She says a local boy was being followed by a dog when he decided to cut it with his pocketknife. I'm considering creating a documentary on the legend of the Rougarou when I get some more free time in the future. Modern claims of Rougarou sightings are few and far between, however, unlike reports of something strange seen in the swamps of Honey Island. A spell that as you will soon find out is not that easy to break. This terrifying creature has evolved over millenniabut never lost the need to feed. March 18th 2022 was the full moon or the Worm Moon and as I was driving down i49 something crossed the road it was almost like a creature I seen in Scooby-Doo doo it ran so fast across the highway on 2 feet and was so tall. After the officers spoke to the complainant they decided to do a search of the perimeter. 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. In the article, we will attempt to answer these questions and more. This particular evening something strange caught the seminary students ear. . The only credibility I can give to these reports is that they ran in the paper. 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. That these creatures are flesh and blood, but the reason they go undetected is because they are inter-dimensional beings that pop in and out of our reality. Once the rougarou settled into southern Louisianas swampy shadows, it took on some aspects of local Native American cryptids, such as a legendary Choctaw shapeshifting owl-witch. Sam and Dean had a struggle with this one. Case closed. This was one interesting problem that they had to deal with centuries ago. 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. I tend to lean more on the flesh and blood theory but I think it is important to keep all possibilities in play. The neighbor, who was unaware of the husbands sighting, stated that while walking with his dog in the woods, his dog got spooked and ran back toward their house. The giant was walking westerly at a quick pace with a sorrowful but purposeful look. More than a millennium ago, vampires were demonic vectors of disease, possibly reflecting the very real threat of rabies. Get more stories delivered right to your email. The Rougarou, or as others may say, Loup garou, is a bayou-dwelling werewolf. 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. Werewolves have transformed, too, and not just into the Teen Wolf tv show and movie. Will Seals' home was set afire and he was shot down while trying to escape the flames. Their curse usually comes from a local witch, sometimes a Voodoo priestess. Its true! Despite your personal beliefs in the supernatural, these legends abound and continue to be told in the cajun lands to this day. If you thought voodoo was a thing of the past, think again! They described it as a cross between a whimpering dog and human crying. Stories of the rougarou in Louisiana derive largely from 16th-century French legends of a beast called loup garou, essentially a werewolf. Outside of Louisiana, the Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio has a rollercoaster named Rougarou. 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. The three adult men surveyed the area from the inside of the truck. Today, theyre suave and sexy, thanks in part to pop culture hits such as Interview with the Vampire, Twilight, and True Blood. 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What he told me next has stuck in my memory, and was the spark that lit the flame regarding personal interest I took in all things weird, and strange. A close friend of the family who was on his way to pick up his girlfriend, she lived down the street from my dad. These monsters are said to roam the cities, swamps, and scary places of Louisiana in search of their next victims, and its to your benefit to stay educated if you want any hope of survival. 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. Your email address will not be published. In fact, instead of wolfish features, most Cajuns will describe the rougarou as resembling a dog or owl. In one version, the beast hunts down and kills anyone who doesnt follow the rules of Lent. Get monthly email updates and the chance to win a prize. Origins of the Rougarou lie in 16th Century medieval French Folklore. Usually theyd find someone in the woods or someone in the village who was just acting strange.. 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. No one agrees what it looks like because they dont really have wolves in this part of our country, says Nathan J. Rabalais, author of Folklore Figures of French and Creole Louisiana. We do have water spirits, such as Leviathan, a giant alligator spirit, who is actually mentioned in the Bible. People say, behind the disguises, theyre really the spirits of babies who died before baptism. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have successfully subscribed to the PeachTown newsletter. 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. It was late in the evening when Mr. Nameless flagged me down. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. This will perplex it, and it will keep recounting until the sun comes up and it must flee. The man heard a noise behind him; he turned around and witnessed two large, red eyes staring back at him. The brave friend stated that something in her mind told her to look ahead. Legends of the Rougarou. 