Theyre not trying to eat you, Ancelet says. The story was born in France in medieval times, when they actually believed in werewolves. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have successfully subscribed to the PeachTown newsletter. It was getting late so I was heading back to my dads house for the evening. The few folks that lay eyes on these creatures are simply catching an interloper just visiting. Stories of these cajun folklore spirits originated in French culture and made their way into Louisiana folklore over time. Whatever he saw had Mr. Nameless so unsettled that even from the safety of his truck was hesitant to pass where the creature had crossed. Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. The anonyms Laplace man said he was out near Ruddock with a friend, they were clearing land with a bulldozer when they came across footprints in the mud that were at least 19 inches in length. Nothing is going to hurt me. The student also stated that he did not want to alarm the creature by running off. Their body would then undergo a transformation, and they would develop a craving for meat. Honey Island Swamp Monster In these times, many crimes were blamed on the beast, ranging from theft to kidnapping of children. The mud was too sloppy to retain any prints. 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. 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. French and Canadian settlers as they migrated brought with them the legend of the beast to Louisiana. Wow, this is most definitely going to be my art project gonna be difficult but I'll get it done. The brave friend stated that something in her mind told her to look ahead. One of the most popular stories that gets passed down from generation to generation is the legend of the Rougarou, Cajun Countrys answer to Bigfoot. There was a significant belief in the beast by the populace that people were put on trial and found guilty of being the fabled beast. Crafty. When many of the French migrated to Canada and the southern United States, they took the legend of the loup-garou with them. And as the stomping grounds for the rougarou have disappeared, so have tales about the beastuntil Foret made it his mission to save both. Where are you from? Kliebert got no response. Across French Louisiana, it is a very common legend, and most Louisiana natives are very familiar with at least the name, if nothing else. 7910 park ave houma, la (985) 580-7289 . A close friend of the family who was on his way to pick up his girlfriend, she lived down the street from my dad. The K-9 unit lost the scent once it ran into the marsh. To kill some time before his date, Mr. Nameless decided to take an evening cruise down Peavine Road to the lake. The Rougarou myth is even so prevalent that the term "rougarouing" or similar terms have become used to describe a person who stays up late or is active at night. 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. Their curse usually comes from a local witch, sometimes a Voodoo priestess. The Rougarou will see the 13 objects, try to count them, and be unable to count them all. Today, theyre suave and sexy, thanks in part to pop culture hits such as Interview with the Vampire, Twilight, and True Blood. I dont remember verbatim what he told me that day but the gist of that conversation has stuck in my psyche with clarity for nearly 30 years. He slowed down when he saw it because he got the impression that this was not a man. Curious Louisiana answers. 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. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. 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. Offer subject to change without notice. Numerous ghost sightings have been reported over the years, making it one of the most haunted landmarks in the USA. The rougarou once served to scare adults into being good Catholics, and children into staying home after dark, Rabalais says, adding, Now there are other things to be scared of, like rising water levels and hurricanes.. 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. One recent supposed sighting came from a woman in Harvey, Louisiana, who claimed she saw a Grunch eating one of her neighbor's dogs. When they reached the paved section of the driveway, PB noticed a dead 90 lb male Bobcat laying along the edge. Full report can be found at http://www.gcbro.com/LAlivingston0001.html. And we value equal representation for allso they deserve a spot on our list of the scariest Louisiana monsters! Its too late to turn back! [12] Theres a lot of blue tarps still on roofs everywhere, says Foret. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Even the act of self-defense could be life-altering. In the article, we will attempt to answer these questions and more. Rougarou Fest/Facebook. The Rougarou, also known as the loup-garou, is essentially Louisiana's bayou-dwelling werewolf, and it's a prominent figure in Cajun folklore. It is said that you can protect yourself against the Rougarou by laying 13 small objects by your doors. Out hunting for deer, Hubert was perched atop an oak tree when he heard heavy sounds approaching from the woods behind him. What is the Rougarou? | Louisiana Swamp Base It now craves human flesh and overturns small boats to devour and feast! The rougarou, the Cajun cryptid said to haunt Louisiana's wetlands, is the mascot of a conservation effort for its traditional habitat. 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. I believe that people are seeing these poor mangy bears instead of werewolves. As the rougarou lunges forward he defends himself and cuts its arm, thus releasing the curse from that person and putting it onto [himself].. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. Lapin, the trickster rabbit rooted in African folklore traditions that were brought to Louisiana by enslaved people, has also seen a transformation. These monsters are said to roam the cities, swamps, and scary places of Louisiana in search of their next victims, and its to your benefit to stay educated if you want any hope of survival. Well, the rougarou of the Bayou country has a pretty strong link to the werewolf of ancient times in Europe and France. Other more out there schools of thought would suggest that these creatures or of a different origin, Alien, Spirit, even faerie. When the first drop of blood is drawn, the creature returns to human form and tells the attacker who it really is. The full moon hangs high over the Louisiana swampland. Sightings have given rise to a number of stories describing creepy things that hide in the dark and dont play nice. The question nagged him into adulthood. