When this is done on the 101st after the curse was initially placed, the former Rougarou is freed from the curse and allowed to take human form permanently. How does it differ from a traditional werewolf? These Louisiana monsters claim they feel lethargic and drained if they dont get the proper serving size of blood in on the regular. Some sources claim the myth originated in medieval France, when belief in werewolves would have been far more prevalent. The different versions of the Rougarou beast are as many as reported sightings of the beast. In closing Ive always considered Yeti to be more of a possibility than a werewolf. There she saw standing next to a tree 25 feet away a creature that she described as being extremely tall and white. Theres an annual Rougarou Festival in Houma every year, and the Audobon Zoo in New Orleans has a Rougarou exhibit, which includes a statue of the creature in all its swampy glory. Crafty. Its fingernails are grisly claws. It's okay, because we're here to bust them! The article reported the murder of a man killed because his whiskey was too good and too profitable. We cant make this stuff up. On a moonless night those are the darkest woods Ive ever trekked through.that includes the Black Forest, Mark Twain National Forest Missouri, the hills of West Virginia, and the Pine Flats in New Jersey. However, according to other accounts, there is no escape from the curse. At the time of the encounter the officer had no working knowledge of Bigfoot or sasquatch, but having a degree in anthropology left no doubt in the officers mind what he saw was most defiantly not a large, naked, human being. The article contained a short anecdotal account of an unnamed Laplace man that in 1983 saw something correlates with what Mr. Nameless saw. In the swamps within the Greater New Orleans area and the Acadiana is where this beast has come to live. The monster has its own Wikipedia pageand has been the source of numerous news stories and documentaries. In some cases, they are your loved ones coming to greet you and bring good fortune. A few seconds passes and she started to feel a fear building inside. 9 REAL Sightings of the Rougarou | Darkness Prevails Darkness Prevails 631K subscribers Subscribe 4.7K 136K views 3 years ago It's like a real life werewolf, but worse. The Rougarou, also known as the loup-garou, is essentially Louisiana's bayou-dwelling werewolf, and it's a prominent figure in Cajun folklore. We can only hope Ruston, LA never decides to build a Grunch Road. A version from the 16th century paints it as being seen as something similar to a genetic disorder, rather than the curse most other versions of the myth portray the Rougarou as being. [10] [11] Boxer Regis Prograis (of Creole descent) goes by the nickname Rougarou. He sees it as an example of the way cryptids evolve alongside the cultures that created them. The Rougarou Supernatural Cameo Explained, Legend of the Rougarou: The Complete Loup-garou Guide, US Ghost Adventures New Orleans Ghosts Review. I'm considering creating a documentary on the legend of the Rougarou when I get some more free time in the future. Dragons, once the ultimate test of a heros courage, have been effectively domesticated. The student waited 5 more minutes to see if the sounds would return but the encounter was over. Deep in the swamps of south Louisiana, legend has it, there lives the Rougarou a mythical werewolf type creature with sharp claws and glowing eyes. And as the stomping grounds for the rougarou have disappeared, so have tales about the beastuntil Foret made it his mission to save both. This suggests an explanation for the abundance of stories from locals about seeing a Rougarou for themselves. The student would take evening walks while saying the rosary. In this version, the Rougarou is in human form during the day, only transforming at night, meaning he could blend in with society and no one would ever know! The Rougarou at Cedar Point is one example of many as to how popular the folklore surrounding the beast truly is. By clicking "Accept," you agree to the use of cookies on Pelican State of Mind. Stories of these cajun folklore spirits originated in French culture and made their way into Louisiana folklore over time. The sound of human cries in the woods is a theme directly from faire lore. This terrifying creature has evolved over millenniabut never lost the need to feed. For instance, instead of labourer, meaning to plow, sometimes youll hear Cajuns say rabourer. Honey Island Swamp Monster Talk of the monster, of course, is also a staple of some of the swamp tours operating in the area. We use cookies to provide you with the best possible browsing experience. 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Another telling of the story says that the Rougarou is under a 101-day curse, unless the affected person can transfer the curse to another human being. Some even suggest a mix of biological and fringe. Curious Louisiana answers. According to the woman, "The next day a prominent physician appeared in town with his right arm cut and in a sling. The legend is believed to have originated from French Canadian immigrants in the late 1700's. There are hundreds of light . It was getting late so I was heading back to my dad's house for the evening. "I think it's fascinating,'' said Brettel. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! The Rougarou, also known as the loup-garou, is essentially Louisiana's bayou-dwelling werewolf, and it's a prominent figure in Cajun folklore. The rougarou is like our Smokey the Bear, says Foret. Mr. Nameless admitted that he did not want to slow down to get a good look. It was enough just enough working knowledge for me to form an opinion. "Reporting a sighting of Bigfoot, Sasquatch and even the Honey Island Swamp Monster does not get you labeled a crazy person anymore, and therefore, those who believe eyewitnesses are not labeled crazy either," said Dana Holyfield, granddaughter of Harlan Ford a man often credited with having the first recorded encounter with the purported swamp monster. The officer that reported this sighting stated he and his partner did not discuss this much past that night. 22. "Who. For the sake of anonymity this family friend will remain nameless, so I will refer to him as Mr. Nameless. Despite your personal beliefs in the supernatural, these legends abound and continue to be told in the cajun lands to this day. It was also preached that French Catholics that broke the Lent seven years in a row would be hunted down and killed by the beast. The rougarou, the Cajun cryptid said to haunt Louisiana's wetlands, is the mascot of a conservation effort for its traditional habitat. To my surprise I got text response saying Im outside in my backyard if you want to come over, its not much of a story. I remember it was a brief encounter and not many details but my objective was to write down what he remembered from his perspective, rather than a second-hand accounting from my childhood perspective. He slowed down when he saw it because he got the impression that this was not a man. Lover of writing, learning and teaching others about new things. In others, they are demonic forces that play tricks and lead you to your demise in the swamps. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. When they were choosing the new name, one of the trademarks filed for was the name the New Orleans Rougarou. The article does not specify if this happened in the same area that he and his friend found the large footprints. I came across a LObservateur article that ran around Halloween 2002, titled: Let the haunting good times roll. Some Louisiana monsters are walking around in plain sight! Thats no werewolf, though. She says a local boy was being followed by a dog when he decided to cut it with his pocketknife. All rights reserved. After years of inbreeding, their appearance became less and less human-like, resulting in what people now call The Grunch. According to reports, this Louisiana monster looks human, except for his sharp teeth, goat legs, and many abnormalities. Discover the secrets of Louisiana lifestyle and explore Ruston, home of the Peach Festival. The K-9 unit lost the scent once it ran into the marsh. The plantation's most popular (and yet to be debunked) encounter is the apparition of a young . That kind of transformation happens and I suspect that whats going on with this festival., But unlike sexy vampires or friendly alligators, Forets rougarou has been reimagined to champion a specific cause: protecting its habitat, which in turn will protect our own. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. we have similar creatures in northeastern NY along with a few other cryptids like pig men and Bigfoot but i also have seen a panther like cat with black bat like wings by the tree line in a small town along lake Champlain. Cauchemar is a monster that leaps out of childrens dreams and rides their backs. Subscribe to the Pelican State of Mind blog by providing your email below! And then I realized that is what I saw! The three adult men surveyed the area from the inside of the truck. Their curse usually comes from a local witch, sometimes a Voodoo priestess. Stories of the rougarou in Louisiana derive largely from 16th-century French legends of a beast called loup garou, essentially a werewolf. It was a fall evening and this student was walking on a road in back of the property that borders cow pastures and piney woods. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In 1974, Ford, a wildlife photographer and former air traffic controller, claimed to have witnessed the creature while exploring potential hunting grounds. The details of just seeing the eyes suggest that this sighting happened in the early morning while it was still dark. He checked out the deer kept driving and turned around at the lake headed back towards Hwy. Growing up, my Mom always called it the Wigawoo, and I never knew any different til I was 30something. Since the dawn of time, people have been telling stories. Theres a lot of blue tarps still on roofs everywhere, says Foret. 1989 St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. The creature is described as half-man, half-dog. A 1926 article in the New Orleans States juxtaposes scenes of the wild honeysuckle and vibrant Southern foliage of the area against bushes used as hiding spots for murderers to ambush victims. We may never really find out.. Discover the secrets of Louisiana lifestyle and explore Ruston, home of the Peach Festival. That festival is cool because it links folklore to current issues and things that people need to be aware of, Rabalais says. Feel free to email me at [email protected]. Loup is French for Wolf, and Garou refers to a man that transforms into an animal. No, you dont become a Rougarou from a bite or scratch, or from losing a bet. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In this region; cities, towns, and neighborhoods tend to arise on the dry patches of earth that are surrounded by vast, thick, primordial swamp. The Audobon Zoo in New Orleans has an exhibit dedicated to the Rougarou, which includes a statue of the creature itself. The 2015 short film Atchafalaya centers around a game warden searching in a Louisiana swamp for a missing person who is hinted to have been taken by a loup-garou. We love meat too, but come on. If you thought voodoo was a thing of the past, think again! 