Required fields are marked *. The creature stood upright on two legs. Stories of the rougarou in Louisiana derive largely from 16th-century French legends of a beast called loup garou, essentially a werewolf. For more information, visit the Rougarou Fest website, and don't forget to give them a follow on Facebook so you don't miss out on any announcements. Then my son started asking me about the rougarou legend and I was like a wha t? Makes that morning commute not seem so bad, right? Required fields are marked *. The Rougarou: Louisiana's Werewolf. - Paranomaly Podcast If you dont have the stomach to fight the beast, you can protect yourself through other means. This version varies from being a Bigfoot legend to resembling something more like a wendigo. Stories of these cajun folklore spirits originated in French culture and made their way into Louisiana folklore over time. He told me how past the railroad track, near the lake they had some deer in a fenced in area. The Rougarou, or as others may say, Loup garou, is a bayou-dwelling werewolf. He might even be neighbors with the Honey Island Swamp Monster, which is also known as Louisianas bigfoot of the swamp.. I heard sounds Ive never heard and smells Id never smelled but never spied anything. The earliest report takes place in the swampy forest of Back Vacherie in 1891.An excerpt from Along The River Road, Past and Present on LouisianasHistoric Byway by Mary Ann Sternberg. In the late summer of the early 90's (actual year up for debate), I was riding my bike. And above all else, remember thisdont go into the swamps alone! Across French Louisiana, it is a very common legend, and most Louisiana natives are very familiar with at least the name, if nothing else. Some versions of the myth involve witchcraft, wherein a witch has the ability to curse someone to be a Rougarou. Werewolves have transformed, too, and not just into the Teen Wolf tv show and movie. These stories were used to keep children in line and out of the woods. A spell that as you will soon find out is not that easy to break. Whether the Rougarou is truly a cryptid stalking the streets at night just waiting to pass its curse on to the next unfortunate soul, or whether it is merely a tool used to scare Catholics into keeping Lent, it is clear that the Rougarou has left its mark on Southern Louisiana. My Encounter With a Rougarou "aka Louisiana Werewolf" : cryptids - reddit I realized that parts of our folklore and our oral traditions were getting lost, he says. We know what you are probably thinking. The man heard a noise behind him; he turned around and witnessed two large, red eyes staring back at him. One day her husband was walking back from his shop in the backyard, and was pretty shook up over what he witnessed. Frogs croak their songs in the distance and mosquitos buzz as they fly around looking for their next meal. After Ford's death, a grainy film reel was found in his attic that shows a large and hairy figure shuffling upright between the trees. THE ROUGAROU - Folklore, Myths & Legends Rougarou - Wikipedia Lover of all things comedy, photography, and travel related. 51. Considering how many hunters love senselessly killing wild boars, we really cant blame the swamp monster. In the official report the officer filed he was honest, but kept the details to a minimum, it was a very tall dark figure, with no description of clothing. The student waited 5 more minutes to see if the sounds would return but the encounter was over. That these creatures are flesh and blood, but the reason they go undetected is because they are inter-dimensional beings that pop in and out of our reality. Lover of writing, learning and teaching others about new things. Southeast Louisiana Bigfoot Sightings. The article reported the murder of a man killed because his whiskey was too good and too profitable. Back in the thick, fog-covered swamplands is where youll find the true beauty of Louisiana and perhaps even a monster or twoincluding the legendary beast called the Rougarou. The cryptid, usually described as a towering, hairy monster, is allegedly a human cursed to take beastly form. He hides in tall grass near Grunch Road in New Orleans, LA, waiting to prey on teens who park there. Thats no werewolf, though. It was getting late so I was heading back to my dad's house for the evening. Childrens authors have started using alligators as characters. "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. But for decades, hes wondered about one of the swamp's fabled creatures the Honey Island Swamp Monster, a legendary 500-pound beast that some claim hides amid the cypress trees andmurky waters. The Rougarou is an important figure in Cajun legends. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have successfully subscribed to the PeachTown newsletter. These Louisiana monsters claim they feel lethargic and drained if they dont get the proper serving size of blood in on the regular. 61 when they saw a creature pop up out from the bank of the canal that parallels Airline. 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. Just hope this Louisiana monster doesnt get hold of you. Upright Canine (Possible 'Rougarou') Encountered in Beauregard Parish The commuter stated Unlike the sloth, it was man-like. Full report can be found on bfro.net Report #514. Another well-known swamp monster born out of Cajun folklore is the Rougarou. It was still very much daylight when this happened but the only detail he could make out was that the creature was upright and a bipedal hominid, dark in color. The Audobon Zoo in New Orleans has an exhibit dedicated to the Rougarou, which includes a statue of the creature itself. No, you dont become a Rougarou from a bite or scratch, or from losing a bet. The New Orleans Pelicans, Louisiana's NBA team, were formerly known as the Hornets. A lover of tasty meat, he lurks in swamps and hunts down unsuspecting humans. The creature ran two city blocks before absconding into the marsh. Enjoy these allegedly. The bright lights of the stars flicker in the murky licks of the waves near the towering, ominous Cypress trees. With the head of a werewolf and the body of a man, the creature is said to prey on misbehaving children and dates back to medieval France. But first, lets dive into some of its histories. I had been riding my bike through the trails in the woods that were in the back of Laplace Park. They are a defining characteristic of Louisiana culture and make the state a truly unique place to live. It throws its head back, letting out a blood-curdling howl to the moon. No matter how you spell it, the Rougarou, Roux-Ga-Roux, Rugaroo, Rugaru, or Loup Garou is a werewolf type creature living in the folklore of Cajun French Louisiana. I tend to lean more on the flesh and blood theory but I think it is important to keep all possibilities in play. Stories of cajun folklore monsters have been passed down for decadescenturies even. Louisiana has the most unique culture Ive discovered in the US and thats saying something being a native of Appalachia. The Rougarou: Louisiana's Cajun Werewolf | Deborah Hatswell BBR Being Is there a Louisiana werewolf? 