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. Proud foodie. Theres a howl in the near distance. Generations of children have heard the scary. The question nagged him into adulthood. What is the Rougarou? People say, behind the disguises, theyre really the spirits of babies who died before baptism. This creature, also called Loup garou, is so popular it was depicted on the hit television series Supernatural. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. In the same story from The Nicholls Worth, the author, Brandon Folse, heavily quotes Patricia Perrin, a retired English instructor and folklore specialist. The next day the man found the two Dobermans decapitated. 61 when they saw a creature pop up out from the bank of the canal that parallels Airline. http://www.gcbro.com/LAassumption03-12-2016.html, http://www.gcbro.com/LAlivingston0001.html, http://www.gcbro.com/LAsttammany0004.html. We can only hope Ruston, LA never decides to build a Grunch Road. Werewolves have transformed, too, and not just into the Teen Wolf tv show and movie. Im not making this up. According to Native American legends, theres a creature in Terrebonne Parish that is the spirit of a child reincarnated as a beast. The bright lights of the stars flicker in the murky licks of the waves near the towering, ominous Cypress trees. Louisiana native. Perhaps this giant was not a fan of small talk, and from the direction of travel I suspect the giant was heading home to Chackbay. In the swamps within the Greater New Orleans area and the Acadiana is where this beast has come to live. The Rougarou Fest Is The Spookiest Festival In Louisiana - OnlyInYourState It was enough just enough working knowledge for me to form an opinion. This sighting took place just north of the Manchac Swamp region, about a quarter mile away from Hwy. The villagers would capture people they believed to be a loup-garou and then hold a public trial. 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. 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. It has the face of a canine with many sharp, frightening teeth. I remember when the physician shot himself here in Lockport. "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. For instance, in 2015, the floorless roller coaster Mantis was renamed Rougarou. 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. Theres a lot of blue tarps still on roofs everywhere, says Foret. You can reach the Curious Louisiana team at CuriousLouisiana@theadvocate.com. For instance, there is a legend that says placing 13 pennies at entrances you wish to protect is the way to go. Sam and Dean had a struggle with this one. Origins of the Rougarou lie in 16th Century medieval French Folklore. The creature in question was described by the officer as being an eight foot talk, bipedal hominid, dark hair (not fur), and massively build. They described it as a cross between a whimpering dog and human crying. The full moon hangs high over the Louisiana swampland. Loup-garou. Here's what health officials, restaurants say. 10 Creepy Facts and Legends about New Orleans - Hotels The Rougarou is a legendary creature that is often depicted on shirts, cups, and other forms of merchandise. Mr. Nameless wasnt sure what he saw, but I was convinced. 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. Official Post from Deborah Hatswell BBR Being Believed Research & Investigation Legend of the Rougarou, a Louisiana werewolf - The Daily Advertiser A recent novel called The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. 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. This terrifying creature has evolved over millenniabut never lost the need to feed. The creature continued on as it reached a woody marsh area near a canal then disappeared. The court would ask the public if they believed the accused to be a loup-garou, and usually the public agreed (mainly for fear that theyd be outed as a witch or a loup-garou themselves). Local stories say the Rougarou roams the streets at night, antagonizing people to attack it. Rougaroux Rum, manufactured by donner-peltier distillers in Thibodaux, Louisiana, has a special praline-flavored version called Rougaroux 13 Pennies. There were no apparent wounds or blood, but the fresh carcass looked like it had been battered and crushed. What I saw scared the life out of me. A lover of tasty meat, he lurks in swamps and hunts down unsuspecting humans. Its too late to turn back! The Rougarou Supernatural Cameo Explained, Legend of the Rougarou: The Complete Loup-garou Guide. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. This a great article!! Local sanitation workers have supposedly reported seeing them raiding garbage cans or chasing trucks. Louisiana monsters have been the subject of controversy for years. Audobon's website also has Rougarou t-shirts for sale. 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 Giants body appeared to be covered with reddish hair. A 1981 report bywriter Jerry Breaux pulled from The Advocate archives recalls a conversation the writer had with his long-time friend, Hubert. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have successfully subscribed to the PeachTown newsletter. By clicking "Accept," you agree to the use of cookies on Pelican State of Mind. 