Oh wow that sounds like an interested read, Bill! Kliebert tried to communicate with the giant, asking who are you? It throws its head back, letting out a blood-curdling howl to the moon. I had relatives that lived in Covington," Brettel said. The creature continued on as it reached a woody marsh area near a canal then disappeared. 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. 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). Is there really a Honey Island Swamp Monster, Louisiana's Bigfoot? 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. Louisiana native. In the article, we will attempt to answer these questions and more. It was still very much daylight when this happened but the only detail he could make out was that the creature was upright and a bipedal hominid, dark in color. If you decide to attend the festival or find yourself around the swamps, make sure to remember the tricks and tactics we covered in this article. They appear as fluorescent balls of light which loom over the marshlands of Louisiana. Thanks for sharing it with us! The Audobon Zoo in New Orleans has an exhibit dedicated to the Rougarou, which includes a statue of the creature itself. Curious Louisiana answers. Tell your version of this mythical creature in Louisiana in the comments below! Despite the fact that it was originally a legend, there are still claimed sightings of the Rougarou to this day, though it has died off a bit in the past decade. No, you dont become a Rougarou from a bite or scratch, or from losing a bet. These loup-garous became a fear for many people in the country, leading to them earning their place in legends passed down to children. It stands upright on two legs, and is covered in hair. In the same story from The Nicholls Worth, the author, Brandon Folse, heavily quotes Patricia Perrin, a retired English instructor and folklore specialist. Proud foodie. Dragons, once the ultimate test of a heros courage, have been effectively domesticated. He might even be neighbors with the Honey Island Swamp Monster, which is also known as Louisianas bigfoot of the swamp.. Once the human is cursed, it is permanent. According to folklore, a Rougarou is a human that has been placed under a spell. I think its fascinating,'' said Brettel. Since the dawn of time, people have been telling stories. The sounds stopped just before it would have broke the tree line and became visible. Can you really only eat oysters in 'r' months? Jerry Major's Curious Louisiana question is more than an inquiry about a pronunciation. According to reports, this Louisiana monster looks human, except for his sharp teeth, goat legs, and many abnormalities. The cryptid, usually described as a towering, hairy monster, is allegedly a human cursed to take beastly form. As outlandish as that sounds some of the very details in this essay support that. Is there a Louisiana werewolf? Deep within the swamps of south Louisiana, legend has it, there lives the Rougarou a legendary werewolf sort creature with sharp claws and glowing eyes. According to Cajun folklore, the monster is said to inhabit the swamps and sugar cane fields around the Acadiana and Greater New Orleans regions. Address: Rougarou Fest, 7910 W Park Ave, Houma, LA 70364, USA. When many of the French migrated to Canada and the southern United States, they took the legend of the loup-garou with them. A recent novel called The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. I am a journalist from Louisiana who has always been fascinated by folk lore and its cultural impact. He checked out the deer kept driving and turned around at the lake headed back towards Hwy. Full report can be found at http://www.gcbro.com/LAsttammany0004.html. The details of just seeing the eyes suggest that this sighting happened in the early morning while it was still dark. The Rougarou will see the 13 objects, try to count them, and be unable to count them all. It was near 2am and both parties were hesitant to walk to the car to retrieve the purse. 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. 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. Usually theyd find someone in the woods or someone in the village who was just acting strange.. It was getting late so I was heading back to my dad's house for the evening. Since the migration, many of the legends began to change to match the times and the dialect. Across French Louisiana, it is a very common legend, and most Louisiana natives are very familiar with at least the name, if nothing else. Apparently that was a thing they did back then. Another Louisiana swamp creature that seems rooted in lore is none other than the Rougarou, which is basically a Cajun version of the werewolf. The Rougarou has even been made into an action figure, part of a series that also features Sasquatch and the Yeti. Required fields are marked *. 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. It now craves human flesh and overturns small boats to devour and feast! Its a hybrid mixture of escaped circus chimpanzees and alligators which now live in the swamps of St. Tammany Parish. The Same LObservateur article that mentioned the Laplace mans sighting near Ruddock in 1983, also makes mention of another Laplace man that had a strange encounter on top of the levee near Bayou Steel. 61 when they saw a creature pop up out from the bank of the canal that parallels Airline. The commuter stated that the headlights of his car shined directly onto the creature so they got a pretty good look at it. These canine-humanoid shapeshifters travel between worlds using magical doors. The French actually have a similar story of the Loup-garou. The New Orleans Pelicans, Louisiana's NBA team, were formerly known as the Hornets. A monster? 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. Curious Louisiana explains it's not all random. It is said that you can protect yourself against the Rougarou by laying 13 small objects by your doors. This will perplex it, and it will keep recounting until the sun comes up and it must flee. Thats what we in Louisiana call the Rougarou, cher. Witches?Witch doctors! The story of the Rougarou (the Louisiana swamp monster) is not a new tale to anyone that lives or grew up in Louisiana. