If you thought voodoo was a thing of the past, think again! Its incredible that I actually witnessed one and I do believe thats the only thing it couldve been. For decades, the equivalent of one football field of coastline was lost per hour; while the rate has slowed, the regions long-term prognosis remains grim. If youre familiar with Louisianas history, you know voodoo is part of it. It was enough just enough working knowledge for me to form an opinion. 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. Subscribe to the Pelican State of Mind blog by providing your email below! 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. When the first drop of blood is drawn, the creature returns to human form and tells the attacker who it really is. The Husband also described the creature as being dark in color and large. Full report can be found on http://www.gcbro.com/LAassumption03-12-2016.html. Foret grew up in southern Louisiana, between the Atchafalaya Basin and New Orleans, where stories of the rougarou are most often heardand he wouldnt venture into wooded areas at night because of them. The rougarou is like our Smokey the Bear, says Foret. Enjoy these allegedly. The student would take evening walks while saying the rosary. Generations of children have heard the scary. And, if you know anything about sleep paralysis, you may have seen the culprit himself! Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Once the human is cursed, it is permanent. 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. Lover of writing, learning and teaching others about new things. The Rougarou, The Louisiana Swamp Werewolf - YouTube The Rougarou, also known as the loup-garou, is essentially Louisiana's bayou-dwelling werewolf, and it's a prominent figure in Cajun folklore. Wow, thank you for that insight! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Design a site like this with WordPress.com. The unfortunate person is under the spell for 101 days. But now, the story of the once-terrifying rougarou is changing, along with the coastal wetlands it has long called home. The different versions of the Rougarou beast are as many as reported sightings of the beast. These stories were used to keep children in line and out of the woods. I am a journalist from Louisiana who has always been fascinated by folk lore and its cultural impact. Thanks for sharing it with us! Even if I didnt believe his story, I believe his demeanor when recounting it. Had me captured. Curious Louisiana answers. 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. 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. Makes that morning commute not seem so bad, right? The seminary student had the urge to run back to the monastery to tell someone but a thought emerged NO. He told me it made no since for someone to be crossing the road at that point. When travelling down the interstate or the backroads in Louisiana, youll see lots of beautiful scenery. Well written and well documented. one football field of coastline was lost per hour. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Official Blog of Pelican State Credit Union. Honey Island Swamp Monster Feel free to email me at jsutherlin@onlyinyourstate.com. And as the stomping grounds for the rougarou have disappeared, so have tales about the beastuntil Foret made it his mission to save both. 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. Thank you! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have successfully subscribed to the PeachTown newsletter. At the annual October events rougarou costume contest, the fests mascot is reimagined hundreds of different ways, including as an eco-activist. He hides in tall grass near Grunch Road in New Orleans, LA, waiting to prey on teens who park there. Like the childhood game of telephone, the story morphs over the years as it gets passed down from generation to generation. These canine-humanoid shapeshifters travel between worlds using magical doors. When faced with a supernatural beast that has superhuman strength, speed, and sharp claws and teeth, chances are you wouldnt be feeling very lucky. 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. Im not making this up. "I heard the story from veteran hunters. The beast is also a hit in pop culture here in Louisiana. This was a deep dense pine forest with rolling Knolls and the occasion small marsh(bayou). I had been riding my bike through the trails in the woods that were in the back of Laplace Park. The full moon hangs high over the Louisiana swampland. 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. The mud was too sloppy to retain any prints. 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. Modern claims of Rougarou sightings are few and far between, however, unlike reports of something strange seen in the swamps of Honey Island. We can only hope Ruston, LA never decides to build a Grunch Road. The next day the man found the two Dobermans decapitated. Rougaroux Rum, manufactured by donner-peltier distillers in Thibodaux, Louisiana, has a special praline-flavored version called Rougaroux 13 Pennies. Foret recalls hearing of one legendary rougarou run-in, when a young boy out for a stroll, armed with only his oyster knife, encountered the creature. The concepts surrounding the Rougarous supernatural abilities link it closely with traditional concepts of the mythical werewolf. By clicking "Accept," you agree to the use of cookies on Pelican State of Mind. The brave friend dismissed what she saw for a moment and continued to search for the purse in the dark. A few seconds passes and she started to feel a fear building inside. Back in the day of armor, swords and jousting, there was a lot more to fear than the plague and witches. Sightings have given rise to a number of stories describing creepy things that hide in the dark and dont play nice. Over the decades, numerous people have talked of an ape-like creature or creatures living in swamps. Louisiana is a lovely place to visit. [10] [11] Boxer Regis Prograis (of Creole descent) goes by the nickname Rougarou. Turns out voodoo is still in. As outlandish as that sounds some of the very details in this essay support that. troy landrey talked about it on swamp people. 1990-1992 (early 90s) St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. Oh wow that sounds like an interested read, Bill! When the child saw the dog transform into a man, he dashed home to tell his family. We all have a notion that this world is a lot stranger than it seems on a surface level. In 1974, Ford, a wildlife photographer and former air traffic controller, claimed to have witnessed the creature while exploring potential hunting grounds. For the sake of anonymity this family friend will remain nameless, so I will refer to him as Mr. Nameless. Beasts called loup-garous, which means werewolves in French, were also infamous throughout the country. 