Like the childhood game of telephone, the story morphs over the years as it gets passed down from generation to generation. Who knows what it is? Just hope this Louisiana monster doesnt get hold of you. We got kicked out of Nova Scotia, and now were getting kicked out of Louisiana and it just feels like theres some generational trauma linked to being forced to move over and over again, he says. ", This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Be careful, because Louisiana monsters are all over! In closing Ive always considered Yeti to be more of a possibility than a werewolf. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. Thank you! An illegal moonshine distilling business once drove much of the area's economy, but competition could be shot down without any repercussions, according to the article. The student claimed it was the exact same sounds they heard during their encounter. And then I realized that is what I saw! Also known as Cajun fairies, these creatures can be either good or bad depending on the circumstances. The only credibility I can give to these reports is that they ran in the paper. Frogs croak their songs in the distance and mosquitos buzz as they fly around looking for their next meal. Definitely a loup-garou. Generations of youngsters have heard the scary tales. Thanks for sharing it with us! The commuter stated that the headlights of his car shined directly onto the creature so they got a pretty good look at it. However, according to other accounts, there is no escape from the curse. The dark figure crossed the road from the passenger side to the driver side, so it was traveling due south when it crossed the road. The article contained a short anecdotal account of an unnamed Laplace man that in 1983 saw something correlates with what Mr. Nameless saw. The New Orleans Pelicans had originally thought about changing their names from the Hornets to the Rougarous at one point! 61 when they saw a creature pop up out from the bank of the canal that parallels Airline. In the article, we will attempt to answer these questions and more. Its essentially a werewolf with a cajun spin on it. For Foret and many other Cajun residents in the area, the real possibility that climate change will eventually force them from their homes is particularly upsetting. The officer that reported this sighting stated he and his partner did not discuss this much past that night. What I saw scared the life out of me. Required fields are marked *. The Rougarou has even been made into an action figure, part of a series that also features Sasquatch and the Yeti. The report suggests that these two encounters took place in roughly the same area. The few folks that lay eyes on these creatures are simply catching an interloper just visiting. The Rougarou has a varied history, though all variations seem to trace it back to the French. Most Christians believe any spirit that is not a holy one is a demonic spirit. Heed our warning and be on the look out for cajun folklore monsters when youre roaming the wildest parts of the bayou state. 9 Scariest Louisiana Monsters from Folklore, Legendary Monsters of Louisiana: Rougarou, Legendary Monsters of Louisiana: Cauchemar, Best Resistance Bands for Home Workouts in 2021. Registration begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 26, and the contest begins at 4 p.m. A simple yet effective trick to protect oneself from the beast. 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. Turns out voodoo is still in. There also exist more supernatural explanations for the origins of the Rougarou. More than a millennium ago, vampires were demonic vectors of disease, possibly reflecting the very real threat of rabies. Modern claims of Rougarou sightings are few and far between, however, unlike reports of something strange seen in the swamps of Honey Island. The officer reported that the creature crossed a 22 foot wide street in three strides. In the same story from The Nicholls Worth, the author, Brandon Folse, heavily quotes Patricia Perrin, a retired English instructor and folklore specialist. One of the most compelling reports occurred in Marrero, LA circa 1970. 4. The Cajuns (also known as Acadians) are an ethnic group that makes up a significant portion of south Louisianas population. 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. The Rougarou, Beast of the Louisiana Bayou, Gets a Makeover. According to folklore, a Rougarou is a human that has been placed under a spell. Thank you! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Design a site like this with WordPress.com. A 9ft tall man with a black beard and what appeared to be a cloak of brown fur hanging from his neck by a rope. Foret grew up in southern Louisiana, between the Atchafalaya Basin and New Orleans, where stories of the rougarou are most often heardand he wouldnt venture into wooded areas at night because of them. A large dark figure on two legs crossed the road. He sees it as an example of the way cryptids evolve alongside the cultures that created them. We cant make this stuff up. But now, the story of the once-terrifying rougarou is changing, along with the coastal wetlands it has long called home. When the child saw the dog transform into a man, he dashed home to tell his family. Every year in October, there is a festival held in downtown Houma called the Rougarou Fest. The New Orleans Pelicans, Louisiana's NBA team, were formerly known as the Hornets. Rougarou Fest/Facebook. Since Cajun dialect is a mix of French and English and well-known for changing words completely to roll off the tongue easier, the name of the beast changed from loup-garou to Rougarou (also spelled roux-ga-roux, rugaroo, or rugaru). I had relatives that lived in Covington," Brettel said. I grew up that way and you would hear about strange things.. A monster? The officers came around the corner of the house and saw a creature standing up, pressed against the side of the house, trying to maintain cover. Required fields are marked *. Bobby Brettel grew up in New Orleans, nearly 40 miles away from the moss-tangled bayous of eastern St. Tammany Parish's Honey Island Swamp. It ended up passing within 15 yards of Mr. Klibert. While the officers were talking to the lady, a K-9 unit arrived on scene and when they began their search the dog alerted to something. 