rougarou sightings in louisiana

1990-1992 (early 90s) St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. 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 history of the Rougarou is centuries-old and has many different origins, but the earliest mention of the infamous, mythical Louisiana werewolf comes from medieval France. He let his mind wander. The Rougarou, also known as the loup-garou, is essentially Louisiana's bayou-dwelling werewolf, and it's a prominent figure in Cajun folklore. The next day Mr. Nameless, his older brother, and a mutual friend went ride back out to Peavine. Discover Louisiana's legendary werewolf: the Rougarou. More than a millennium ago, vampires were demonic vectors of disease, possibly reflecting the very real threat of rabies. Nothing is going to hurt me. The student also stated that he did not want to alarm the creature by running off. ", This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. This terrifying creature has evolved over millenniabut never lost the need to feed. The Giants body appeared to be covered with reddish hair. Their curse usually comes from a local witch, sometimes a voodoo priestess. Usually theyd find someone in the woods or someone in the village who was just acting strange.. The creature is only vaguely seen in the film with a head resembling a bear. The Rougarou has even been made into an action figure, part of a series that also features Sasquatch and the Yeti. Witches?Witch doctors! There were no apparent wounds or blood, but the fresh carcass looked like it had been battered and crushed. This was a deep dense pine forest with rolling Knolls and the occasion small marsh(bayou). 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. Some even suggest a mix of biological and fringe. Over the decades, numerous people have talked of an ape-like creature or creatures living in swamps. Audobon's website also has Rougarou t-shirts for sale. At this point, the beast is forced to retreat as its human form begins to resurface. I'm considering creating a documentary on the legend of the Rougarou when I get some more free time in the future. He might even be neighbors with the Honey Island Swamp Monster, which is also known as Louisianas bigfoot of the swamp.. "This thing had a flat back. http://www.gcbro.com/LAassumption03-12-2016.html, http://www.gcbro.com/LAlivingston0001.html, http://www.gcbro.com/LAsttammany0004.html. There are multiple categories you can enter, including ones for kids and pets. 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. Jerry Major's Curious Louisiana question is more than an inquiry about a pronunciation. The three adult men surveyed the area from the inside of the truck. Overall, Weve seen the evolution of the werewolf become a more sophisticated, debonair character, Ancelet says. You can reach the Curious Louisiana team at [email protected]. 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.. 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. Also in Harvey, residents say they've seen it knocking over trashcans and chasing cats. Cajun legend says that the beast hunts down Catholics who don't follow the rules of Lent. A story in The Nicholls Worth, a local college paper, titled "Rougarou Remains Strong Figure in Cajun Folklore," recounts a story from a woman about an experience in her youth. Were you told the story of the Rougarou as . All the cliches are therethey come out at night mostly. Louisiana is a lovely place to visit. He told me it made no since for someone to be crossing the road at that point. The name changed to rougarou in Cajun Louisiana because l and r are linguistically liquid consonants and they change places a lot, says Barry Jean Ancelet, a Cajun folklorist and professor emeritus with the University of Lafayette. The Rougarou is also thought to be nothing more than a bogeyman story to scare children or Catholics into obedience. The New Orleans Pelicans, Louisiana's NBA team, were formerly known as the Hornets. 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This will perplex it, and it will keep recounting until the sun comes up and it must flee. Despite your personal beliefs in the supernatural, these legends abound and continue to be told in the cajun lands to this day. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Design a site like this with WordPress.com. We cant make this stuff up. 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. A close friend of the family who was on . Love Louisiana? While you're in Houma, don't forget to stop by A-Bear's, home to some of the most delicious homemade desserts in Louisiana. During this time, however, the Rougarou was called Loup-garou. The rougarou (or loup-garou) is a monster from Cajun folklore. Other variations say a Rougarou can turn their victims merely by making eye contact. Bog Monster of Louisiana T-Shirt (Impractical Jokers). When French settlers came to Louisiana, the story came with them. Its too late to turn back! Their friendly, but often sinister, nature makes these Cajun fairies some of the most dangerous Louisiana monsters. Your email address will not be published. The seminary student had the urge to run back to the monastery to tell someone but a thought emerged NO. Thank you! Oh wow that sounds like an interested read, Bill! Also known as Cajun fairies, these creatures can be either good or bad depending on the circumstances. Frogs croak their songs in the distance and mosquitos buzz as they fly around looking for their next meal. The Rougarou life involves shapeshifting into its beast form every night, then being forced to transform back into a human at sunrise. 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. Thank you! These stories were used to keep children in line and out of the woods. A 1981 report bywriter Jerry Breaux pulled from The Advocate archives recalls a conversation the writer had with his long-time friend, Hubert. 1983 St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. Mr. Nameless admitted that he did not want to slow down to get a good look. The only credibility I can give to these reports is that they ran in the paper. Be careful, because Louisiana monsters are all over! We know what you are probably thinking. She witnessed someone slinking around her property. There was thick wet swamp on both sides. Well, the rougarou of the Bayou country has a pretty strong link to the werewolf of ancient times in Europe and France. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The New Orleans Pelicans had originally thought about changing their names from the Hornets to the Rougarous at one point! Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Offer subject to change without notice. Bears can stand up and run on their hind legs, whereas, wolves cannot. Legend says a group of albino dwarves isolated themselves from society in the woods just outside of New Orleans. It has the face of a canine with many sharp, frightening teeth. Many rumors haunt this road, also known as LA-57. The Rougarou is an important figure in Cajun legends. You have permission to edit this article. Case closed. This was one interesting problem that they had to deal with centuries ago. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Is one of these crafty cryptids on display in a small museum? 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. Address: Rougarou Fest, 7910 W Park Ave, Houma, LA 70364, USA. 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. Curious Louisiana answers. 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. That is if we are to believe that these creatures are flesh and blood biological entities. Its essentially a werewolf with a cajun spin on it. 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. When they reached the paved section of the driveway, PB noticed a dead 90 lb male Bobcat laying along the edge. In one version, the beast hunts down and kills anyone who doesnt follow the rules of Lent. French and Canadian settlers as they migrated brought with them the legend of the beast to Louisiana. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. As the name implies, it pays homage to the legendary beast. Considering how many hunters love senselessly killing wild boars, we really cant blame the swamp monster. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. However, it is unlikely you will find any real pictures of a Rougarou, if there are any, as most claims of sighting have turned out to be a hoax. Curious Louisiana answers. For instance, there is a legend that says placing 13 pennies at entrances you wish to protect is the way to go. When the child saw the dog transform into a man, he dashed home to tell his family. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have successfully subscribed to the PeachTown newsletter. In these times, many crimes were blamed on the beast, ranging from theft to kidnapping of children. Since the migration, many of the legends began to change to match the times and the dialect. Its popularity has seen it placed on shirts, mugs, in Hollywood and even seen roller coasters named after it. "The swamp is often seen as a dangerous place, with dangerous animals and everything . According to folklore, a Rougarou is a human that has been placed under a spell. The Audobon Zoo in New Orleans has an exhibit dedicated to the Rougarou, which includes a statue of the creature itself. Despite being a monster of legends, just like its cousin the werewolf, the Rougarou has its weakness. People claim he leaves behind webbed footprints (presumably to navigate the swamps effectively) and mutilates wild boars. In this article, were going to highlight the top 9 Louisiana monsters from folklore and legends. But you should 100% be on the lookout for alligators if you find yourself in the swamps at night. Across French Louisiana, it is a very common legend, and most Louisiana natives are very familiar with at least the name, if nothing else. 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 . The story of the Rougarou supposedly changed once French immigrantsor possibly also French-Canadian immigrantscame to live in the area that is now Louisiana. After years of inbreeding, their appearance became less and less human-like, resulting in what people now call The Grunch. According to reports, this Louisiana monster looks human, except for his sharp teeth, goat legs, and many abnormalities. "I heard the story from veteran hunters. Modern claims of Rougarou sightings are few and far between, however, unlike reports of something strange seen in the swamps of Honey Island. They described it as a cross between a whimpering dog and human crying. 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. 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. In a new subdivision that was still being developed named Sheryls Meadows, a 12 year old riding their mini-bike along with their cousin saw a lumbering creature approximately 500 yards away. The friend forgot her purse in the car. Stories of the rougarou in Louisiana derive largely from 16th-century French legends of a beast called loup garou, essentially a werewolf. It was late in the evening when Mr. Nameless flagged me down. In fact, instead of wolfish features, most Cajuns will describe the rougarou as resembling a dog or owl. I am using it as research for a short story that I am wtiting. 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. And as the stomping grounds for the rougarou have disappeared, so have tales about the beastuntil Foret made it his mission to save both. See. Past participants have described the festival as fun, and until COVID it had managed to attract a decent crowd each year. 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. After being spotted, the creature ran between two houses then continued to the street when it passed under a streetlight. Required fields are marked *. The student would take evening walks while saying the rosary. The neighbor then said he saw an 8 foot tall creature standing on two legs. If your keys go missing without explanation, it could be a Lutin! I was thinking the same. It was near 2am and both parties were hesitant to walk to the car to retrieve the purse. Theres a lot of blue tarps still on roofs everywhere, says Foret. So this happened to me a few years ago, I was visiting a friend's house in the Houston River area, that section of the river is pretty swampy so we were frog hunting at night. The man dropped his gun and ran. So normally I dont believe it till I see it but in this case I saw it before I even heard about it and now I totally believe it. 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. It was getting late so I was heading back to my dad's house for the evening. I believe that people are seeing these poor mangy bears instead of werewolves. 