Wendigo

Author: Elizabeth Hadwin

From Lost Tapes

Is Wendigo only a myth or is it really a cannibalistic humanoid creature waiting in the forest for its next victim? Wendigo is a horrifying creature of the Algonquian Native American legend, that devours human flesh during harsh winters. Wendigo is a fearsome beast with a gruesome appearance. The creature is described as having long limbs, ash colored skin,and extremely thin. Most are said to be without hair (due to malnutrition). Although in the colder regions,the Wendigo is said to have thick snow-white hair that is matted with blood and other gore. Its hands are withered and bony with sharp claws for tearing a person apart with a single touch (Geller, “Wendigo (Folklore) -Terrifying Monster”). Some of the most extensive and numerous of the Native American groups, The Algonquian, once lived along the Atlantic Coast and the Great Lakes Region. However, they are also found in legends of other Native American tribes. The word, “Wendigo” means “the evil spirit that devours mankind.” No matter how much flesh and bones the creatures eat they are always remaining hungry. Legends say that Wendigoag were once human beings. From the most popular version of the story, when a person resorts to cannibalism they form into a Wendigo. When the human flesh is consumed, it is believed that they are being overcome by the evil spirit and are in the process of transformation. At the beginning of the 20th century, Jack Fiddler, an 87-year-old Cree man was tried for the murder of a Cree woman. He claimed he was defending himself because the women were on the verge of transforming into a Wendigo, and she had to be killed before she killed the other members. (“The Wendigo: A Terrifying Beast with an Insatiable Hunger for Human Flesh”)The tale is often seen as a warning that is told to prevent people from engaging in immoral behaviors. It is also served as a metaphor to help better understand terrible acts committed by other people that can’t be understood otherwise (Geller, “Wendigo (Folklore) -Terrifying Monster”). According to some settlers’ versions of the Wendigo, if someone saw the Wendigo it would be a signal of death in their community. The Wendigo was claimed to be seen numerous times near a town called Roseau in Northern Minnesota in the 1800’s through the 1920’s. Every time a person would report the sighting, an unexpected death would occur. There are many who still believe the Wendigo is still roaming in the woods and prairies of northern Minnesota and Canada. Don’t doubt the Wendigo stories because many of the encounters and legends have been around since before man walked through these forests. The legends had to have come from somewhere and somehow, didn’t they?(“THE WENDIGO”)

Works Cited:

Wendigo. n.d,“Lost Tapes Wendigo”, Animal Planet, http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/lost-tapes/creatures/wendigo/. 25 Oct. 2019.

“The Wendigo: A Terrifying Beast with an Insatiable Hunger for Human Flesh.”Ancient Origins, 31 Jan. 2016, https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/be-wary-wendigo-terrifying-beast-native-american-legend-insatiable-hunger.

Geller. “Wendigo (Folklore) -Terrifying Monster.” Mythology.net, 8 July 2018, https://mythology.net/monsters/wendigo/.

“THE WENDIGO.” American Hauntings, 2019, https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/wendigo.

For more information on the Wendigo visit these links: 

Redfern, Nick. “Taking a Look at the Wendigo Phenomenon.” Mysterious Universe, 19 July 2019, https://mysteriousuniverse.org/2019/07/taking-a-look-at-the-wendigo-phenomenon/.
Nick Redfern, a full-time writer on unsolved mysteries, published this article to make readers aware the Wendigo might be a myth. He explains that many old sightings got confused with Bigfoot encounters. The purpose of this article is to make readers realize that not all stories of the Wendigo are true.

Martínez, María. “Wendigo–Flesheater of the Forests.” Legends of America, June 2019, https://www.legendsofamerica.com/mn-wendigo/.
Maria Martinez wrote this article about many of the Native American Indian tribes and their encounters and legends of the Wendigo. Maria explains a legend that claims, when you have an intense craving for human flesh it is called the Wendigo psychosis. The Wendigo psychosis occurs within individuals who are stranded in the snow in Canada.

McCauley, Elizabeth. “The Mythology and Misrepresentation of the Windigo.” Backstory, 23 Nov. 2016, https://www.backstoryradio.org/blog/the-mythology-and-misrepresentation-of-the-windigo/
Elizabeth McCauley, an intern for the blog Backstory, writes in this article how the Wendigo is misrepresented. She believes the Wendigo legends are not told correctly. She asked the readers if they have ever heard of the show Supernatural or are a fan of Stephen King, but do you really know where the Wendigo is from?