Louisiana's Rougarou Fest - Enchanted Living Magazine As outlandish as that sounds some of the very details in this essay support that. I am using it as research for a short story that I am wtiting. For instance, in 2015, the floorless roller coaster Mantis was renamed Rougarou. 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. One day her husband was walking back from his shop in the backyard, and was pretty shook up over what he witnessed. But as someone who lives in Louisiana and knows many Catholics who break Lent, I'm not so sure about this myth's validity. Is there a Louisiana werewolf? Southeast Louisiana Bigfoot Sightings. Legendary Monsters of Louisiana: Rougarou | PeachTown 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. Every year in October, there is a festival held in downtown Houma called the Rougarou Fest. Jerry Major's Curious Louisiana question is more than an inquiry about a pronunciation. If you dont have the stomach to fight the beast, you can protect yourself through other means. 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. I came across a LObservateur article that ran around Halloween 2002, titled: Let the haunting good times roll. I spent a couple summers in Sabine Parish out on North Fort Fort Polk on a tract of ground called Peason Ridge(Little Nam). Theres a lot of blue tarps still on roofs everywhere, says Foret. There's more to this 19th-century crime than the dark side of fairy lore. 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 . "I think that there's magic in the swamps that's celebrated at Rougarou," Foret says. Modern claims of Rougarou sightings are few and far between, however, unlike reports of something strange seen in the swamps of Honey Island. 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. I'm considering creating a documentary on the legend of the Rougarou when I get some more free time in the future. I had almost forgot about it since no one answered phone when I wanted to tell someone what I just seen was so weird. 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. If you have lived in Louisiana, there is a significant chance you have heard the lore of the Rougarou (also spelled as Rouxgaroux). all proceeds from rougarou fest go to the south louisiana wetlands discovery center click here to learn more. Local stories say the Rougarou roams the streets at night, antagonizing people to attack it. Louisiana monsters have been the subject of controversy for years. 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. Standing on two legs on top of a fallen, moss-covered tree is a large, snarling beast. The neighbor then said he saw an 8 foot tall creature standing on two legs. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. 1990-1992 (early 90s) St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. But first, lets dive into some of its histories. Or else you may find yourself prey to the legendary Rougarou. And then I realized that is what I saw! A monster? The neighbor, who was unaware of the husbands sighting, stated that while walking with his dog in the woods, his dog got spooked and ran back toward their house. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. According to reports, this Louisiana monster looks human, except for his sharp teeth, goat legs, and many abnormalities. As it gets to 13, it becomes confused. Theyre not trying to eat you, Ancelet says. The Rougarou, Beast of the Louisiana Bayou, Gets a Makeover One man hopes to turn the wolfish cryptid into a mascot for saving the state's imperiled wetlands. Years later the seminary student was watching a television program about Bigfoot and they played audio of a suspected Sasquatch. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. 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. I believe that people are seeing these poor mangy bears instead of werewolves. The legend is believed to have originated from French Canadian immigrants in the late 1700's. There are hundreds of light . When they were choosing the new name, one of the trademarks filed for was the name the New Orleans Rougarou. This terrifying creature has evolved over millenniabut never lost the need to feed. 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. I found a report from Civil War veteran Fredrick Kliebert who was walking home from a squirrel hunt when he saw what he described as a giant. 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. Well written and well documented. Some sources claim the myth originated in medieval France, when belief in werewolves would have been far more prevalent. That is if we are to believe that these creatures are flesh and blood biological entities. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. 