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. For those of you who haven't heard th. Whether the Rougarou is truly a cryptid stalking the streets at night just waiting to pass its curse on to the next unfortunate soul, or whether it is merely a tool used to scare Catholics into keeping Lent, it is clear that the Rougarou has left its mark on Southern Louisiana. About four weeks ago, PB and his 5-year-old daughter were walking along their long dirt driveway that leads to their home. Your email address will not be published. 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. It ended up passing within 15 yards of Mr. Klibert. Not in the Pacific Northwest, but right there in Laplace! 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. 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. 4. The Rougarou has also been tied to the story of the Deridder Roadkill. You can find information on the legend of Cauchemar in folklore from all around the world, and it even exists in the Deep South. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. I spent a couple summers in Sabine Parish out on North Fort Fort Polk on a tract of ground called Peason Ridge(Little Nam). 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. According to reports, this Louisiana monster looks human, except for his sharp teeth, goat legs, and many abnormalities. A cattle bridge that crossed the Yellow Water River was mentioned as a landmark in the report. This is similar to that of a traditional werewolf, however, unlike a werewolf, the Rougarou during the day appears weak, sickly, and vulnerable. A close friend of the family who was on his way to pick up his girlfriend, she lived down the street from my dad. I had relatives that lived in Covington," Brettel said. Honey Island Swamp Monster Sightings have given rise to a number of stories describing creepy things that hide in the dark and dont play nice. 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. A spell that as you will soon find out is not that easy to break. 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. This creature, also called Loup garou, is so popular it was depicted on the hit television series Supernatural. However, due to its incredibly poor math skills, the beast can only count to 12. If you have lived in Louisiana, there is a significant chance you have heard the lore of the Rougarou (also spelled as Rouxgaroux). The Rougarou (Cedar Point) roller coaster is located at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. I was compelled to dig in further to see if I could find more sighting reports in the Southeast Louisiana area, if only to substantiate these other reports. Great words, you could make a short story out of that Peason Ridge setting! 7910 park ave houma, la (985) 580-7289 . However, according to other accounts, there is no escape from the curse. 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. The story of the Letieche is Louisianas Jungle Book. The cousins were ridding toward the creature when they spotted it walking on side of the road in their direction. Thats no werewolf, though. Numerous ghost sightings have been reported over the years, making it one of the most haunted landmarks in the USA. While the officers were talking to the lady, a K-9 unit arrived on scene and when they began their search the dog alerted to something. They had no clue to what creature could make such a sound. Cajun legend says that the beast hunts down Catholics who dont follow the rules of Lent, which is similar to the telling of the old French stories. USA Today ranked the Rougarou Fest as one of the top 10 costume parties in the country, and you can join in the fun and compete in the contest. It had a face like a man and the body of an animal, said Herman Broom. He slowed down when he saw it because he got the impression that this was not a man. The officers came around the corner of the house and saw a creature standing up, pressed against the side of the house, trying to maintain cover. 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. 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 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. Had me captured. It was eventually through the Cajun French that the name Rougarou came to be. When faced with a supernatural beast that has superhuman strength, speed, and sharp claws and teeth, chances are you wouldnt be feeling very lucky. 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. I think its fascinating,'' said Brettel. Like the childhood game of telephone, the story morphs over the years as it gets passed down from generation to generation. In this version, the Rougarou would live life as a normal person until some event occurred that triggered their condition. Werewolves have transformed, too, and not just into the Teen Wolf tv show and movie. The commuter stated that the headlights of his car shined directly onto the creature so they got a pretty good look at it. Other more out there schools of thought would suggest that these creatures or of a different origin, Alien, Spirit, even faerie. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. This version varies from being a Bigfoot legend to resembling something more like a wendigo. 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. That's how I knew it wasnt a bear, another witness reported. Local sanitation workers have supposedly reported seeing them raiding garbage cans or chasing trucks. And we value equal representation for allso they deserve a spot on our list of the scariest Louisiana monsters! 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. Glad the information was here. Strange noise ? Local stories say the Rougarou roams the streets at night, antagonizing people to attack it. The lady said, "The next day, a distinguished physician arrived in town with his right arm bandaged and cut. 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. Generations of children have heard the scary. 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 only way to arrive at the truth is to keep your mind open to weirdness. Deep in the rural wooded swamp of Livingston Parish and young girl was having a friend of hers spend the night. Then my son started asking me about the rougarou legend and I was like a wha t? The article reported the murder of a man killed because his whiskey was too good and too profitable. troy landrey talked about it on swamp people. The line on the trees in this picture taken Nov. 16, 2017, shows the swamp's typical high-water mark, which generally arrives in the spring. Wow, this is most definitely going to be my art project gonna be difficult but I'll get it done. Origins of the Rougarou lie in 16th Century medieval French Folklore. webster central school district staff directory,