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. And speaking of scaring Catholics, one French Catholic myth claims that in order for someone to turn into a Rougarou, they must break Lent seven years in a row. 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. Proud foodie. Full report can be found at http://www.gcbro.com/LAsttammany0004.html. Louisiana native. I came across a LObservateur article that ran around Halloween 2002, titled: Let the haunting good times roll. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. As it gets to 13, it becomes confused. There she saw standing next to a tree 25 feet away a creature that she described as being extremely tall and white. Variations also associate it with animals such as pigs, cows, and chickens, due to the fact that wolves are not often seen in the area. Louisiana has a Nightmare on Bourbon Street situation going on that some arent aware of. Mr. Nameless wasnt sure what he saw, but I was convinced. Tell your version of this mythical creature in Louisiana in the comments below! Rougarou Fest/Facebook. 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. 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. That's how I knew it wasnt a bear, another witness reported. I want more! 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. 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." There also exist more supernatural explanations for the origins of the Rougarou. According to Cajun folklore, the monster is said to inhabit the swamps and sugar cane fields around the Acadiana and Greater New Orleans regions. Lover of all things comedy, photography, and travel related. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Love Louisiana? We got kicked out of Nova Scotia, and now were getting kicked out of Louisiana and it just feels like theres some generational trauma linked to being forced to move over and over again, he says. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In some cases, they are your loved ones coming to greet you and bring good fortune. The creature ran two city blocks before absconding into the marsh. 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. 9 Scariest Louisiana Monsters from Folklore, Legendary Monsters of Louisiana: Rougarou, Legendary Monsters of Louisiana: Cauchemar, 6 Exercises You Can Do with a Resistance Band, 4 Southern Traditions You Should Know About. The officer reported that the creature crossed a 22 foot wide street in three strides. No, you dont become a Rougarou from a bite or scratch, or from losing a bet. If youre familiar with Louisianas history, you know voodoo is part of it. At the time of the encounter the officer had no working knowledge of Bigfoot or sasquatch, but having a degree in anthropology left no doubt in the officers mind what he saw was most defiantly not a large, naked, human being. The cousins were ridding toward the creature when they spotted it walking on side of the road in their direction. Other variations say a Rougarou can turn their victims merely by making eye contact. The cousins decided to turn around and go back the direction they came to avoid a close encounter with this unknown, imposing, bipedal creature. The creature in question was described by the officer as being an eight foot talk, bipedal hominid, dark hair (not fur), and massively build. He sees it as an example of the way cryptids evolve alongside the cultures that created them. We may never really find out.. The source of storms and an (occasional) kidnapper, the massive ancient beast has inspired muscle cars and jet fighters. "I heard the story from veteran hunters. Cauchemar is a monster that leaps out of childrens dreams and rides their backs. 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.. This suggests an explanation for the abundance of stories from locals about seeing a Rougarou for themselves. The Loupe Garou has to be based on stories told by parents wanting there children to behave and make there beds clean the dishes ect ect. The next day Mr. Nameless, his older brother, and a mutual friend went ride back out to Peavine. The seminary student had the urge to run back to the monastery to tell someone but a thought emerged NO. Discover the secrets of Louisiana lifestyle and explore Ruston, home of the Peach Festival. The sounds stopped just before it would have broke the tree line and became visible. Why do Bud's Broiler's burger prices conflict? You interact with them, theyre dancing and theyre nice. The creature is described as half-man, half-dog. 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 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. There are quite a few roads that are known to be haunted or spirited in Louisiana, but none is quite as infamous as Bayou Sale Road, a long curvy road that connects Dulac, LA to Cocodrie, LA. However, many people also believe it's just a dog. Have you ever heard of the Rougarou or another scary Louisiana monster before? In these times, many crimes were blamed on the beast, ranging from theft to kidnapping of children. When travelling down the interstate or the backroads in Louisiana, youll see lots of beautiful scenery. You have permission to edit this article. Kliebert was stunned when he saw this giant approaching him. It stands upright on two legs, and is covered in hair. A recent novel called The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. A year later the boy killed himself and left a letter that the family turned over to the sheriff. 