to do anything. Alone these witches might not be intimidating, but what if I told you they have their own society? What if I told you they have been around for over 1000 years? And what if I told you that in addition to their dark magic they are also able to shapeshift into any creature or person they want? Do you know what this week's episode is about? Don't worry I'll tell you, it's about the famous Native American witches known as Skinwalkers. Take a listen and enjoy!

The Navajo Nation presence in New Mexico

All the Native American Tribes present in New Mexico

An image depicting the image of a traditional Shaman

Another depiction of a Skinwalker

SOURCE MATERIALS:

For the story:

1. NewMexicoExplorer.com. (n.d.). Native American Skinwalkers. New Mexico Explorer. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://www.newmexicoexplorer.com/native-american-skinwalkers/

2. VisitAlbuquerque.com. (n.d.). Explore Native American Culture in New Mexico. Visit Albuquerque. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://www.visitalbuquerque.org/about-abq/culture-heritage/native-american/

3. Weiser-Alexander, K. (2020, 2). Navajo Skinwalkers – Witches of the Southwest. Legends of America. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://www.legendsofamerica.com/navajo-skinwalkers/

4. Margaritoff, M., & Kuroski, J. (2021, May 24). What Are Skinwalkers? The Real Story Behind The Navajo Legend. All That's Interesting. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://allthatsinteresting.com/skinwalker

5. Harris, K. (n.d.). The Legends Of The Navajo Skinwalkers. History Daily. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://historydaily.org/navajo-skinwalkers-legend-cryptid

6. navajocodetalkersadmin. (2014, August 12). Navajo Shaman. Navajo Code Talkers. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://navajocodetalkers.org/navajo-shaman/

7. UtahIndians.com. (n.d.). History: The Navajo. Utah American Indian Digital Archive. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://utahindians.org/archives/navajo/history.html

For the Image:

1.  NativePartnership.org. (n.d.). Navajo Reservation - Navajo Relief Fund. Partnership With Native Americans. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from http://www.nativepartnership.org/site/PageServer?pagename=nrf_navajoreservation

2. Hillers, J. K. (n.d.). A Navajo Shaman. Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/a-navajo-shaman-john-k-hillers/zAHFWy2KFrVvAQ

3. Weiser-Alexander, K. (2020, 2). Navajo Skinwalkers – Witches of the Southwest. Legends of America. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://www.legendsofamerica.com/navajo-skinwalkers/

4. RiverCityGhosts.com. (n.d.). The Terror of the Skinwalker. River City Ghosts. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://rivercityghosts.com/the-terror-of-the-skinwalker-the-native-american-boogeyman/

5. Native-languages.org. (n.d.). New Mexico Indian Tribes and Languages. Native-languages.org. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from http://www.native-languages.org/nmexico.htm