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. The 12 year old that was operating the mini-bike accelerated so hard that thier cousin fell off the back. A simple yet effective trick to protect oneself from the beast. He told me how past the railroad track, near the lake they had some deer in a fenced in area. You can reach the Curious Louisiana team at CuriousLouisiana@theadvocate.com. The article does not specify if this happened in the same area that he and his friend found the large footprints. I suppose anything is possible, and while the Bigfoot sighting phenomena originated in the Pacific Northwest, it seems more than plausible that such a creature could exist here. The rougarou is closely related to the European version of the werewolf but has a few very distinct differences from the wolfmen seen in movies and on television. Before we get too far into an explanation let's first say it correctly, the proper pronunciation is, "Roo-Ga-Roo.". The friend described a chilling encounter one warm morning. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Design a site like this with WordPress.com. If you werent already aware, New Orleans has a prominent vampire subculture. The friend forgot her purse in the car. Modern claims of Rougarou sightings are few and far between, however, unlike reports of something strange seen in the swamps of Honey Island. The Caribbean island nation of Haiti, already steeped in the dark lore of zombies and voodoo magic, also has its own version of the infamous werewolf, which they call the je-rouges, or "red eyes." It is also referred to it as the French loup-garou and by the Creole word lougarou. Nope, not The GrinchThe Grunch. Get monthly email updates and the chance to win a prize. Did your house get ransacked during the night? Its popularity has seen it placed on shirts, mugs, in Hollywood and even seen roller coasters named after it. Considering how many hunters love senselessly killing wild boars, we really cant blame the swamp monster. Their full transformation into their Rougarou form would be completed once they had their first bite of human flesh. The Rougarou, or as others may say, Loup garou, is a bayou-dwelling werewolf. Beasts called loup-garous, which means werewolves in French, were also infamous throughout the country. According to these legends, the Rougarou when it comes across the pennies will begin to count them. The Rougarou is often also associated with the Skunk Ape or the Honey Island Swamp Monster, likely due to another variation of the myth that states the creature is a shapeshifter that can change forms between human and animal at will, sometimes making it seem more like a swamp Sasquatch than a werewolf. Years later, as a middle school teacher, hed mention the beast to his students only to learn theyd never heard of it. If this witness tells anyone about this encounter within a year and a day, they will become a Rougarou themselves. There are documentaries about this you can easily find on YouTube. The three adult men surveyed the area from the inside of the truck. He sees it as an example of the way cryptids evolve alongside the cultures that created them. 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. The Rougarou has even been made into an action figure, part of a series that also features Sasquatch and the Yeti. They look for blood donors who are willing to sell them blood, and yes, they drink it. I heard sounds Ive never heard and smells Id never smelled but never spied anything. Over the decades, numerous people have talked of an ape-like creature or creatures living in swamps. A close friend of the family who was on his way to pick up his girlfriend, she lived down the street from my dad. Childrens authors have started using alligators as characters. Its too late to turn back! The Rougarou has also been tied to the story of the Deridder Roadkill. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Rougaroux Rum, manufactured by donner-peltier distillers in Thibodaux, Louisiana, has a special praline-flavored version called Rougaroux 13 Pennies. The Legends Of This Mythical Creature In Louisiana Are Terrifying 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. It's got to be the Rougarou, the infamous werewolf of the bayou. There are many people in Louisiana who practice magic and wish curses upon us. 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. Even the act of self-defense could be life-altering. What is the Rougarou? The Rougarou (Cedar Point) roller coaster is located at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. While most likely these stories are cautionary tales meant to keep kids from wandering into dangerous situations, it does make you think! A few seconds passes and she started to feel a fear building inside. Cajun legend says that the beast hunts down Catholics who don't follow the rules of Lent. Apparently, when a person changes into a Rougarou they forget how to count past 12 (probably since they only worry about midnight and the moon at this point). Cauchemar is a monster that leaps out of childrens dreams and rides their backs. Often the story of the Rougarou has been used to instill fear in the hearts of Cajun children as a way to command obedience. If you'vegot a questionabout something Louisiana-centric, ask us. The seminary student stood still, they got the impression that the source of the noise was moving along a path in the woods and getting closer. The cousins decided to turn around and go back the direction they came to avoid a close encounter with this unknown, imposing, bipedal creature. 