Text:
“Just tell me everything you know about skin walkers.”
Interviewee: “I have friends who would go camping a lot in the desert in, like, places around Telluride, and were genuinely scared of them. Some people, like some, are not friends, but people I knew would cuss you out if you said the word “skinwalk” and be like, why are you saying that?”
“Just saying it summons them?”
Interviewee: “Yeah. And they’re supposedly, like, some sort of mythical creature that’s in the wilderness and, like, this area.”
“The deserts of Telluride?”
Interviewee: “No, if you drive like 2 hours outside Telluride (a town in Colorado) you’d be in a desert.”
“And that’s Colorado?”
Interviewee: “Yeah.”
“And they are only in deserts?”
Interviewee: “Just like campgrounds, I feel like.”
“What do they look like?”
Interviewee: “They’re, like, very tall. They live on ranches. They’re like shape-shifting, witches, and they can transform into wolves and coyotes. Like people say they see them in the form of like a coyote, like they’ll be driving a car and they’ll be something, and then they’ll be driving a car in pitch black and they’ll see something running next to their car and it’ll slowly morph into something else. It’ll morph in and out to all fours, like a wolf or something. The skinwalker will then follow the car.”
“Do you have any specific stories that your friends have said?”
Interviewee: “No.”
“Have you ever been scared of them while camping?”
Interviewee: “No.”
“Have your parents?”
Interviewee: “Not to my knowledge.”
“So, if you say their name, does it summon them?”
Interviewee: “I’m not sure.”
“Why can’t you speak it?”
Interviewee: “I think maybe, like, people don’t like to just hear about them because they believe in them, and if you speak their name, it reminds them of the concept.”
“So did kids at your high school believe in them?”
Interviewee: “Yes. But it’s more like adults believe in it.”
“Really?”
Interviewee: “Yeah, like, *insert friend’s name*, you might have met. He’s scared of them.”
“Really? Does he go camping a lot?”
Interviewee: “Yeah. He thinks that they’re gonna try to kill him and eat him.”
Context:
The informant grew up and lives in Colorado. He is familiar with camping in the area, as he would camp with his father and brother a lot growing up.
The interviewee recounts what he and his friends have heard about skinwalkers in desert and campground areas in Colorado. The story reflects a mix of local beliefs, especially among adults and camping communities.
Analysis:
This is an example of a legend in belief-based folklore. Skinwalkers are described as shape-shifting witches that can take the form of wolves, coyotes, or humans, and are associated with fear and danger. The taboo against speaking their name reflects a magic superstition, where naming a supernatural being is believed to summon or draw attention from it.
The legend regulates behavior in wilderness areas, keeping people alert, cautious, and respectful of the land. While high school students might treat it as a scary story, adults and frequent campers treat the skinwalker as a serious potential threat. The legend blends supernatural fear with practical warnings about the wilderness, creating a shared cultural narrative within the community.