The Native Files

Skinwalkers of the Navajo: Part III

2012-05-28T23:32:00.001-04:00

Skinwalker or "Yee Naaldlooshii"

Hello Truth Seekers!

As promised, here is Skinwalkers of the Navajo Part III.

In my last post (Skinwalkers of the Navajo Part II), we had the privilege of learning what a Skinwalker is from a Native American insider, Chief Dan. The legend of the Skinwalker was passed down to him first hand from his grandparents. Now today, in Part III, you will see an Exclusive Interview of a woman who encountered this terrifying phenomenon herself! In cryptofourcorners' own words, This was the most pleasant story this young woman could tell us a few years ago. The other stories involved some terrible circumstances and death as far as Skinwalker goes.

Thank you once again cryptofourcorners for this great interview!

So without further ado....

"Amelia and the Skinwalker"

Until next time,

Happy Hunting!

J. Jacobs

Skinwalkers of the Navajo: Part II

2012-05-26T22:24:00.000-04:00

Skinwalker or "Yee Naaldlooshii"

Hello Truth Seekers!

Below is an excellent, in-depth interview on the Skinwalkers by a local resident and neighbor of the beast. Thank you cryptofourcorners for this great video of Chief Dan!

Stay tuned tomorrow for Skinwalkers of the Navajo: Part III for an exclusive and terrifying personal account of an encounter with a Skinwalker.

Happy Hunting!

J. Jacobs

Skinwalkers of the Navajo: Part I

2012-05-25T19:27:00.001-04:00

Hello Truth Seekers!

The Skinwalker or Shape Shifter lore can be found in cultures throughout the world, but nowhere else is the "Yee Naaldlooshii" (literally, "with it, he goes on all fours" in the Navajo language) taken more seriously than in Navajo country. And for good reason. The legend of the Skinwalker is alive and well in Indian Country as it has been for ages; sightings and stories of this phenomena are much more common that you'd expect.

Skinwalker or "Yee Naaldlooshii"

With such a complex subject, I've decided to devote this and the next couple posts to the Skinwalker.

Below I have included a great video clip to get you ready for my next post!

Until, tomorrow,

Happy Hunting!

J. Jacobs

The Ghost Dance and Wounded Knee

2012-05-22T17:40:00.000-04:00

Hello Truth Seekers!

Since we just witnessed the solar eclipse the other day, I thought it would be more than appropriate to discuss The Ghost Dance and it's unfortunate connection to the Wounded Knee Massacre.

You might be asking yourself : What does the Ghost Dance and Wounded Knee have to do with a solar eclipse? Well, it all began when Jack Wilson, the Northern Paiute prophet formerly known as Wovoka, had a prophetic vision during the solar eclipse of January 1, 1889. Wovoka's vision entailed the resurrection of the dead and the removal of whites and their works from North America. He prophesied a peaceful end to white expansion. Wovoka taught that in order to bring the vision to pass, the Native Americans had to perform a traditional round dance, known as the Ghost Dance, in a series of five-day gatherings. Wovoka's teaching spread rapidly among many Native American peoples, notably the Lakota. Although North America and the United State's past is full of wonderful Legends, Myths and the supernatural, it didn't always have a happy ending. Fortunately many of these traditions have survived our haunting past and is being reborn today to secure a place for future generations.

Please enjoy the enclosed article and awesome YouTube video for further insight into the Ghost Dance!

Until next time,

Happy Hunting!

J. Jacobs

From: Native Americans Online

Native American Ghost Dance

The ghost dance is a ceremony for the regeneration of the earth, and, subsequently, the restoration of the earth’s caretakers to their former life of bliss. Not surprisingly, the religion experienced its height of popularity during the late 19th century, when devastation to the buffalo, the land, and its Native American guardians was at its peak. Between 1888 and 1890, various tribes sent emissaries to a man named Wovoka, who claimed to be a visionary, and who was hailed as a Messiah by many desperate Indian nations. Wovoka maintained that Spirits had shown him certain movements and songs after he had died for a short period of time. In a manner reminiscent of Christ, Wovoka preached non-violence, and most tribes abandoned their war-like ways in preparation for future happiness.

The dance quickly spread to various American Indian nations, and as it spread, it took on additional meanings. While performing the ceremonial dance, it was believed that you could visit relatives who had left their bodies. As so many Native Americans had lost friends and relatives, this aspect of the ceremony was particularly healing. The Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho expanded its meaning further after being told in dreams that wearing certain designs on clothing would protect them in battle. These beliefs served to ward off fears of imminent danger from suspicious and sometimes hostile white onlookers, but proved futile in the end.

The ritual dance unified Indian people, even tribes with a tradition of conflict. The solidarity of these groups frightened government officials, whose worst fears were realized years earlier when the Arapahoes, Cheyennes and Sioux came together to defeat Custer. As mentioned earlier, most ghost dancers did not embrace warlike behavior. Yet, the government reacted to this outburst of Indian behavior by gunning down ceremonial dancers at Wounded Knee during a peaceful ceremony. Even women and children were shot in the back as they were trying to escape. Many say this was in retaliation for the massacre at Little Big Horn, since the seventh cavalry was again involved.

Perhaps the government was also frightened of the dance’s spiritual power. According to a historian of that time, James Mooney, during one investigation of the ritual dance, U.S. troops reported seeing approximately 125 people at the beginning of the dance, and twice that number at the end, with no one new coming into the circle.

The native dance is indeed magical, according to Gabriel Horn, author of Native Heart: An American Indian Odyssey. Horn, also known as White Deer of Autumn, says the spirits of ghost dancers are ever present: "The Minneapolis Institute of Art put on the first and only exhibit of ghost dance shirts and dresses worn by men, women, and children. The room was black and the clothes were suspended in two circles. You could even see the bullet holes and the blood stains on the shirts from the slaughter of ghost dancers at Wounded Knee under the orders of the government.