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. Some Louisiana monsters are walking around in plain sight! According to the deputies, the Honey Island Swamp was a hellhole where criminals and monsters thrived. Rougarou - Wikipedia 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). Over the decades, numerous people have talked of an ape-like creature or creatures living in swamps. The Rougarou, The Louisiana Swamp Werewolf - YouTube 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! It stands upright on two legs, and is covered in hair. The brave friend continued on to the car, opened the door and started to feel around in the dark for the purse in the passenger seat. However, many people also believe it's just a dog. The 12 year old that was operating the mini-bike accelerated so hard that thier cousin fell off the back. He flagged me down to speak with me. French and Canadian settlers as they migrated brought with them the legend of the beast to Louisiana. I grew up that way and you would hear about strange things.. If you dont have the stomach to fight the beast, you can protect yourself through other means. However, according to other accounts, there is no escape from the curse. There is also a Native American story of the "Rugaru." Modern claims of Rougarou sightings are few and far between, however, unlike reports of something strange seen in the swamps of Honey Island. by Joel Balsam October 19, 2022. He sees it as an example of the way cryptids evolve alongside the cultures that created them. You can find information on the legend of Cauchemar in folklore from all around the world, and it even exists in the Deep South. A student attending St. Josephs seminary college had an experience that cannot be classified as a sighting, but rather and auditory experience. Most Christians believe any spirit that is not a holy one is a demonic spirit. When travelling down the interstate or the backroads in Louisiana, youll see lots of beautiful scenery. They had no clue to what creature could make such a sound. Legend of the Rougarou, a Louisiana werewolf - Paranormal Outlaw Its essentially a werewolf with a cajun spin on it. The lady said, "The next day, a distinguished physician arrived in town with his right arm bandaged and cut. Southeast Louisiana Bigfoot Sightings. Back in the day of armor, swords and jousting, there was a lot more to fear than the plague and witches. The cousins were ridding toward the creature when they spotted it walking on side of the road in their direction. Both the officer and his partner got a good look at the creature when it passed under the streetlight. According to Breaux, as Hubert retold the story, he began clenching his teeth and breathing rapidly as if he were reliving a terrifying experience. This continued for 15 minutes until the sound started to travel away. 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 next day Mr. Nameless, his older brother, and a mutual friend went ride back out to Peavine. Louisiana has a Nightmare on Bourbon Street situation going on that some arent aware of. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Well written and well documented. The source of storms and an (occasional) kidnapper, the massive ancient beast has inspired muscle cars and jet fighters. The article does not specify if this happened in the same area that he and his friend found the large footprints. 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. Thank you! Despite your personal beliefs in the supernatural, these legends abound and continue to be told in the cajun lands to this day. 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. 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. 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. I tend to lean more on the flesh and blood theory but I think it is important to keep all possibilities in play. Your email address will not be published. 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. Thats what we in Louisiana call the Rougarou, cher. Coming across this story made me reach out to Mr. Nameless to see if he would entertain the idea answering some questions about the experience he had in the early 90s. The neighbor then said he saw an 8 foot tall creature standing on two legs. The monsters reputed locale, in the Honey Island Swamp, has an ominous and deadly history that precedes the legend. The Cajuns (also known as Acadians) are an ethnic group that makes up a significant portion of south Louisianas population. 7910 park ave houma, la (985) 580-7289 . Once the girl was halfway to the vehicle she noticed her friend was still standing at the front door of the house. Full report can be found at http://www.gcbro.com/LAsttammany0004.html. He might even be neighbors with the Honey Island Swamp Monster, which is also known as Louisianas 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 being. Their body would then undergo a transformation, and they would develop a craving for meat. There she saw standing next to a tree 25 feet away a creature that she described as being extremely tall and white. Terrebonne Parish resident Jonathan Foret was a type of kids. She describes the Rougarou as "an important identification marker for South Louisiana's culture." Perrin's statement is quite obviously true due to the Rougarou's clear influence in local culture and beyond. In Assumption Parish it is common place for house to be built substantially off the ground to withstand inevitable flood waters. At this point, you are probably wondering just how the legend began. Were not afraid. 