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. The next day the man found the two Dobermans decapitated. When travelling down the interstate or the backroads in Louisiana, youll see lots of beautiful scenery. Love Louisiana? There was also a story that was told to kids that if they didnt do what their parents asked, a loup-garou would come and steal them away in the middle of the night. 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. Immense fear or indifference could be contributed to psychic phenomena that are sometimes reported with these types of sightings. That's how I knew it wasnt a bear, another witness reported. 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. We can only hope Ruston, LA never decides to build a Grunch Road. The creature is only vaguely seen in the film with a head resembling a bear. 10/8/21: Rougarou - an American Skinwalker in Louisiana W/ Seth Frogs croak their songs in the distance and mosquitos buzz as they fly around looking for their next meal. After being spotted, the creature ran between two houses then continued to the street when it passed under a streetlight. 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. 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. It is said that you can protect yourself against the Rougarou by laying 13 small objects by your doors. one football field of coastline was lost per hour. Lapin, the trickster rabbit rooted in African folklore traditions that were brought to Louisiana by enslaved people, has also seen a transformation. The Bible tells us to test the spirit(s) to see if it (they) come from God. Aside from snakes and alligators, there are lots of predators and other scary things living there. The Rougarou has a varied history, though all variations seem to trace it back to the French. Bog Monster of Louisiana T-Shirt (Impractical Jokers). Will Seals' home was set afire and he was shot down while trying to escape the flames. Once the human is cursed, it is permanent. The hybrid whimpering could still be heard, and was clear and near, but still no visible sign of what was producing these sounds. This creature, also called Loup garou, is so popular it was depicted on the hit television series Supernatural. The commuter stated that the headlights of his car shined directly onto the creature so they got a pretty good look at it. Feel free to email me at jsutherlin@onlyinyourstate.com. 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. The tale of Rougarou originates from Southern Louisiana, and is often told to young children to prevent them from misbehaving. It was near 2am and both parties were hesitant to walk to the car to retrieve the purse. The Rougarou is a legendary creature that is often depicted on shirts, cups, and other forms of merchandise. My Encounter With a Rougarou "aka Louisiana Werewolf" : cryptids - reddit The sound of human cries in the woods is a theme directly from faire lore. Mr. Nameless wasnt sure what he saw, but I was convinced. These Louisiana monsters claim they feel lethargic and drained if they dont get the proper serving size of blood in on the regular. The Rougarou of the Bayou Louisiana is a fascinating place whose history is rich with legends from long ago. During this time, however, the Rougarou was called Loup-garou. Great words, you could make a short story out of that Peason Ridge setting! Thank you! The man dropped his gun and ran. We all have a notion that this world is a lot stranger than it seems on a surface level. When I asked Mr. Nameless if the creature was covered in hair he told me that he could not make out any detail other than the figure was large, and almost black. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Is there really a Honey Island Swamp Monster, Louisiana's Bigfoot Deep in the rural wooded swamp of Livingston Parish and young girl was having a friend of hers spend the night. Also known as Cajun fairies, these creatures can be either good or bad depending on the circumstances. The source of storms and an (occasional) kidnapper, the massive ancient beast has inspired muscle cars and jet fighters. Required fields are marked *. Upright Canine (Possible 'Rougarou') Encountered in Beauregard Parish The next day Mr. Nameless, his older brother, and a mutual friend went ride back out to Peavine. 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. The brave friend dismissed what she saw for a moment and continued to search for the purse in the dark. He told me it made no since for someone to be crossing the road at that point. Sam and Dean had a struggle with this one. A 1981 report bywriter Jerry Breaux pulled from The Advocate archives recalls a conversation the writer had with his long-time friend, Hubert. Their body would then undergo a transformation, and they would develop a craving for meat. The only way to arrive at the truth is to keep your mind open to weirdness. I had been riding my bike through the trails in the woods that were in the back of Laplace Park. Thanks for sharing it with us! After the officers spoke to the complainant they decided to do a search of the perimeter. A long-simmering proposal to dam the Pearl River near Jackson, Miss., has prompted concerns in southeast Louisina and southwest Mississippi about how such a project would impact the lower Pearl River. The student waited 5 more minutes to see if the sounds would return but the encounter was over. Rougarou the Louisiana Monster Werewolf - Any Mystery 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. More than a millennium ago, vampires were demonic vectors of disease, possibly reflecting the very real threat of rabies. Like other "monsters" Loch Ness, Bigfoot the Honey Island Swamp Monster has developed an enduring legend. As the rougarou lunges forward he defends himself and cuts its arm, thus releasing the curse from that person and putting it onto [himself].. A year later the boy killed himself and left a letter that the family turned over to the sheriff. However, many people also believe it's just a dog. 