skinwalker

Skinwalker is a figure in Navajo folklore described as a malevolent witch who has learned the ability to shapeshift into animals or other forms. The term skinwalker is an English rendering of yee naaldlooshii, from the Navajo language, often translated as "with it, he goes on all fours" or "a person who walks on all fours."

In Navajo belief, skinwalkers are feared individuals who violate social and spiritual norms, often associated with witchcraft and the use of animal skins to gain power. Discussion of skinwalkers is traditionally taboo in many Navajo communities, and tales about them are used to warn against wrongdoing and to police social behavior.

Traditional descriptions emphasize a range of abilities, including shifting shape into animals such as wolves, coyotes, foxes, bears, or into other human forms; the ability to mimic voices or sounds; enhanced speed, stealth, and strength; and sometimes the power to influence or harm others.

Outside Navajo culture, the term skinwalker has entered broader popular culture as a generic supernatural shapeshifter. In the American modern age, the area of Skinwalker Ranch (in Utah) has been linked with paranormal investigations and sensational media coverage, though such accounts are often separate from traditional beliefs and are contested.

Some other Indigenous peoples have traditions of shapeshifters or skin-wearing witches with parallels to the skinwalker concept, though the specifics vary by culture and language.