In 1878, the Navajo people faced a challenging time in their history when their traditional belief system clashed with the prevailing views of the United States government. During this period, the United States Indian Agent, Lorenzo Hubbell, began an effort to eliminate what he perceived as Navajo witchcraft or practitioners of evil sorcery. The Navajo witches, known as "skinwalkers" or "yei'iitsoh," held a prominent place in Navajo culture, with their actions believed to have the power to heal or harm. Hubbell's campaign to eradicate Navajo witches was rooted in the belief that their practices disrupted the peace and progress of the Navajo Reservation. He saw their rituals and ceremonies as a threat to the stability and control of the U.S.
Condensed from R. L. R., Dictionary of American Biography, Vol. VI.
NICHOLAS, December 1881-April 1882 preached a sentimental sermon against the harshness of rural schools Eggleston s religious enthusiasm, long since waning, finally spent itself entirely during his pastorate 1874-79 of the non-sectarian Church of Christian Endeavor, in Brooklyn NEW YORK TRIBUNE, Dec. Some three years in Vevay followed, and then young Eggleston was sent for a long visit in Decatur County, where he enriched his knowledge of uncouth Hoosier dialect and backwoods manners.
S. government over the Native American population. To achieve his objective, Hubbell enlisted the help of the local law enforcement and other influential members of the Navajo community, who shared his concerns about the alleged malevolent actions of the witches.
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"Edward Eggleston (Dec. 10, 1837-Sept. 2, 1902), novelist, historian, was born at Vevay, Ind. His father, Joseph Cary Eggleston, lawyer and politician, was a graduate of the College of William and Mary and belonged to a family of some importance in Virginia from colonial times; his mother, Mary Jane Craig, was the daughter of Capt. George Craig, Western frontiersman and Indian fighter. Before his father's death, in 1846, the family spent much time at the Craig farm, several miles from Vevay, so that the future author of The Hoosier Schoolmaster early attended a country school. Some three years in Vevay followed, and then young Eggleston was sent for a long visit in Decatur County, where he enriched his knowledge of uncouth Hoosier dialect and backwoods manners. Meantime, on Dec. 25, 1850, his mother had married Williamson Terrell, a Methodist preacher, and Eggleston returned home in March 1851, not to Vevay, but to New Albany. There the family remained a half year, then spent some two years at Madison, then returned to Vevay, in 1853. Here Eggleston liked the high school and flourished under the special favor of the locally famed Mrs. Julia Dumont, who pleased him with the assurance that he was destined to be an author. In June 1854, he was off for thirteen months in Virginia, spent partly with relatives and partly at the Amelia Academy where his accidental discovery of The Sketch Book began the slow process of liberation from his almost fanatical devotion to a narrow religious creed (FORUM, August 1887). Meantime his growing hatred of slavery caused him to refuse the offer of a course at the University of Virginia; indeed, ill health prevented his attending any college, and his formal schooling was now at an end.
"After his return to Indiana he was employed for some time as a Bible agent; but his health, always precarious, was soon completely broken. Fearing death from consumption, he set out westward, but suddenly changed his course for Minnesota, where during the summer of 1856 he restored his health by vigorous labor in the open air; then, after an abortive attempt to reach Kansas and aid the anti-slavery cause, he returned home. Some six months (November 1856-April 1857) on a Methodist circuit in southeastern Indiana wrought, however, new disaster to his health, and he was back in Minnesota the following spring, this time for nine years: he was Bible agent (1858-59); he was pastor of small churches at Traverse and St. Peter (1857-58), St. Paul (1859-60 and 1862-63), Stillwater (1860-61), and Winona (1864-66); and he tried a variety of other occupations, always frequently interrupted by ill health (Forty-third Annual Report of the American Bible Society, 1859; Minutes of the Annual Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1857-66; and Eggleston Papers). Early in 1866 he gave up the ministry for journalism and removed to Evanston, Ill. He was associate editor … June 1866-February 1867 … of the LITTLE CORPORAL of Chicago. In February 1867, he became editor of the SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER, soon renamed the NATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER; and even after he had left the West he continued as its corresponding editor, until December, 1873. Meantime, as early as 1868, he was announced as 'a contributor to all the leading juvenile periodicals in the United States' (SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER, vol. III, no. 12); and Mr. Blake's Walking-Stick (1870) was the first of several small volumes of fantastic fairy lore or moral tales of too sentimental children.
