This month's creature feature is dedicated to the shapeshifter of the Louisiana bayou: The Rougarou. Sometimes spelled Roux-ga-rou, Rugaru, or Rugaroo, legends of this creature typically originate in french-speaking Cajun communities in Louisiana and Laurentian Canada. The name is a variant pronunciation and spelling of the original French loup garou — the European werewolf. Both are used interchangeably in southern Louisiana, where the monster is said to occupy the swamps.
Then again, they say that Vampires are the biggest deal to come out of Louisiana since jazz and go-cups, and I'd put money on it that we can attribute that claim to Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. Thanks, Lestat.
As the Rougarou is often considered to have a lupine body and the head of a man, legend suggests that the monsters inhabits the swamps and woodland areas surrounding Acadiana and greater New Orleans. It's proposed that the story is a cautionary tale: a means of persuading children to behave. Other variations relate to a handful of origin stories.
A person becomes a Rougarou after breaking Lent seven years in a row, and as a monster, it would hunt down and kill Catholics for their transgressions.
The Rougarou carried the affliction for a hundred and one days. After that period, the curse could be transferred to another person by a bite or by drawing blood. In daylight hours, the creature returned to human form, only returning to the swamp at night to prevent transferring the sickness onto anyone who might cross their path.
Only a witch was capable of creating a rougarou — either by turning themselves into wolves voluntarily, or cursing others with lycanthropy.
The person possessing the Rougarou strain would appear afflicted with something to other people, but for fear of lengthening their affliction and making the curse permanent, would maintain their silence. Otherwise, after a year and a day, they would be cured. It's been suggested that those who'd become a Rougarou permanently by telling someone of the curse would often take their own lives.
Another variant of the legend indicates that simply laying eyes on a Rougarou would ensure that you were turned into one. Another great way to ensure your kids are tucked in safely at night with their eyes squeezed shut.
Feel like gazing into those eyes again?
That is super cool! I'm not too well-versed in demonic entities outside of North America, but I what I gather, they're usually pretty fascinating. I wonder why the feet face backwards, though?
The picture from Berwick above was actually proven a hoax (I did deliberately leave that part out — there's nothing that kills a good scare than disproving it right off the bat.) Wildgame Innovations (you can see their brand mark in the corner) used this image as part of a promotion for their hunting cameras. The image went viral, which is how I came across it. Totally bogus, though.
Aww, man. My inner ghost-story-lover was hoping that picture wasn't fake. And a part of some deliciously creepy tale in which people who dare to go in the woods go missing….
Yes, there are pretty fascinating legends around here. I am curious about the feet turned backwards thing too. Maybe a person with a physical disablity was mistaken for a demon? Don't really know about the origins of this legend. Also, old trees – especially banyan – are associated with ghosts (called 'bhooth' in Urdu) here.