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. The Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival Just Might Be Louisianas Biggest And Baddest Foodie Event, The Historic Restaurant In Louisiana Where You Can Still Experience The Old American South, Treat Yourself To A Homemade Ice Cream Cone At The Sweetport In Louisiana, This Train Restaurant In Louisiana Is The Most Enchanting Place To Eat, 7 Folktales, Legends, and Superstitions Every Louisianian Has Heard At Least Once, The Sinister Story Behind This Popular Louisiana Swamp Will Give You Chills, The Story Behind This Legendary Swamp Monster In Louisiana Will Give You The Chills, 7 Creepy Louisiana Ghost Stories That Will Make You Sleep With The Lights On, Wanderluster/E+ Collection via Getty Images, Cavan Images/Cavan Collection via Getty Images, Troy Harrison/Moment Collection via Getty Images, 2ndLookGraphics/E+ Collection via Getty Images. Their curse usually comes from a local witch, sometimes a Voodoo priestess. Some months prior to this her entire family told her they hear a woman screaming at the top of her lungs, followed by a gurgling noise coming from the woods. One day her husband was walking back from his shop in the backyard, and was pretty shook up over what he witnessed. Back in the 16th century, theyd regularly blame various crimes on loup-garous. The Rougarou, Beast of the Louisiana Bayou, Gets a Makeover. Terrebonne Parish resident Jonathan Foret was a type of kids. All the cliches are therethey come out at night mostly. He told me it made no since for someone to be crossing the road at that point. In this region; cities, towns, and neighborhoods tend to arise on the dry patches of earth that are surrounded by vast, thick, primordial swamp. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! This continued for 15 minutes until the sound started to travel away. The neighbor then said he saw an 8 foot tall creature standing on two legs. 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. The 2015 short film Atchafalaya centers around a game warden searching in a Louisiana swamp for a missing person who is hinted to have been taken by a loup-garou. Legend says that the Rougarou will hunt these individuals down and suck their blood, feeding on their energy for up to 101 days. The Bible tells us to test the spirit(s) to see if it (they) come from God. 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. There also exist more supernatural explanations for the origins of the Rougarou. Most Christians believe any spirit that is not a holy one is a demonic spirit. Many rumors haunt this road, also known as LA-57. Ready for the creatures that will haunt you in your sleep? Im not making this up. According to some other accounts, the process of transferring the curse involves the willingly human drawing the blood of the Rougarou. The Rougarou has a varied history, though all variations seem to trace it back to the French. 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. Back in the thick, fog-covered swamplands is where youll find the true beauty of Louisiana and perhaps even a monster or twoincluding the legendary beast called the Rougarou. 9 Scariest Louisiana Monsters from Folklore, Legendary Monsters of Louisiana: Rougarou, Legendary Monsters of Louisiana: Cauchemar, Best Resistance Bands for Home Workouts in 2021. He hides in tall grass near Grunch Road in New Orleans, LA, waiting to prey on teens who park there. Will Seals' home was set afire and he was shot down while trying to escape the flames. The lady said, "The next day, a distinguished physician arrived in town with his right arm bandaged and cut. Remnants of history freckle the map, whether its old and potentially haunted buildings, abandoned theme parks or even museums with some very strange collections. Stumbling upon the LObservateur article reignited my borderline obsessive interest in these types of creature sightings. In this article, were going to highlight the top 9 Louisiana monsters from folklore and legends. In 1989 this man was alone on top of the levee near Bayou Steel; He was waiting for his brother to meet him to go hunting behind the levee. Personally, Id never hear about something terrible and say, Yep, thats definitely the work of a werewolf. Numerous ghost sightings have been reported over the years, making it one of the most haunted landmarks in the USA. Beasts called loup-garous, which means werewolves in French, were also infamous throughout the country. troy landrey talked about it on swamp people. Where can you find a Rougarou? A spell that as you will soon find out is not that easy to break. This a great article!! It is known as the most haunted road in the entire state. http://www.gcbro.com/LAassumption03-12-2016.html, http://www.gcbro.com/LAlivingston0001.html, http://www.gcbro.com/LAsttammany0004.html. Even the act of self-defense could be life-altering. A quick browse and youll find many pictures of the Rougarou. "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. There she saw standing next to a tree 25 feet away a creature that she described as being extremely tall and white. we have similar creatures in northeastern NY along with a few other cryptids like pig men and Bigfoot but i also have seen a panther like cat with black bat like wings by the tree line in a small town along lake Champlain. Feel free to email me at jsutherlin@onlyinyourstate.com. But first, lets dive into some of its histories. Mr. Nameless admitted that he did not want to slow down to get a good look. There wasnt much to his story, but the seriousness of his delivery, and the apparent reluctance to tell me, gave his words credence. The commuter stated Unlike the sloth, it was man-like. Full report can be found on bfro.net Report #514. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. Why do Bud's Broiler's burger prices conflict? And then I realized that is what I saw! Their property backs up to a vast cypress swamp. 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 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. However, many people also believe it's just a dog. The rougarou, the Cajun cryptid said to haunt Louisiana's wetlands, is the mascot of a conservation effort for its traditional habitat. Theres a lot of blue tarps still on roofs everywhere, says Foret. There are documentaries about this you can easily find on YouTube. If you have lived in Louisiana, there is a significant chance you have heard the lore of the Rougarou (also spelled as Rouxgaroux). Discover the secrets of Louisiana lifestyle and explore Ruston, home of the Peach Festival. 