"Migrating eastward, Eggleston began in May 1870 a period of about fourteen or fifteen months on the INDEPENDENT (New York), of which he had for some time been Western correspondent (INDEPENDENT, May 12, 19, 1870; and SCRIBNER'S MONTHLY, September 1873). His editorial connection from August 1871, with the then moribund HEARTH AND HOME … seems to have lasted only a year, but served both to revive the magazine and to start Eggleston on his career as a popular novelist destined to have an important influence in turning American literature toward realism. His first novel The Hoosier Schoolmaster (HEARTH AND HOME, Sept. 30-Dec. 30, 1871), was already marked by the sentimental quality as well as by the realism of his later writings… The Ohio River country is the setting of The End of the World (HEARTH AND HOME, Apr. 20-Sept. 7, 1872), a story of religious fanaticism and racial prejudice. In The Mystery of Metropolisville (HEARTH AND HOME, Dec. 7, 1872-Apr. 26, 1873) he turned to the Minnesota frontier and made, apparently, some use of Dickens's method in his humorous character portrayals. The Circuit Rider (CHRISTIAN UNION, Nov. 12, 1873-Mar. 18, 1874), with its setting in southern Ohio at the beginning of Madison's administration, pictures the devoted members of a religious fraternity of which Eggleston himself was once a member. Of the later novels, Roxy (SCRIBNER'S MONTHLY, November 1877-October 1878) dealt with unusual frankness, for the period, with the problem of marital infidelity against a background of old Vevay life; The Hoosier Schoolboy (ST. NICHOLAS, December 1881-April 1882) preached a sentimental sermon against the harshness of rural schools … "Eggleston's religious enthusiasm, long since waning, finally spent itself entirely during his pastorate (1874-79) of the non-sectarian Church of Christian Endeavor, in Brooklyn (NEW YORK TRIBUNE, Dec. 27, 1877; NEW YORK TIMES, Dec. 27, 1879). At the same time with the end of his religious zeal came also the change of his main literary interest from fiction to history. He had, indeed, early come to look upon the novel as a means of making 'a contribution to the history of civilization in America' …
"From 1870 until his first voyage to Europe, late in 1879, Eggleston's home was in Brooklyn; from 188: until his death he lived at Joshua's Rock, on Lake George, but usually spent his winters in New York or other cities and delivered many lectures. His first wife, Lizzie Snider, whom he had married at St. Peter, Minn.Mar. 18, 1858, died in 1889 (Eggleston Papers), and on Sept. 14, 1891, he married Frances Goode, of Madison, Ind. (NEW YORK TIMES, Sept. 15, 1891). His last years, like his earlier life, were troubled with serious illness. Some three years before his death he suffered a stroke of apoplexy from which he never really recovered. Another stroke in August 1902 was followed by his death on Sept. 2 of that year."
Condensed from R. L. R., Dictionary of American Biography, Vol. VI.
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Sunday-School Conventions and Institutes; With Suggestions on County and Township Organization. Chicago, 1867.
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The obliteration of Navajo witches in 1878 involved the identification and punishment of those believed to be practicing witchcraft. This process often included public trials, where accused individuals were given a chance to defend themselves against the charges. Once found guilty, the witches were subjected to severe punishments, ranging from forced labor to banishment from the Navajo community. This campaign against Navajo witches resulted in widespread fear and tension among the Navajo people. Many individuals found themselves under suspicion, with their every action scrutinized for signs of witchcraft. The eradication effort led to a breakdown of trust within the community and increased division among the Navajo people. The obliteration of Navajo witches in 1878 marked a significant turning point in the history of the Navajo Nation. It represented an attempt by the United States government to assert control over the beliefs and practices of the Native American population. The event demonstrates the clash between the dominant culture's worldview and the traditional beliefs of the Native American tribes. Overall, the obliteration of Navajo witches in 1878 highlights the complexity of cultural assimilation and the struggles faced by indigenous communities in maintaining their traditions. It shows the devastating effects that attempts to eradicate traditional practices can have on the social fabric of a community, leading to fear, distrust, and division..
Reviews for "Navajo Witches: Examining the Context behind the Witch Purge of 1878"
1. Jennifer - 1 star
I found "Obliteration of Navajo Witches in 1878" to be extremely disappointing. The writing was confusing and lacked coherence, making it difficult to follow the storyline. Additionally, the characters were underdeveloped and lacking depth, making it hard to connect or care about them. The author seemed to rely too heavily on shock value and graphic descriptions, rather than focusing on creating a compelling narrative. Overall, I was left unimpressed and would not recommend this book.
2. David - 2 stars
While "Obliteration of Navajo Witches in 1878" had a potentially interesting premise, it fell flat in execution. The pacing was incredibly slow, and the story seemed to meander without a clear direction. The excessive amount of historical background information, while educational, detracted from the main plot and made the book feel more like a history textbook than a captivating novel. The lack of character development also left me not invested in their fates. Overall, I found this book to be a tedious read and would not recommend it to others.
3. Sarah - 1 star
I was highly disappointed with "Obliteration of Navajo Witches in 1878." The writing style was overly verbose and convoluted, making it difficult to understand what was happening. The constant jumping between timelines and perspectives only added to the confusion. The excessive violence and graphic content also felt gratuitous and unnecessary, taking away from any potential substance the story might have had. I found myself forcing to finish this book, hoping for a redeeming quality that never came. In the end, I was left unsatisfied and would not recommend it to anyone.