7890: RE: 7841: lougawou and skin walkers (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Karen Davis <kdavis@marygrove.edu>

> Re: skin-sheddinf lougarous being or not being "African in origin." When
> we are speaking of Haiti and Haitian beliefs, values, and behaviors, we
> are asking about the origins of these beliefs or behaviors IN HAITI. Thus,
> whether or not Navaho skin-walkers are similar in description, function,
> or socio-cosmological status to the lougarou is not significant, since the
> Navaho are not, as far as I know, an origin tradition for the
> African-Haitian society or culture. Similarly,  a swastika-like symbol is
> found not only in Hindu traditions, but in many others around the world,
> including African, Haitian, and native American traditions--after all, it
> is a simple cosmological cross with directional serifs/arms. However, the
> Third Reich adopted this symbol because it was an ancient symbol of
> centering, life and prosperity for the Hindu/Aryan culture that they
> viewed as their bioliogical ancestors.
Karen Davis