Skinwalker

Symbols

Judged against the description by a model. Meanings are our own paraphrase.

• Crow is The crow denotes oracle, messenger, creator, or helpful guide, but also carrion, blackening, and misfortune; solar readings may reflect confusion with ravens or cocks.
  why

  A skinwalker is understood to be a person, usually described as a witch or medicine person who has turned to evil, who has gained the ability to transform into, possess, or take on the appearance and abilities of an animal, most commonly a coyote, wolf, fox, owl, or crow.

• Witch is image-domain The witch denotes the hidden craft working behind appearances, caster of spells and mistress of disguise, seeing by second sight and questioning the dead.
  why

  In Navajo (Diné) tradition, this is a malevolent human witch who has gained the power to transform into or take on the characteristics of an animal, most often by violating sacred taboos.

• witchcraft is Witchcraft denotes harmful or socially condemned magic; Mesopotamian law punished it, while modern Celtic discussion distinguishes reconstructed Wicca from older beliefs in solitary witches.
  why

  … the broader Navajo category of witchcraft known as the Witchery Way …

• Wound bears image-domain A wound denotes a breach in body or psyche that exposes what was covered, the aperture through which transformation and hard self-knowledge enter.
  why

  In some tellings a skinwalker can be wounded or killed if struck, and the wound will appear on the person's human body when they are later encountered, exposing their identity.