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. Theyre not trying to eat you, Ancelet says. Cajun legend says that the beast hunts down Catholics who dont follow the rules of Lent, which is similar to the telling of the old French stories. In Assumption Parish it is common place for house to be built substantially off the ground to withstand inevitable flood waters. The Legend of the Louisiana Swamp Werewolf Known as the Rougarou, or sometimes as the Loup-Garou This Legend is said that the creature has prowled for hundreds of years in the swamps Show more. Despite the Rougarou legend seemingly beginning as a way to scare Catholics and children, many locals maintain its existence and have their own personal stories, especially among the older generation. A story in The Nicholls Worth, a local college paper, titled "Rougarou Remains Strong Figure in Cajun Folklore," recounts a story from a woman about an experience in her youth. Many rumors haunt this road, also known as LA-57. The basic tale of Rougarou is one of a half man, half wolf that prowls the Louisiana swamps, looking for Catholics that have broken Lent or broken Catholic rules in other ways. Sightings have given rise to a number of stories describing creepy things that hide in the dark and dont play nice. The creature is only vaguely seen in the film with a head resembling a bear. I used to have nightmares including the Rougarou as a kid and seeing this is crazy that its something based on my home state. Before we get too far into an explanation let's first say it correctly, the proper pronunciation is, "Roo-Ga-Roo.". The creature stood upright on two legs. In an interview conducted by Carter Buschardt, the officer stated that he went back to look at the end of shift report he filed the night of the encounter, but was unable to find the report. He hides in tall grass near Grunch Road in New Orleans, LA, waiting to prey on teens who park there. In an attempt to keep occupied and at home during these various phases of the Covid-19 pandemic, on a whim I decided to search out Louisiana based Bigfoot sightings. Werewolves have transformed, too, and not just into the Teen Wolf tv show and movie. "This thing had a flat back. And we value equal representation for allso they deserve a spot on our list of the scariest Louisiana monsters! The only credibility I can give to these reports is that they ran in the paper. There are multiple categories you can enter, including ones for kids and pets. Considering how many hunters love senselessly killing wild boars, we really cant blame the swamp monster. Where can you find a Rougarou? The Rougarou, or as others may say, Loup garou, is a bayou-dwelling werewolf. Generations of youngsters have heard the scary tales. Thats what we in Louisiana call the Rougarou, cher. A close friend of the family who was on his way to pick up his girlfriend, she lived down the street from my dad. I hunt all over america and even in Africa a couple times ive run across crap that has made me avoid entire states and run across other things that i tried to stalk and kill one of these things i tried to kill is a loup garou i lived in deep louisiana until i was 11 i know about these things your gonna need some back story for this i subscribe to the idea that they are cursed humans and will have the curse till they die like wherewolves and the loup garou may even be a wherewolf because the only time ive ever found a claim of one that i couldnt easily blow off the description was the same as a where wolf like a humanoid grizzly bear on two legs with lots of steroids that aside i was doing some hunting one night for hog and saw a huge animal walk out stood 6 or 7 feet tall on two legs couldnt make out fine details due to light but i took a shot at it after i saw enough to realize it wasnt human i shot it in the head with a 45-70 those of you who dont get that its a rifle capable of taking large game like an elephant with one shot very strong round and for those of you who are gun people ill give some specs it was a 500 grain soft lead bullet hot loaded on 72 grains of powder (that doesnt sound like much but i shoot black powder in it not smokeless and no its not a muzzle loader it shoots brass cased bullets like a normal gun) anyway i hit it in the head and it got really pissed of and started to charge from about 200 yards away i shot it again in the chest and it ran off i spent the night tracking it mind you this all happemed at about 10 i only quit when i lost blood trail and foot print trail right around daylight i went home and that night there was a story of a man whos body had been found with two large holes that resembled bullet holes but it was ruled out because there was no trace of any lead or powder and he was drained of all his blood that chalked it up to a satanic ritual now to me it sounds like i killed a loup garou but hey maybe its still out there and just really pissed off. The creature continued on as it reached a woody marsh area near a canal then disappeared. This particular evening something strange caught the seminary students ear. The Rougarou life involves shapeshifting into its beast form every night, then being forced to transform back into a human at sunrise. I remember he kept repeating something to the effect of look, Im not sure what I saw. At that time the only reference I had to Bigfoot was a few TV shows and a book I checked out a few times from my schools library.
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