What kind of werewolf myths originate from your location?

[AngelOfLight258]

Here in the Southwestern USA, we have skinwalkers which were Navajo Shaman that could turn into beasts (usually wolves) at will.

But elsewhere in the US (WI & MI) we have "dogmen" which aren't "werewolves" in the sense that they transform but rather stay in a humanoid dog shape.

[NathanDavis]

"~ In Aztec mythology, a Nahual was a sort of guardian angel that manifested itself in the form of an animal. Each person had a nahual who watched over and protected them. You receive a different nahual depending on which day you were born. Then your parents keep this from you until they believe you are mature enough to know. They do this because many times the person resembles their nahual animal. For example, a bull is mean, so if the child's nahual is a bull then he would use it to their advantage, and act mean to everyone to get what they want. You are not supposed to tell anyone what your nahual is unless they are really close to you.

Mexico is known for their shamans, wizards and "curanderos" (tribal doctors), sometimes called Nahuales o Naguales. All cities and towns in Mexico have at least a Nahual.

The Aztec voice for Nahual is "Nahualli" that means "lo que es mi vestidura o piel" (Something that is my cloth or skin). And it refers to the ability of the Nahual to morph himself into a werecreature (wolf, jaguar, lynx, bull, eagle, coyote, ...) That voice also refers nigromancy, secret and malice.

Before the rise of the great Perhispanic civilizations like Aztec and Mayan, The yakis, tarahumaras and seris Indians, who lived in the North of Mexico and South of US, around 900 A. C. had Nahuales. These civilizations were sited in part of the US states of California, New Mexico and Texas, and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Baja California, Sonora and Sinaloa. They believed that if a man can know his primitive spirit or Nahual, he can use it to cure the people and practice magic. Many primitive drawings in old caves show people like werewolves.

In the Aztec empire the Nahuales are protected for Tezcatlipoca: The Aztec god of the war and sacrifice. The legend said that a Nahual can put away his skin and transform into a werecreature. Many Aztec and colonial hunters said that in the night they killed an animal and the next day it turned into a man.

"The Nahual only can morph in the night and he attack our babies with hellish spells", said the people since the Colonial Time (1500–1800 A. C.). The Santa Inquisition (the catholic tribunal that punished Jews, witches, and the generally non-catholic) hunted Nahuales for many years. But people believe in their power and sometimes protect them, especially in the Indian towns. ~"

[Labokachulaa]

I believe I may have saw a skin walker out here in California, but I'm still trying to gather information on them. I remember it was a VERY tall and slender man, he walked very quickly, quietly, and the way he walked was rather strange. Almost impossible like in a sense, and then when he got almost completely out of site and went into the dark, I didn't see when it changed, but when he came back into the light, it looked like a dog. I was very scared and when I later told my godfather about it, he kept asking me if it saw where I went? (Meaning into our house) After this, there was a lot of strange occurrences. I saw it a few more days and then my godparents did something and we never seen it again.

Have you ever experienced this? Or do you know of someone who has?

[Emiliamazing]

Apparently, I just learned what is indigenous to our location :-)

[AngelOfLight258]

Where do you live?

[Emiliamazing]

I spend time in two southwestern states, the family home is in one, and I travel to another for work :-)

[Anonymous]

From Leicester province. Probably something to do with warriors from there in viking times wearing wolf skins back when Ireland had wolves.