Beyond Skinwalkers and Indian Burial Grounds

Contemporary Belief in Anomalous Phenomena Among American Indians

Presumptions about Native American spiritual belief frequently spill over into mainstream beliefs related to paranormal and supernatural phenomena. From the birth of the “Indian burial ground” trope in nineteenth century American literature to contemporary belief in skinwalkers among paranormal researchers, Native beliefs about anomalous phenomena continue to influence contemporary parapsychology, cryptozoology, and ufology (de Vos, 2022; Myhre, 2021; Strain, 2012). Yet, little is known about such beliefs among Native peoples themselves as many studies of paranormal belief exclude or fail to sample in this population. Further, the relationship of supernatural and spiritual belief to health and wellbeing among many Indigenous peoples underlies the importance of understanding this dynamic for effectively addressing physical and cultural health in these communities. This influence has been identified by Indigenous community members and scholars alike as a central aspect of these efforts (Carroll et al., 2022; Mazinegiizhigoo-Kwe Bedard, 2023).

Objectives

Using two surveys, researchers American Indian Health Research and Education Alliance aimed to collect demographic and basic health history information as well as knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors surrounding the paranormal among American Indians across the United States.

Methods

From February to June 2025, participants completed a baseline and secondary paranormal knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors (KABB) survey developed by the research team to collect demographic information and overall experiences with and beliefs about anomalous phenomena. A subset of participants participated in a follow-up interview to understand their paranormal beliefs, their most important sources of knowledge related to these beliefs, and how these beliefs impact their lives overall. Interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach.

Results
531 participants completed both the baseline and paranormal KABB survey, with an additional 88 participating in paranormal beliefs follow-up interviews. Demographically, participants represented a broad spectrum of ages and identities across Native America, including tribal affiliations. Findings revealed the importance of both personal experiences, oral traditions, and community elders for their understandings of anomalous phenomena. Participants often took a ‘believer’ rather than ‘seeker’ mindset driven by culturally situated beliefs rooted in personal experiences and narratives shared within their communities. For some, the role of experiences as part of Native spiritual traditions was especially important, underpinning their belief in Native cosmologies and approaches to healing. Differences in patterns of belief were observed along generational and regional lines, particularly in relationship to the influence of contemporary paranormal media.

Discussion

Preliminary findings suggest the importance of culturally grounded approaches to understanding Native peoples’ beliefs about anomalous phenomena. Rather than reflecting generalized curiosity about the unknown, a driver for many non-Native approaches, our participants demonstrate the embeddedness of these beliefs in broader American Indian cultural and spiritual traditions. Additionally, while for many groups in the United States popular paranormal media is a strong influence on belief, this appears to be less so among our participants. Further, the relationship between these beliefs and approaches to health and wellbeing underscores the necessity for researchers to seriously understand these beliefs, rather than approach them with dismissiveness.

References Cited

Carroll, S. R., Suina, M., Jäger, M. B., Black, J., Cornell, S., Gonzales, A. A., . . . Teufel-Shone, N. I. (2022). Reclaiming Indigenous Health in the US: Moving beyond the Social Determinants of Health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(12), 7495. Retrieved from https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/12/7495

de Vos, G. (2022). The Windigo as Monster: Indigenous Belief, Cultural Appropriation, and Popular Horror. In North American Monsters: A Contemporary Legend Casebook (pp. 282): Utah State University Press.

Mazinegiizhigoo-Kwe Bedard, R. E. (2023). Jiisakiiwigaan: Shaking Tent Ceremony as Sacred Metamorphosis. In J. Hunter (Ed.), Deep Weird: The Varieties of High Strangeness Experience (pp. 335-358): August Night Press.

Myhre, P. O. (2021). Aliens Among Native Americans? In B. Zeller (Ed.), Handbook of UFO Religions (pp. 116-148). Boston, UNITED STATES: BRILL.

Strain, K. M. (2012). Mayak datat: The hairy man pictographs. Relict Hominoid Inquiry, 1, 1-12.