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A year later the boy killed himself and left a letter that the family turned over to the sheriff. In 2011, Foret launched Rougarou Fest in Houma, Terrebones parish seat and largest city, as both a fundraiser for the center and a way to revive the fading cryptid tradition. 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! 61 when they saw a creature pop up out from the bank of the canal that parallels Airline. The story of the Rougarou supposedly changed once French immigrantsor possibly also French-Canadian immigrantscame to live in the area that is now Louisiana. Lougarou | Cryptid Wiki | Fandom Some Louisiana monsters are walking around in plain sight! A quick browse and youll find many pictures of the Rougarou. The Rougarou Supernatural Cameo Explained, Legend of the Rougarou: The Complete Loup-garou Guide, US Ghost Adventures New Orleans Ghosts Review. She describes the Rougarou as "an important identification marker for South Louisiana's culture." Modern claims of Rougarou sightings are few and far between, however, unlike reports of something strange seen in the swamps of Honey Island. Before we get too far into an explanation let's first say it correctly, the proper pronunciation is, "Roo-Ga-Roo.". In this article, were going to highlight the top 9 Louisiana monsters from folklore and legends. Heed our warning and be on the look out for cajun folklore monsters when youre roaming the wildest parts of the bayou state. 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. In some cases, they are your loved ones coming to greet you and bring good fortune. Where can you find a Rougarou? 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. 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. It throws its head back, letting out a blood-curdling howl to the moon. The different versions of the Rougarou beast are as many as reported sightings of the beast. It's got to be the Rougarou, the infamous werewolf of the bayou. Catholics are told it will hunt down and kill them if they don't obey Lent. The Rougarou, The Louisiana Swamp Werewolf - YouTube The sound of human cries in the woods is a theme directly from faire lore. For decades, the equivalent of one football field of coastline was lost per hour; while the rate has slowed, the regions long-term prognosis remains grim. 1990-1992 (early 90s) St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. Subscribe to the Pelican State of Mind blog by providing your email below! It was late in the evening when Mr. Nameless flagged me down. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. The Rougarou Fest Is The Spookiest Festival In Louisiana - OnlyInYourState All rights reserved. Frequently referred to as beast in the story, the part-man, part-animal with piercing yellow eyes has appeared in several anecdotes by self-styled witnesses since the 1960s. The monster has its own Wikipedia pageand has been the source of numerous news stories and documentaries. The Rougarou: Louisiana's Cajun Werewolf - Exemplore Folklore will have us believe that a Rougarou has the opportunity to change back to a human after 101 days, but only after finding another human who is willing to have the curse transferred to them. There were no apparent wounds or blood, but the fresh carcass looked like it had been battered and crushed. Curious Louisiana explains it's not all random. Enjoy these allegedly. There's more to this 19th-century crime than the dark side of fairy lore. The Rougarou: Louisiana's Werewolf. - Paranomaly Podcast 2023 Atlas Obscura. Kliebert was stunned when he saw this giant approaching him. Louisiana Urban Legends, Monsters, and Haunted Places Its rumored that Lutins can take any form, including cats (especially white ones), hobgoblins, elves, and other strange creatures. Stumbling upon the LObservateur article reignited my borderline obsessive interest in these types of creature sightings. In the legend, this beast is often described as having the body of a man and the head of a wolf or a dog and prowls Louisiana swamps looking for misbehaving children. The creature continued on as it reached a woody marsh area near a canal then disappeared. The New Orleans Pelicans, Louisiana's NBA team, were formerly known as the Hornets. Makes that morning commute not seem so bad, right? If youre familiar with Louisianas history, you know voodoo is part of it. There also exist more supernatural explanations for the origins of the Rougarou. 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. 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 three adult men surveyed the area from the inside of the truck. A close friend of the family who was on . We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. The Rougarou has also been tied to the story of the Deridder Roadkill. The Cajuns (also known as Acadians) are an ethnic group that makes up a significant portion of south Louisianas population. No one agrees what it looks like because they dont really have wolves in this part of our country, says Nathan J. Rabalais, author of Folklore Figures of French and Creole Louisiana. Overall, Weve seen the evolution of the werewolf become a more sophisticated, debonair character, Ancelet says. Legend of the Rougarou: Louisiana's Werewolf Back in the day of armor, swords and jousting, there was a lot more to fear than the plague and witches. The tales of the Rougarou have many variations, but it is mostly described as being a hulking beast, up to 10 feet tall, with the hair covered body of a human and the head of a wolf or in some cases a . I had been riding my bike through the trails in the woods that were in the back of Laplace Park. I spent a couple summers in Sabine Parish out on North Fort Fort Polk on a tract of ground called Peason Ridge(Little Nam). I came across a LObservateur article that ran around Halloween 2002, titled: Let the haunting good times roll. THE ROUGAROU - Folklore, Myths & Legends Long, thin arm attached to a 6 to 7 foot frame. We love meat too, but come on. Another Louisiana swamp creature that seems rooted in lore is none other than the Rougarou, which is basically a Cajun version of the werewolf. About four weeks ago, PB and his 5-year-old daughter were walking along their long dirt driveway that leads to their home. There wasnt much to his story, but the seriousness of his delivery, and the apparent reluctance to tell me, gave his words credence. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. There are multiple categories you can enter, including ones for kids and pets. We can only hope Ruston, LA never decides to build a Grunch Road. Southeast Louisiana Bigfoot Sightings. Some legends of the beast say it can only be killed by fire, others say it can be killed while its in its vulnerable human form. The giant was walking westerly at a quick pace with a sorrowful but purposeful look.