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). The same 12 year old child claims that about a month after, they were out with the same cousin in the woods that bordered their neighborhood, when they spotted a bush along the train track shake. The only way to arrive at the truth is to keep your mind open to weirdness. You have permission to edit this article. mystery of Marie Laveau, Louisianas Voodoo Queen, Jacques St. Germain, The Infamous Louisiana Vampire, Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure, History of the Louisiana Snowball and Its Flavors. 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. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. I had almost forgot about it since no one answered phone when I wanted to tell someone what I just seen was so weird. I realized that parts of our folklore and our oral traditions were getting lost, he says. They look for blood donors who are willing to sell them blood, and yes, they drink it. 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. Some even suggest a mix of biological and fringe. What I saw scared the life out of me. Once the cousin jumped back on they yelled GO! They did not look back after that. Was there really a monster in the swamps? Deep in the rural wooded swamp of Livingston Parish and young girl was having a friend of hers spend the night. The Audobon Zoo in New Orleans has an exhibit dedicated to the Rougarou, which includes a statue of the creature itself. 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. That festival is cool because it links folklore to current issues and things that people need to be aware of, Rabalais says. The trickster figure really went from being the bad guy, the one to watch out for, to being a hero, says Rabalais, adding that the shift reflected the reality of the people who told and retold the stories. How did one Louisiana town's name get a bizarre pronunciation? I am using it as research for a short story that I am wtiting. 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. Official Blog of Pelican State Credit Union. About half way back to the railroad crossing, 100 yards up the road. Definitely a loup-garou. Its rumored that Lutins can take any form, including cats (especially white ones), hobgoblins, elves, and other strange creatures. 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. In others, they are demonic forces that play tricks and lead you to your demise in the swamps. These Louisiana monsters claim they feel lethargic and drained if they dont get the proper serving size of blood in on the regular. 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 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. Other variations say a Rougarou can turn their victims merely by making eye contact. Legends of the Rougarou. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. The brave friend dismissed what she saw for a moment and continued to search for the purse in the dark. It was late in the evening and getting dark, so they could not see into the bush. The Rougarou (Cedar Point) roller coaster is located at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Described as looking like a sloth, the creature was covered in a light grey hair, had a small round head and a brown nose. The curse is transferred when it draws another human's blood. Stories of the rougarou in Louisiana derive largely from 16th-century French legends of a beast called loup garou, essentially a werewolf. The Rougarou is an important figure in Cajun legends. 22. 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. Childrens authors have started using alligators as characters. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Were not afraid. 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. 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. The Rougarou is also thought to be nothing more than a bogeyman story to scare children or Catholics into obedience. 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. Thank you! Be careful, because Louisiana monsters are all over! Your email address will not be published. Immense fear or indifference could be contributed to psychic phenomena that are sometimes reported with these types of sightings. He has the body of a man, head of a werewolf, and sharp teeth that can seamlessly tear through flesh. 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. When they were choosing the new name, one of the trademarks filed for was the name the New Orleans Rougarou. Theyre not trying to eat you, Ancelet says. During this time, however, the Rougarou was called Loup-garou. And above all else, remember thisdont go into the swamps alone! The student would take evening walks while saying the rosary. Full report can be found at http://www.gcbro.com/LAlivingston0001.html. Their friendly, but often sinister, nature makes these Cajun fairies some of the most dangerous Louisiana monsters. The Rougarou, also known as the loup-garou, is essentially Louisiana's bayou-dwelling werewolf, and it's a prominent figure in Cajun folklore. As it gets to 13, it becomes confused. "The swamp is often seen as a dangerous place, with dangerous animals and everything . Had me captured. 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. 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. People who didnt have a lot of physical or social power in society found a way to survive through being clever., Even Louisianas infamous and very real alligators have undergone a rebranding. According to Native American legends, theres a creature in Terrebonne Parish that is the spirit of a child reincarnated as a beast. The brave friend stated that something in her mind told her to look ahead. Its popularity has seen it placed on shirts, mugs, in Hollywood and even seen roller coasters named after it. Discover Louisiana's legendary werewolf: the Rougarou. However embracing legends, customs and tradition is the very foundation of culture. Outside of Louisiana, the Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio has a rollercoaster named Rougarou. I spent a couple summers in Sabine Parish out on North Fort Fort Polk on a tract of ground called Peason Ridge(Little Nam). Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. For instance, there is a legend that says placing 13 pennies at entrances you wish to protect is the way to go. In this version, the Rougarou would live life as a normal person until some event occurred that triggered their condition. 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! The creature was black, hairy, and walking upright on two legs. By clicking "Accept," you agree to the use of cookies on Pelican State of Mind. But now, the story of the once-terrifying rougarou is changing, along with the coastal wetlands it has long called home. 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.