Ecan/E’can/E’ciniye

The Ecan is an undead creature from the Coos Native Americans. They are created when a ghost re-enters a corpse and animates it causing it to rise from the grave feet first. They are often covered in hair, have peculiar eyes, are completely naked, and act like crazy people. They then go into the forest to do evil, hurting humans, especially poor people. People would wait for five days after someone was buried to see if the corpse would rise, and they could be healed with the powers of a shaman. If they rise from the grave and no one is present, they may go to the mountains and would be called E’ciniye. If anyone encounters an E’can, they may become unconscious or lose their minds. They could take many different dangerous forms. Hunters can detect them if they notice a particularly awful smell. They can move quickly, but do not always chase people who run away quickly. The Coos believe there are all kinds of monsters and spirits in the forest with the Ecan simply being one of them.

Citations:

Beckham, Stephen Dow, et al. Native American Religious Practices and Uses in Western Oregon. United States, Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, 1984.

Sullivan, Irene F., and Gill, Sam D.. Dictionary of Native American Mythology. United Kingdom, Oxford University Press, 1994.