Book

Human-wolves among the Navaho

Human Relations Area Files Press (11)Published In 1970 • Pages: 43

By: Morgan, William.

AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
In this excellent study based on interviews within an extended family, Morgan discusses stories about 'human-wolves' and relates the beliefs and 'delusions' regarding werewolves and witches to underlying anxieties in the Navajo family. According to Morgan, witchcraft is a screen for aggressive feelings and acts, and the fears associated with such aggression. In most stories the man is the witch and the woman, the victim. In Freudian terms these stories acan be interpreted as expressing a man's sexual agression against his mother. Morgan considers this but goes further and sees other tensions and repressed impulses in the Navajo household. He discuses each story on a case by case basis, noting the different kinds of stories and how they become embellished.
SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
Adjustment processes
Verbal arts
Sorcery
Mythology
cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
Navajo
HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
2004
RegionThe area the document pertains to
North America
Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
Southwest and Basin
Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
Book
Evaluation
Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
Ethnologist
Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
Ian Skoggard ; 2002
Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
1929-1933
Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
1933
Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
Talking Rock, Arizona, United States
NotesAdditional notes
[by] William Morgan
Reprint of the 1936 ed.
Includes bibliographical references
LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
72118244
LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
Navajo Indians