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. In the swamps within the Greater New Orleans area and the Acadiana is where this beast has come to live. The line on the trees in this picture taken Nov. 16, 2017, shows the swamp's typical high-water mark, which generally arrives in the spring. The tale of Rougarou originates from Southern Louisiana, and is often told to young children to prevent them from misbehaving. The Husband also described the creature as being dark in color and large. Full report can be found on http://www.gcbro.com/LAassumption03-12-2016.html. Standing on two legs on top of a fallen, moss-covered tree is a large, snarling beast. This will perplex it, and it will keep recounting until the sun comes up and it must flee. Some have claimed it to be the body of a Rougarou, though others have speculated it might be a Chupacabra or Devil Monkey. So this happened to me a few years ago, I was visiting a friend's house in the Houston River area, that section of the river is pretty swampy so we were frog hunting at night. The French actually have a similar story of the Loup-garou. Out hunting for deer, Hubert was perched atop an oak tree when he heard heavy sounds approaching from the woods behind him. As the rougarou lunges forward he defends himself and cuts its arm, thus releasing the curse from that person and putting it onto [himself].. Email Joni Hess at joni.hess@theadvocate.com. Growing up, my Mom always called it the Wigawoo, and I never knew any different til I was 30something. Not in the Pacific Northwest, but right there in Laplace! If you dont have the stomach to fight the beast, you can protect yourself through other means. A few seconds passes and she started to feel a fear building inside. Once the rougarou settled into southern Louisianas swampy shadows, it took on some aspects of local Native American cryptids, such as a legendary Choctaw shapeshifting owl-witch. I remember when the physician shot himself here in Lockport. Loup-garou. Foret is now director of the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center, a nonprofit that educates students, in the classroom and on field trips, about the challenges of sea level rise, climate change, and living in a coastal communityone still recovering from 2021s Hurricane Ida. The Bible tells us to test the spirit(s) to see if it (they) come from God. Here's what health officials, restaurants say. Cauchemar actually means nightmare in Louisiana French and Creole. The two young women decided they would go to the car together. Generations of children have heard the scary. For instance, there is a legend that says placing 13 pennies at entrances you wish to protect is the way to go. There was a problem saving your notification. After the initial sighting by the husband, the wife reported that a neighbor came by in an adjatated state. One recent supposed sighting came from a woman in Harvey, Louisiana, who claimed she saw a Grunch eating one of her neighbor's dogs. The concepts surrounding the Rougarous supernatural abilities link it closely with traditional concepts of the mythical werewolf. Thats what we in Louisiana call the Rougarou, cher. If you'vegot a questionabout something Louisiana-centric, ask us. A recent novel called The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. According to reports, this Louisiana monster looks human, except for his sharp teeth, goat legs, and many abnormalities. Also in Harvey, residents say they've seen it knocking over trashcans and chasing cats. There has been some dispute about whether or not this myth is actually related to the French Louisiana Rougarou legends. And we value equal representation for allso they deserve a spot on our list of the scariest Louisiana monsters! And, if you know anything about sleep paralysis, you may have seen the culprit himself! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Outside of Louisiana, the Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio has a rollercoaster named Rougarou. Is one of these crafty cryptids on display in a small museum? The man heard a noise behind him; he turned around and witnessed two large, red eyes staring back at him. The officer that submitted this report has over 40 years in military and law enforcement, a degree in Anthropology, and self educated in Darwinism, math and quantum physics. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. The Rougarou is an important figure in Cajun legends. There's more to this 19th-century crime than the dark side of fairy lore. About half way back to the railroad crossing, 100 yards up the road. 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. Stories of the rougarou in Louisiana derive largely from 16th-century French legends of a beast called loup garou, essentially a werewolf. We love meat too, but come on. 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. One of the most popular stories that gets passed down from generation to generation is the legend of the Rougarou, Cajun Country's answer to Bigfoot. Since the migration, many of the legends began to change to match the times and the dialect. Full report can be found at http://www.gcbro.com/LAlivingston0001.html. The mud was too sloppy to retain any prints. He told himself if whatever that was jumps out at me, I can always hit the accelerator. When he got to the area where the creature crossed the road, he looked out the drivers side window but did not see anything. Curious Louisianaconnects readers with our newsroom's reporting. There are also stories of an enormous monster that also shares the bayou with the Rougarou and that is the Honey Island Swamp Monster, which is also known as Louisiana's "bigfoot of the swamp." 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 . Wow, this is most definitely going to be my art project gonna be difficult but I'll get it done. 