top of page

Wendigos, Eye Killers, Skinwalkers: The Myth of the American Indian Vampire

This goes into the most popular kind of horror folklore that is told throughout the Appalachian civilians. People who live in this area have rules that you cannot go outside once the sun starts to set, you must keep all curtains closed once it gets dark so nothing can watch you, and if you hear anything inside or outside your house... no you didn't. One of the many supernatural beings that live in this area is called the Wendigo. This creature is known as "a man consuming the flesh of other men takes up their strengths but becomes a demon cursed by a never-ceasing hunger for human flesh" (Lenhardt). There are many stories to this day of people encountering a Wendigo, but what they look like is still speculated. The myth of the Eye Killer is much like a vampire, but people believe they can be both good and evil. They look like humans, much like modern-day depictions of vampires do, and act like what we would think a vampire would act like. Skinwalkers, however, can shape-shift into animals, I have most commonly heard that they can shift into dainty animals, mainly deer. Many people say to never look a deer in the eye or acknowledge a deer after dark. Another saying about skinwalkers is if you go outside and all of a sudden everything goes silent, one is near you. They can mimic sounds, people, people you may know in order to gain your trust. They are known to have pale white skin, blacked out eyes, and even black streaks running from their eyes. 

Photos 

bottom of page