Just like vampires, shapeshifter lore has been around for a long time and legends can be found around the world. Not all shapeshifters are werewolves, but I will be covering werewolf lore as well here. Many of the ancient gods and goddesses could perform physical transformations, however, it's not considered shapeshifting. According to research, shapeshifting is when a human being willingly takes the physical form of one or several animals while still having their human consciousness.
"One major trait of this being is that it transforms at will. It does not automatically change forms in full moons, when immersed in water, etc. They can stay in their human form indefinitely, and many don't even know they have this ability during early childhood (it usually first appears during the teenage years). Though their transformation is willful, they can "accidentally" cause transformation by losing control of their emotions, particular anger" (Belmont, 2020).
Native Americans would wear ritual outfits that mimicked the animals they hunted for sustenance. The dancers believed that they could take on the animal spirit and become the animal. By doing so would allow them to gain an insight into the animals location and migration, ensuring a successful hunt. Some tribes would adorn themselves in the hides of buffalo for camouflage allowing them to get close enough to the herd to make a kill. Shapeshifting beliefs have been seen on cave drawings from primitive man.
In Argentina, they have two types of shapeshifters in their lore, a Lobizon and a Runa-uturungu. The Lobizon or Lobison, is similar to a werewolf, but is more foxlike in appearance. The Runa-uturungu is a were-jaguar.
In Brazil they have three legends of shapeshifters. A Boto, which is a type of river dolphin that can shift into a boy. A Uirapuru, which is a small bird that shifts into a boy. The last type is called a Lobisomem, is similar to a werewolf accept it attacks mainly women.
In Bulgaria, they have a werewolf legend called Vrkolak where after death the beast becomes a vampire.
The First Nations of Canada told stories of a sorcerer that could take the form of a bear, they called it a Bear Walker
In Chile, there is believed to be a sorcerer that can transform into a mystical bird that cause bad luck, it is called a Kalku. The being is said to have a human head with feathers, talons, and big ears, which it uses as wings.
Ethiopia, Morocco, and Tanzania also believed in a sorcerer that could become a were-hyena. Often the sorcerer would wear an ornament from its human form. People would use this to recognize who the sorcerer was.
France has two types of werewolf legends, one is the loup-garou which is a werewolf. The other type is a bisclavret which is a type of werewolf that cannot return to human form unless it puts its clothes back on. So if someone stole their clothing, they would be stuck in wolf form.
In Greece they had the vrykolaka which means werewolf, vampire, and sorcerer. The term lycanthropy also came from the Greek werewolf-king Lycaeon.
Haiti also had the loup-garou, however they believed that it could shift between a plant and animal.
The hamrammr is from Iceland, in which the were-beast can take the form of the animal it recently consumed. The strength of the hamrammr increases with each animal it consumes.
India has an ancient myth called a Naga in which snakes can take the form of a human.
Indonesia lore mentions a spirit that can shift into human, animal or even objects to cause illnesses, chaos, or death, called a Leyak or Leak.
Ireland and Scotland has a being called a selkie in their legends. They are seals that can take off their skins to become human. Selkies also look over fishermen at sea. However, if the Selkie cannot return to their skin, they are trapped in human form.
Italy: Believed werewolves could leave their physical bodies behind and become wolves. While in wolf form they could enter the underworld and battle witches. These were called Benandanti. They also had the lupo mannaro or licantropo legend. The lupo mannaro was believed to have the ability to shift on nights of the full moon or other magical nights of the year. The Italians believed that werewolves were born on the night of December 25th. There have been tales of men being cursed to roam the earth as a werewolf because a saint placed curse on them or they were excommunicated from the church. To keep a person from shifting, it was ideal to place them in a cold bath while they are about to transform. Throwing metal keys was another deterrent. However, to kill a werewolf, one must use silver bullets or with silver tipped arrows.
Japan: In Japan, there are a few different types of shapeshifters in their lore. One is the kitsune which were usually female and could shift into a fox. A tanuki or mijina was a raccoon like animal or badger and these were typically male.
Africa: Ilimu, is a type of man-eating shapeshifter demon that possesses an animal and can turn into a human form.
Latvia/Lithuania: A legend about a vilkacis which translates to werewolf or wolf-eyes is an evil shapeshifter, but sometimes offers treasures. However, there are legends that state the vilkacis doesn't transform but their soul leaves their body and enters a wolf.
Mexico: Folktales tell of a nahual which is a were creature with the ability to shift into a wolf, eagle, bull, or large cat. It is believed that a personal guardian spirit resides in an animal, such as a deer, jaguar, or bird. In some parts of Mexico, there is a belief that certain powerful men can transform themselves to conduct evil, which tend to be sorcerers.
Native Americans: The Navajo, Mohawk, and Mai-Coh believed in skin-walkers as well as limikkin. A skin-walker is a type of harmful witch that can possess, disguise and become an animal.
Native Hawaiians: Many shapeshifter tales reside in Hawaii lore. One famous story for anyone who has seen Moana, is the volcano goddess Pele, she could change her appearance to whatever she wished. There are also many shark-shifter legends.
Norway/Sweden: "eigi einhamir (not of one skin) has the ability to change into a wolf by wearing a wolfskin. Varulv (or varulf) is similar in looks to the traditional werewolf lore. However, the change is not brought on by a bite or blood. In many of the Varulv legends, the creature become a werewolf voluntarily. Usually with the use of a certain article of clothing, such as a belt, like the belt described in old 1582 werewolf story of Peter Stubbe and his Magical Belt" (Gryphon, 2016).
Portugal: Has a vampire-werewolf legend called the bruxsa or cucubuth that consumes flesh and blood. They also have their own typical werewolf legend called the lobh omen.
Russia: There are two types of werewolves distinctive to Russian lore. The wawkalak and the volkolak. The wakalak is a werewolf that has been punished by the Devil to transform when enraged. This type of werewolf cannot stay in one place long, they tend to move from town to town in search of love, food, and shelter. Whereas the volkolak which translates to lycanthrope is someone who can change willingly or has been cursed to shift into a wolf or bear. There exists one other type of shifter called the bodark, which is a person who chooses to be one and goes through a ceremony to force the change to occur.
Scandinavia: The varulv feasts on beer over human flesh. Another type is the berserker which is someone who can transform into a bear using bearskin. The ulfheobar is someone who can shift into a wolf using wolfskin.
South America: The kanima, is a jaguar-shapeshifter that hunts and kills murderers.
Spain: The lob hombre, is a type of werewolf that prefers gemstones over human flesh.
Resources and Additional Resources:
Barclay, S (2020). Werewolf Legends from Around the World
Belmont, M. (2020). The Shapeshifter.
Britannica (2020). Nagual
Easterling, A. (2019). Shapeshifters: A History
Gryphon, L. (2016). Listing of Were-Creatures/Shape-Shifters from Around the World
History (2018). Werewolf Legends
Kachuba, B. J. (2019). Shapeshifters A History. Reaktion Books Ltd.
Koosmen, T. (2018). The Ancient Origins of Werewolves
Moonlight, (2010). The Vilkacis
New Visions (2016). Why the French Still Hunt Werewolves Today.
Quinn, D. (2014) The Legends of Werewolves
Radford, B. (2012) Werewolves: Lore, Legend & Lycanthropy
Sandal, V. (2018). The Mysterious World of Shape-Shifters
Weiser-Alexander, K. (2020). Navajo Skinwalkers-Witches of the Southwest
Hawaiian Shapeshifter Legends
Thrum, G. T. (1907). Hawaiian Folk Tales: A Collection of Native Legends
Wianecki, S. (2020). The Sacred Spine
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