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. Thats what we in Louisiana call the Rougarou, cher. Some have claimed it to be the body of a Rougarou, though others have speculated it might be a Chupacabra or Devil Monkey. I heard sounds Ive never heard and smells Id never smelled but never spied anything. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. The few folks that lay eyes on these creatures are simply catching an interloper just visiting. http://www.gcbro.com/LAassumption03-12-2016.html, http://www.gcbro.com/LAlivingston0001.html, http://www.gcbro.com/LAsttammany0004.html. 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. A 1981 report bywriter Jerry Breaux pulled from The Advocate archives recalls a conversation the writer had with his long-time friend, Hubert. The neighbor then said he saw an 8 foot tall creature standing on two legs. Audobon's website also has Rougarou t-shirts for sale. It is known as the most haunted road in the entire state. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. At the annual October events rougarou costume contest, the fests mascot is reimagined hundreds of different ways, including as an eco-activist. The question nagged him into adulthood. Have you been told a different story about the Rougarou? 61 when they saw a creature pop up out from the bank of the canal that parallels Airline. Its too late to turn back! 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. Sorcery is everywhere, and after repeated viewings of Hocus Pocus, we know what were dealing with. Thank you! No matter how you spell it, the Rougarou, Roux-Ga-Roux, Rugaroo, Rugaru, or Loup Garou is a werewolf type creature living in the folklore of Cajun French Louisiana. This creature, also called Loup garou, is so popular it was depicted on the hit television series Supernatural. Or else you may find yourself prey to the legendary Rougarou. We cant make this stuff up. 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! It has the face of a canine with many sharp, frightening teeth. Some Louisiana monsters are walking around in plain sight! Just hope this Louisiana monster doesnt get hold of you. A lover of tasty meat, he lurks in swamps and hunts down unsuspecting humans. The rougarou is like our Smokey the Bear, says Foret. 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. 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. This version varies from being a Bigfoot legend to resembling something more like a wendigo. "Who. "I think it's fascinating,'' said Brettel. How did one Louisiana town's name get a bizarre pronunciation? Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. 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 used to have nightmares including the Rougarou as a kid and seeing this is crazy that its something based on my home state. The report suggests that these two encounters took place in roughly the same area. To kill some time before his date, Mr. Nameless decided to take an evening cruise down Peavine Road to the lake. one football field of coastline was lost per hour. The legend is believed to have originated from French Canadian immigrants in the late 1700's. There are hundreds of light . Loup is French for Wolf, and Garou refers to a man that transforms into an animal. There's more to this 19th-century crime than the dark side of fairy lore. One of the most popular stories that gets passed down from generation to generation is the legend of the Rougarou, Cajun Countrys answer to Bigfoot. Remnants of history freckle the map, whether its old and potentially haunted buildings, abandoned theme parks or even museums with some very strange collections. That kind of transformation happens and I suspect that whats going on with this festival., But unlike sexy vampires or friendly alligators, Forets rougarou has been reimagined to champion a specific cause: protecting its habitat, which in turn will protect our own. It was getting late so I was heading back to my dads house for the evening. It was also preached that French Catholics that broke the Lent seven years in a row would be hunted down and killed by the beast. Their friendly, but often sinister, nature makes these Cajun fairies some of the most dangerous Louisiana monsters. My Encounter With a Rougarou "aka Louisiana Werewolf". The Rougarou is also thought to be nothing more than a bogeyman story to scare children or Catholics into obedience. When they reached the paved section of the driveway, PB noticed a dead 90 lb male Bobcat laying along the edge. The court would ask the public if they believed the accused to be a loup-garou, and usually the public agreed (mainly for fear that theyd be outed as a witch or a loup-garou themselves). In this region; cities, towns, and neighborhoods tend to arise on the dry patches of earth that are surrounded by vast, thick, primordial swamp.