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. He and his partner were a part of a unit in Jefferson Parish that were first responders to criminal calls, making this a most credible report. Too afraid to move, he watched as a figure about 8 feet tall and hairy from head to toe passed slowly below him, eventually disappearing further into the woods. Discovering the Rougarou - ArcGIS StoryMaps When they got to the spot they noticed the earth and surrounding plant life was disturbed like something big frequently passed there, a game trail of sorts. Many rumors haunt this road, also known as LA-57. It was late in the evening when Mr. Nameless flagged me down. March 18th 2022 was the full moon or the Worm Moon and as I was driving down i49 something crossed the road it was almost like a creature I seen in Scooby-Doo doo it ran so fast across the highway on 2 feet and was so tall. Since the migration, many of the legends began to change to match the times and the dialect. There has been some dispute about whether or not this myth is actually related to the French Louisiana Rougarou legends. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. A close friend of the family who was on his way to pick up his girlfriend, she lived down the street from my dad. Recently I saw a picture of a bear with severe mange which looked like how people describe werewolves and rougarous. Rougarou the Louisiana Monster Werewolf - Any Mystery Theres a lot of blue tarps still on roofs everywhere, says Foret. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. Some even suggest a mix of biological and fringe. What I saw scared the life out of me. I think its fascinating,'' said Brettel. After being spotted, the creature ran between two houses then continued to the street when it passed under a streetlight. 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! No purchase necessary. The article does not specify if this happened in the same area that he and his friend found the large footprints. On a different occasion that same Laplace man was out in the swamp with these two Doberman pinchers when he spotted a 7 foot tall bi-pedal creature that caused the dogs to run off. Deep within the swamps of south Louisiana, legend has it, there lives the Rougarou a legendary werewolf sort creature with sharp claws and glowing eyes. Another Louisiana swamp creature that seems rooted in lore is none other than the Rougarou, which is basically a Cajun version of the werewolf. 10/8/21: Rougarou - an American Skinwalker in Louisiana W/ Seth Sam and Dean had a struggle with this one. Often the story of the Rougarou has been used to instill fear in the hearts of Cajun children as a way to command obedience. Also in Harvey, residents say they've seen it knocking over trashcans and chasing cats. According to two deputies who refused to have their names published for fear of retaliation, killers knew they could disappear into the swamp's thick fog, their whereabouts untrackable by officers or bloodhounds. 1983 St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. The Rougarou is also thought to be nothing more than a bogeyman story to scare children or Catholics into obedience. Not in the Pacific Northwest, but right there in Laplace! Bog Monster of Louisiana T-Shirt (Impractical Jokers). The seminary student had the urge to run back to the monastery to tell someone but a thought emerged NO. The French Catholics claimed that you would be turned into a loup-garou if you did not follow the rules of Lent for seven consecutive years. Generations of youngsters have heard the scary tales. In fact, instead of wolfish features, most Cajuns will describe the rougarou as resembling a dog or owl. 9 Scariest Louisiana Monsters from Folklore, Legendary Monsters of Louisiana: Rougarou, Legendary Monsters of Louisiana: Cauchemar, 6 Exercises You Can Do with a Resistance Band, 4 Southern Traditions You Should Know About. There was a problem saving your notification. This was a deep dense pine forest with rolling Knolls and the occasion small marsh(bayou). At the annual October events rougarou costume contest, the fests mascot is reimagined hundreds of different ways, including as an eco-activist. Kliebert tried to communicate with the giant, asking who are you? An estimated 15,000 people now attend Rougarou Festival, which still manages to provide a very genuine peek into a culture and a land unlike any other in the world. The villagers would capture people they believed to be a loup-garou and then hold a public trial. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 1989 St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. 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. That gator is looking pretty good right now, huh? 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. This will perplex it, and it will keep recounting until the sun comes up and it must flee. Why do Bud's Broiler's burger prices conflict? We may never really find out.. Over the last century, hurricanes, sea level rise, and problematic development projects, such as damming the Mississippi River, have caused Louisiana to lose more than 2,000 square miles of land. While most likely these stories are cautionary tales meant to keep kids from wandering into dangerous situations, it does make you think!