The skinwalker (yee naaldlooshii in Navajo) has a long history within Navajo culture. These are not benevolent figures, but rather evil witches who use their powers to harm others. Traditionally, they are believed to shapeshift into animals, possessing or disguising themselves to stalk their prey. Navajo culture places a high value on harmony and community, and the skinwalker represents a dark opposite to these ideals. They are seen as a perversion of the medicine people who use their knowledge for healing, and instead wield dark magic for malicious purposes.