"Several Native Americans went to the exhibit, elders as well as young people. The museum would keep it open at night, just for us. We would sit in a circle, surrounded by these ritual dance shirts and dresses, and pass a sacred pipe. We were listening to hear what we could hear, and watching to see what we could see. We wanted to get in touch with those people, those spirits, those ghosts of the past, to reconnect, and to show them that we still carry this love for the earth.

"I will never forget the night that an elderly Ojibwa, Old Man Bill, said to me, ‘There were only 14 of us when we went in to sit among the ghost dance shirts and dresses. Look at all the people now.’ I looked up and saw what he meant. An hour later, we were sitting down at a table, looking at each other. Who were all those other people? It became very crowded.

"Another time a student of mine came to the exhibit. She was crying by a ghost dance shirt. I looked in the shirt to tell her its story because each one told a story. The shirt wearer’s last name was there, and it turned out to be the shirt of her grandfather. There was no way she could have known that when she went in."

The ghost dance is practiced today, but privately. "It is performed for the same reasons," White Deer of Autumn says, "because we are losing a lot of our relatives to cancer and alcohol, and the earth is in dire need of healing."

NATIVE AMERICAN GHOST DANCE

Solar Eclipse 2012 - "Ring of Fire"

2012-05-20T21:00:00.000-04:00

Hello Truth Seekers!

Although I spent most of the day sitting by the lake soaking up the bright sun and beautiful weather with my family here in Georgia, I couldn't help but think about how differently many Native Americans in the Southwest were spending the day. Today was the first annular solar eclipse visible in the United States in nearly 18 years.

Ring Of Fire

An annular eclipse is when the moon covers up most of the sun except for the sun's outer fringe, leaving visible a ring of fire, or "annulus," which is Latin for ring. (Los Angeles Times)

While most of us were taught as children to just protect our eyes from the sun during an eclipse, viewing an eclipse is considered extremely taboo in many indigenous cultures around the world. No where else can this be seen more than in the Navajo culture, and the path of todays eclipse passed directly through the heart of the Navajo reservation.

Please enjoy the first ever "Top Secret Native Files News" article below!

Until Next time....

Happy Hunting!

J. Jacobs

Avert Your Eyes: Eclipse Viewing Taboo in Navajo and Other Cultures

By ICTMN Staff May 19, 2012

While millions around the world will flock to view the annular solar eclipse on Sunday at sunset, many who are smack in the middle of its shadowy path will avert their eyes. Eclipses are a bad omen in much of Indian country, and the indigenous world in general, from the Navajo to the Maya. Read More >>

Native American Bigfoot?

2012-05-19T15:23:00.003-04:00

Hello Truth Seekers!

What better way to start off this blog than discussing one of my personal favorite topics. The Legendary Bigfoot!

I found this great little video clip showing just how common the legend of Bigfoot is in Native American Culture. Tribes from across the continent and beyond all have tales of this "Hairy Man" that lives in the forest. Each tribe may have their own name to describe and call the Beast, but it is no secret that it is the SAME Beast they are referring to.

Happy Hunting!

J. Jacobs

Introduction

2012-05-18T17:43:00.001-04:00

Hello Fellow Truth Seekers!

My name is Jeremiah Jacobs. As far back as I can remember, I have always been deeply drawn to anything dealing with the Paranormal or Unexplained. There's always an excitement that arises from the idea that there are "things" that exist that we just don't understand or have yet to discover. There is also a tremendous excitement in realizing that many of these Paranormal or Unexplained things and events have already been discovered and understood by ancient civilizations around the world for hundreds and even thousands of years. As I am sure many of you have done the same, this sense of excitement and yearning to know and understand the world around us, has led me to become an avid Paranormal Investigator and Researcher.

As a Native American (Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina), I have always been interested in the Ancient Collective Knowledge of our people on this continent. Almost every time I watch a new episode on a paranormal show or read an article in a book or blog, there is some mention of what "The Natives" have to say about the topic. And rightfully so. Same as all indigenous cultures around the world have co-existed with nature and their surroundings, Native Americans have co-existed with our surroundings and land, North America, for thousands of years. By living as one intertwined with nature, much ancient knowledge has been collected and passed down through our ancestors and elders explaining the world and everything around us. Everything from animals and plants to creation stories, monsters and spirits. Although every Native American tribe (and there are well over 500 in existence today) has their own myths and legends (some which most people have never even heard of before) I have been learning and discovering there are many similarities and explanations shared by the indegenous population as a whole. It is my intent to connect and link this "Ancient Collective Knowledge" shared by all tribes to the often mysterious and misunderstood world around us today. I believe this knowledge is not just important to Native Americans but is important to everyone living in America and throughout the world today. Whether your ancestors are indigenous to this land or not, it is now a part of you and you are as one. If you do not know the ancient wisdom of this continent and the world around you, you are like a leaf that doesn't know it's part of a tree. Everyone needs to learn the teachings and often warnings of the ancients to live a fuller and more complete life with our loved ones and the world around us, and to prevent disastrous mistakes upon this planet that will not be forgivable by Mother Earth as was often warned and prophesied.

It is my intention. over the span of my blog, to discover and compile as much information and as many resources as possible that have to do with everything Paranormal and Unexplained through the eyes and point of view of the Indigenous Peoples, focusing mainly on the Native Americans.

I am very excited about this endeavor, especially getting to know my readers, followers, and fellow Truth Seekers. I highly encourage reader feedback, ideas and participation. Through this blog, I hope to create an accepting community and atmosphere for us all.

Happy Truth Hunting,

J. Jacobs