Skinwalker vs. Wendigo — What's the Difference?

Skinwalkers, deriving from Navajo culture, are humans who practice witchcraft to shape-shift into animals. The term "skinwalker" is a literal translation of the Navajo "yee naaldlooshii," which means "with it, he goes on all fours." Skinwalkers are regarded as malevolent beings who willingly chose the path of evil. Wendigos are supernatural beings rooted in the folklore of the Algonquian-speaking peoples of North America. Unlike skinwalkers, a Wendigo is not a human that chose a path but rather a spirit associated with winter, cold, famine, and starvation. The Wendigo is often depicted as a monstrous creature with an insatiable hunger for human flesh, and its mythology serves as a cautionary tale against greed and excess.

A fundamental difference between Skinwalkers and Wendigos lies in their origins. A skinwalker is a human witch capable of transforming into animals, often seen as an evil sorcerer using his powers for personal gain. In contrast, a Wendigo is a creature born from a human overwhelmed by greed or resorting to cannibalism; it's a monstrous entity, often reflecting environmental hardships and cultural taboos.

In representation, Skinwalkers are often depicted in various animal forms, maintaining some human characteristics, signifying their retained human consciousness and volition. Wendigos are characterized by their emaciated appearance, signifying their constant hunger and their connection to starvation and the insatiable.

The fear they inspire also differs; Skinwalkers evoke a fear of betrayal by one of the community turning against its members, while Wendigos symbolize the fear of losing oneself to base instincts and the terror that comes from the environment's harshness. While both are regarded as omens of bad tidings, the Skinwalker is often seen as a more personal threat, whereas the Wendigo embodies a more existential dread.