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. It throws its head back, letting out a blood-curdling howl to the moon. The sounds grew faint as the creature traveled deeper into the woods until they faded completely. Well, the rougarou of the Bayou country has a pretty strong link to the werewolf of ancient times in Europe and France. There was a problem saving your notification. Then my son started asking me about the rougarou legend and I was like a wha t? After the initial sighting by the husband, the wife reported that a neighbor came by in an adjatated state. Email Joni Hess at joni.hess@theadvocate.com. In this article, were going to highlight the top 9 Louisiana monsters from folklore and legends. This was a deep dense pine forest with rolling Knolls and the occasion small marsh(bayou). Tell your version of this mythical creature in Louisiana in the comments below! The beast is also a hit in pop culture here in Louisiana. That festival is cool because it links folklore to current issues and things that people need to be aware of, Rabalais says. Stories of these cajun folklore spirits originated in French culture and made their way into Louisiana folklore over time. Can you really only eat oysters in 'r' months? The details of just seeing the eyes suggest that this sighting happened in the early morning while it was still dark. The plantation's most popular (and yet to be debunked) encounter is the apparition of a young . The curse is transferred when it draws another human's blood. Get more stories delivered right to your email. He checked out the deer kept driving and turned around at the lake headed back towards Hwy. Aside from snakes and alligators, there are lots of predators and other scary things living there. 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. The story of the Rougarou (the Louisiana swamp monster) is not a new tale to anyone that lives or grew up in Louisiana. 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. My Encounter With a Rougarou "aka Louisiana Werewolf" : cryptids - reddit During this time, however, the Rougarou was called Loup-garou. 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. What is the Rougarou? | Louisiana Swamp Base 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. You have permission to edit this article. The commuter stated that the headlights of his car shined directly onto the creature so they got a pretty good look at it. Immense fear or indifference could be contributed to psychic phenomena that are sometimes reported with these types of sightings. It was near 2am and both parties were hesitant to walk to the car to retrieve the purse. All rights reserved. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have successfully subscribed to the PeachTown newsletter. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. 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. At the annual October events rougarou costume contest, the fests mascot is reimagined hundreds of different ways, including as an eco-activist. After being spotted, the creature ran between two houses then continued to the street when it passed under a streetlight. Frogs croak their songs in the distance and mosquitos buzz as they fly around looking for their next meal. Save the Swamp: But, Beware the "Rougarou" - The National Wildlife This suggests an explanation for the abundance of stories from locals about seeing a Rougarou for themselves. The article contained a short anecdotal account of an unnamed Laplace man that in 1983 saw something correlates with what Mr. Nameless saw. The Bible tells us to test the spirit(s) to see if it (they) come from God. Louisiana Werewolf: Rougarou of the Bayou - Exemplore The officer reported that the creature crossed a 22 foot wide street in three strides. The unfortunate person is under the spell for 101 days. I am a journalist from Louisiana who has always been fascinated by folk lore and its cultural impact. The French actually have a similar story of the Loup-garou. The story was born in France in medieval times, when they actually believed in werewolves. As outlandish as that sounds some of the very details in this essay support that. The rougarou is like our Smokey the Bear, says Foret. Your email address will not be published. The creature is only vaguely seen in the film with a head resembling a bear. Perrin's statement is quite obviously true due to the Rougarou's clear influence on local culture and beyond. The Legends Of The Rougarou In Louisiana May Send Chills Down Your Spine Since the dawn of time, people have been telling stories. 4 Unique Tales of the Rougarou from Southern Louisiana - OnlyInYourState Required fields are marked *. I realized that parts of our folklore and our oral traditions were getting lost, he says. Why do Bud's Broiler's burger prices conflict? Sometimes I mix all of these subjects together. Crafty. Sorcery is everywhere, and after repeated viewings of Hocus Pocus, we know what were dealing with. Despite being a monster of legends, just like its cousin the werewolf, the Rougarou has its weakness. Get monthly email updates and the chance to win a prize. Enjoy these allegedly. The Rougarou: Louisiana's Cajun Werewolf | Deborah Hatswell BBR Being Its true! This version varies from being a Bigfoot legend to resembling something more like a wendigo. Cauchemar actually means nightmare in Louisiana French and Creole. It was getting late so I was heading back to my dads house for the evening. Thank you! Some sources claim the myth originated in medieval France, when belief in werewolves would have been far more prevalent. The Rougarou, Beast of the Louisiana Bayou, Gets a Makeover. A quick browse and youll find many pictures of the Rougarou. Considering how many hunters love senselessly killing wild boars, we really cant blame the swamp monster. 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. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. Stories of the rougarou in Louisiana derive largely from 16th-century French legends of a beast called loup garou, essentially a werewolf. Case closed. This was one interesting problem that they had to deal with centuries ago. What he described to me, in my mind was a Bigfoot sighing. Only you can prevent forest fires, and so only you can save Louisianas wetlands.. I think its fascinating,'' said Brettel. Curious Louisiana answers. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Your email address will not be published. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.