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. He was only about 100 yards away when it crossed so a person would not of had time to get far enough to disappear into the swamp. Lover of writing, learning and teaching others about new things. Children are told by their elders to behave or else the Rougarou will get them. By the end, youll know the scariest rumors circulating in cajun land. Sightings have given rise to a number of stories describing creepy things that hide in the dark and dont play nice. People say, behind the disguises, theyre really the spirits of babies who died before baptism. In fact, instead of wolfish features, most Cajuns will describe the rougarou as resembling a dog or owl. Like other "monsters" Loch Ness, Bigfoot the Honey Island Swamp Monster has developed an enduring legend. Foret recalls hearing of one legendary rougarou run-in, when a young boy out for a stroll, armed with only his oyster knife, encountered the creature. Louisiana is a lovely place to visit. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Click the image below to read our free eBook "The Big Book of Credit Union MythsBUSTED! I am using it as research for a short story that I am wtiting. You have permission to edit this article. Recently I saw a picture of a bear with severe mange which looked like how people describe werewolves and rougarous. After the officers spoke to the complainant they decided to do a search of the perimeter. Could these sightings be and unknown species of hominid living for the most part, undetected in the southeast Louisiana wilderness? This particular evening something strange caught the seminary students ear. How safe are you from this magnificent monster? Despite your personal beliefs in the supernatural, these legends abound and continue to be told in the cajun lands to this day. It is most often described as having a human body with the head of a wolf or dog, with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp teeth. Theres a lot of blue tarps still on roofs everywhere, says Foret. How does it differ from a traditional werewolf? Bog Monster of Louisiana T-Shirt (Impractical Jokers). The rougarou is like our Smokey the Bear, says Foret. While you're in Houma, don't forget to stop by A-Bear's, home to some of the most delicious homemade desserts in Louisiana. He might even be neighbors with the Honey Island Swamp Monster, which is also known as Louisianas bigfoot of the swamp.. one football field of coastline was lost per hour. In 1974, Ford, a wildlife photographer and former air traffic controller, claimed to have witnessed the creature while exploring potential hunting grounds. Their property backs up to a vast cypress swamp. By clicking "Accept," you agree to the use of cookies on Pelican State of Mind. Once the girl was halfway to the vehicle she noticed her friend was still standing at the front door of the house. . According to Native American legends, theres a creature in Terrebonne Parish that is the spirit of a child reincarnated as a beast. Bears can stand up and run on their hind legs, whereas, wolves cannot. A student attending St. Josephs seminary college had an experience that cannot be classified as a sighting, but rather and auditory experience. Subscribe to the Pelican State of Mind blog by providing your email below! We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. troy landrey talked about it on swamp people. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The only one I say can I truly believe is the sighting told to me by Mr. Nameless and that is only because I have known him my entire life and trust him. 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. If this witness tells anyone about this encounter within a year and a day, they will become a Rougarou themselves. Required fields are marked *. Past participants have described the festival as fun, and until COVID it had managed to attract a decent crowd each year. There is also a Native American story of the "Rugaru." Jerry Major's Curious Louisiana question is more than an inquiry about a pronunciation. Is there a Louisiana werewolf? by Joel Balsam October 19, 2022. While most likely these stories are cautionary tales meant to keep kids from wandering into dangerous situations, it does make you think! Logic would dictate that any such creature living in southeast Louisiana would appear thinner in both frame and hair because of the climate and wet conditions. Another well-known swamp monster born out of Cajun folklore is the Rougarou. Im not making this up. Last but not least, the pinnacle of mythology in the bayou state and kingpin of all Louisiana monsters the Rougarou. It now craves human flesh and overturns small boats to devour and feast! OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. The Loupe Garou has to be based on stories told by parents wanting there children to behave and make there beds clean the dishes ect ect. Rougarou Sightings According to a lady from Louisiana, a local child was being chased by a dog when he decided to cut it with his pocketknife. The Rougarou roams the bayou in search for misbehaving children to frighten. The student waited 5 more minutes to see if the sounds would return but the encounter was over. In another variation of the story, the half man half wolf monster targets and kills Catholics that have failed to follow the rules of Lent. There are multiple categories you can enter, including ones for kids and pets. The Audobon Zoo in New Orleans has an exhibit dedicated to the Rougarou, which includes a statue of the creature itself. The Giants body appeared to be covered with reddish hair. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. Immense fear or indifference could be contributed to psychic phenomena that are sometimes reported with these types of sightings. Great words, you could make a short story out of that Peason Ridge setting! 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. In these times, many crimes were blamed on the beast, ranging from theft to kidnapping of children. We do have water spirits, such as Leviathan, a giant alligator spirit, who is actually mentioned in the Bible. The student would take evening walks while saying the rosary. Stories on its origin vary, but some say its a spirit while others claim its a child that was raised by alligators. 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. After being spotted, the creature ran between two houses then continued to the street when it passed under a streetlight. Our parents would say things like, you better behave or the rougarou is gonna get you, says Jonathan Foret, a native of Terrebonne Parish, a patchwork of bayou and lowlands on the Gulf shore. Loup is French for Wolf, and Garou refers to a man that transforms into an animal.