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. Louisiana Urban Legends, Monsters, and Haunted Places He checked out the deer kept driving and turned around at the lake headed back towards Hwy. Years later, as a middle school teacher, hed mention the beast to his students only to learn theyd never heard of it. 61 when they saw a creature pop up out from the bank of the canal that parallels Airline. The cousins decided to turn around and go back the direction they came to avoid a close encounter with this unknown, imposing, bipedal creature. This beast first sighted in 1963 is reminiscent of the popular DC character known as Swamp Thing. The Rougarou has even been made into an action figure, part of a series that also features Sasquatch and the Yeti. About half way back to the railroad crossing, 100 yards up the road. 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. Who knows what it is? All rights reserved. [12] These Louisiana monsters claim they feel lethargic and drained if they dont get the proper serving size of blood in on the regular. Children can see and hear everything that happens, but they are unable to move. Both the officer and his partner got a good look at the creature when it passed under the streetlight. The monster has its own Wikipedia pageand has been the source of numerous news stories and documentaries. They look for blood donors who are willing to sell them blood, and yes, they drink it. According to Cajun folklore, the monster is said to inhabit the swamps and sugar cane fields around the Acadiana and Greater New Orleans regions. Nope, not The GrinchThe Grunch. Rougarou Fest/Facebook. The commuter stated that the headlights of his car shined directly onto the creature so they got a pretty good look at it. 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. The Rougarou has a varied history, though all variations seem to trace it back to the French. This is similar to that of a traditional werewolf, however, unlike a werewolf, the Rougarou during the day appears weak, sickly, and vulnerable. Upright Canine (Possible 'Rougarou') Encountered in Beauregard Parish Another Louisiana swamp creature that seems rooted in lore is none other than the Rougarou, which is basically a Cajun version of the werewolf. That's how I knew it wasnt a bear, another witness reported. Across French Louisiana, it is a very common legend, and most Louisiana natives are very familiar with at least the name, if nothing else. The student claimed it was the exact same sounds they heard during their encounter. What he described to me, in my mind was a Bigfoot sighing. Discover the secrets of Louisiana lifestyle and explore Ruston, home of the Peach Festival. The Rougarou has also been tied to the story of the Deridder Roadkill. Address: Rougarou Fest, 7910 W Park Ave, Houma, LA 70364, USA. 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. If your keys go missing without explanation, it could be a Lutin! Its popularity has seen it placed on shirts, mugs, in Hollywood and even seen roller coasters named after it. The Legends Of This Mythical Creature In Louisiana Are Terrifying The tales of the Rougarou have many variations, but it is mostly described as being a hulking beast, up to 10 feet tall, with the hair covered body of a human and the head of a wolf or in some cases a . Deep in the rural wooded swamp of Livingston Parish and young girl was having a friend of hers spend the night. Rougarou - Wikipedia The Sinister Story Behind This Popular Louisiana Swamp Will Give You Legend of the Rougarou, a Louisiana werewolf - Paranormal Outlaw A monster? A simple yet effective trick to protect oneself from the beast. If you dont have the stomach to fight the beast, you can protect yourself through other means. The Rougarou Supernatural Cameo Explained, Legend of the Rougarou: The Complete Loup-garou Guide, US Ghost Adventures New Orleans Ghosts Review. 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 can find information on the legend of Cauchemar in folklore from all around the world, and it even exists in the Deep South. 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. Curious Louisiana explains it's not all random. How did one Louisiana town's name get a bizarre pronunciation? The curse is transferred when it draws another human's blood. In the official report the officer filed he was honest, but kept the details to a minimum, it was a very tall dark figure, with no description of clothing. According to Native American legends, theres a creature in Terrebonne Parish that is the spirit of a child reincarnated as a beast. While most likely these stories are cautionary tales meant to keep kids from wandering into dangerous situations, it does make you think! 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. And above all else, remember thisdont go into the swamps alone! 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. Full report can be found at http://www.gcbro.com/LAlivingston0001.html. Some versions of the myth involve witchcraft, wherein a witch has the ability to curse someone to be a Rougarou. This will perplex it, and it will keep recounting until the sun comes up and it must flee. According to the woman, "The next day a prominent physician appeared in town with his right arm cut and in a sling. However, according to other accounts, there is no escape from the curse. The Rougarou is a legendary creature that is often depicted on shirts, cups, and other forms of merchandise. It ended up passing within 15 yards of Mr. Klibert. 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 three adult men surveyed the area from the inside of the truck. He let his mind wander. Also known as Cajun fairies, these creatures can be either good or bad depending on the circumstances. They take up residence in your home and play harmless tricks on you, so you shouldnt be too alarmed. Were not afraid. The Grunch: A Chupacabra on the Louisiana Bayou - Exemplore I need to do some more research on those spirits! Where can you find a Rougarou? Origins of the Rougarou lie in 16th Century medieval French Folklore. Stories of cajun folklore monsters have been passed down for decadescenturies even. The sounds grew faint as the creature traveled deeper into the woods until they faded completely. All the cliches are therethey come out at night mostly. Louisiana has a Nightmare on Bourbon Street situation going on that some arent aware of. 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). The story of the Letieche is Louisianas Jungle Book. The lady said, "The next day, a distinguished physician arrived in town with his right arm bandaged and cut. I dont remember verbatim what he told me that day but the gist of that conversation has stuck in my psyche with clarity for nearly 30 years. I spent a couple summers in Sabine Parish out on North Fort Fort Polk on a tract of ground called Peason Ridge(Little Nam). If you werent already aware, New Orleans has a prominent vampire subculture. A story in The Daily Comet titled "Tales of The Rougarou Still Haunt Local Memories" states, "In the past, rumors about strange or eccentric neighbors would float through small bayou communities, labeling various people as the dreaded Rougarou." Lougarou | Cryptid Wiki | Fandom
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