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. "Who. 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. Once turned around, the cousin looked back and observed the creature now walking in the middle of the road and at a quicker pace toward the children. In the late summer of the early 90's (actual year up for debate), I was riding my bike. Is one of these crafty cryptids on display in a small museum? A woman named Barbara Mullins discovered a supposedly unidentifiable carcass on the side of the road in 1996. 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A cattle bridge that crossed the Yellow Water River was mentioned as a landmark in the report. A close friend of the family who was on . The Rougarou: Louisiana's Cajun Werewolf | Deborah Hatswell BBR Being And we value equal representation for allso they deserve a spot on our list of the scariest Louisiana monsters! Did a child disappear from the village without a trace? The mud was too sloppy to retain any prints. Your email address will not be published. This a great article!! It ended up passing within 15 yards of Mr. Klibert. The Audobon Zoo in New Orleans has an exhibit dedicated to the Rougarou, which includes a statue of the creature itself. Full report can be found on bfro.net Report # 56107. Lover of writing, learning and teaching others about new things. How does it differ from a traditional werewolf? Over the years there have been many different stories about this mythical creature in Louisiana, a common occurrence with oral traditions like this one. What is a Rougarou, Exactly? - CryptoVille The Rougarou at Cedar Point is a prime example of Rougarou supernatural popularity. The cousins were ridding toward the creature when they spotted it walking on side of the road in their direction. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. He hides in tall grass near Grunch Road in New Orleans, LA, waiting to prey on teens who park there. The unfortunate person is under the spell for 101 days. Subscribe to the Pelican State of Mind blog by providing your email below! 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. Louisiana Werewolf: Rougarou of the Bayou - Exemplore Louisiana has a Nightmare on Bourbon Street situation going on that some arent aware of. 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. But now, the story of the once-terrifying rougarou is changing, along with the coastal wetlands it has long called home. Described as looking like a sloth, the creature was covered in a light grey hair, had a small round head and a brown nose. 4. I had relatives that lived in Covington," Brettel said. Tell your version of this mythical creature in Louisiana in the comments below! The creature in question was described by the officer as being an eight foot talk, bipedal hominid, dark hair (not fur), and massively build. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. Louisiana Urban Legends, Monsters, and Haunted Places The rougarou (or loup-garou) is a monster from Cajun folklore. The rougarou is like our Smokey the Bear, says Foret. Usually theyd find someone in the woods or someone in the village who was just acting strange.. The rougarou, the Cajun cryptid said to haunt Louisiana's wetlands, is the mascot of a conservation effort for its traditional habitat. Offer subject to change without notice. I used to have nightmares including the Rougarou as a kid and seeing this is crazy that its something based on my home state. Curious Louisianaconnects readers with our newsroom's reporting. The Rougarou roams the bayou in search for misbehaving children to frighten. Definitely a loup-garou. 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. Despite being a monster of legends, just like its cousin the werewolf, the Rougarou has its weakness. The beast is also a hit in pop culture here in Louisiana. The Rougarou is an important figure in Cajun legends. 1989 St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. The creature continued on as it reached a woody marsh area near a canal then disappeared. Legend says a group of albino dwarves isolated themselves from society in the woods just outside of New Orleans. About half way back to the railroad crossing, 100 yards up the road. How safe are you from this magnificent monster? Their curse usually comes from a local witch, sometimes a Voodoo priestess. Official Blog of Pelican State Credit Union. These canine-humanoid shapeshifters travel between worlds using magical doors. Audobon's website also has Rougarou t-shirts for sale.