Additional information
by Wendy Swanson (Editor), Gary Swanson (Author)
In choosing the title for this book, we were influenced by several Navajo advisors and their many references to the connection they so very often refer to between our current world and the world beyond earth. It is the well-established belief that the all-powerful Navajo gods were suddenly called away by the "creator," as they were needed in other worlds. They departed our earth through a "Grand Sipapu" (the circular hole in the floor of the main kiva). Knowing that they were unlikely to every return to earth, the gods left behind them a way by which their people could, if ever needed, crate a "minor god" who would have some of the abilities of their predecessors; such as the power to shapeshift or to assume the identity of another form; such as a bird or animal and then be able to return to their previous human body.A word of caution to our readers; whether one chooses to believe the information on the powers associated with the witch known as "yee naaldlooshii" (Skinwalker) or not; the authors recommend following the policy that we ourselves strictly adhere to. We never say either the Navajo word, nor its English interpretation aloud. Many of the Skinwalker stories in this collection take place near the famous Skinwalker Ranch and in the Navajo Nation. We began our reports on the Skinwalker purely by chance while researching Native American curses with a Shaman friend of ours. There seemed to be a fine line between the tribal beliefs and when we were introduced to another Native holy man from yet a different tribe, there were some similarities, but with many of its people there were occasional comments about yee naaldlooshii. (The avenging witch of the Navajo Nation.) That's where the cut-off came. The Skinwalker belongs totally to the Navajo people and this subject brought up a curtain between our research into tribal customs. Researching the Skinwalker has been totally different for us, and we can't say it's been enjoyable. The open introductions and friendly sharing of information we experienced when researching Native American Curses did not carry over to Skinwalker research. Although this study required an adjustment to our methods of research, we have been forced to make many more security checks and precautions, both for the protection of our story submitters and our personal safety; which we must say has on many occasions been really on the edge of safe procedures. When one sees a heavily disguised person with whom you have been speaking for half an hour, walk into the semi-darkness outside of the building and totally disappear is scary enough, but to see that person transform into a black-tail deer in front of your eyes and run into a nearby forest, is unnerving to say the least. This kind of "freak-out moment" isn't something one can brush aside. Driving along a one lane highway with the full moon enhancing the spooky rock formations of a lonely desert road can become even scarier if suddenly one notices an antelope keeping pace with your sixty miles an hour. As if that scare isn't enough, couple that with the fact that you notice as the animal cuts off across the desert it's running on its hind legs When we first heard about these occurrences, we were suspicious, and soon after, we saw it in person We were fortunate that when we began our research into this mysterious witch, we had been thoroughly briefed by a medicine man of the Sioux tribe, and friends with the Apache, Comanche and several others about the tricks we may be confronted with. Even though the yee naaldlooshii is solely attached to the Navajo people, the other tribes are well aware of its existence, however, it has been explained to us in a "round about" way that the witches and curses associated with the individual tribes seldom seem to cross the line. We chose early on to do our best to report the stories submitted to us without passing judgement.
