And then I realized that is what I saw! History of the Rougarou: Louisiana's Werewolf - Pelican State of Mind Generations of children have heard the scary. 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. Subscribe to the Pelican State of Mind blog by providing your email below! 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. The monsters reputed locale, in the Honey Island Swamp, has an ominous and deadly history that precedes the legend. The Legends Of The Rougarou In Louisiana May Send Chills Down Your Spine Since the dawn of time, people have been telling stories. What he described to me, in my mind was a Bigfoot sighing. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). 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. A woman named Barbara Mullins discovered a supposedly unidentifiable carcass on the side of the road in 1996. Discovering the Rougarou - ArcGIS StoryMaps Official Blog of Pelican State Credit Union. During this time, however, the Rougarou was called Loup-garou. Over the years there have been many different stories about this mythical creature in Louisiana, a common occurrence with oral traditions like this one. The creature in question was described by the officer as being an eight foot talk, bipedal hominid, dark hair (not fur), and massively build. Years later the seminary student was watching a television program about Bigfoot and they played audio of a suspected Sasquatch. It happened to three of us on Texas river,not sure if it was real or not ,but what we heard was not native to Texas . 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. 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. Cauchemar actually means nightmare in Louisiana French and Creole. At the annual October events rougarou costume contest, the fests mascot is reimagined hundreds of different ways, including as an eco-activist. Don't Miss The Best Festival In Louisiana, The Rougarou Fest Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If youre familiar with Louisianas history, you know voodoo is part of it. According to some other accounts, the process of transferring the curse involves the willingly human drawing the blood of the Rougarou. 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. The short answer is oral tradition. Well written and well documented. Rougaroux Rum, manufactured by donner-peltier distillers in Thibodaux, Louisiana, has a special praline-flavored version called Rougaroux 13 Pennies. The Rougarou life involves shapeshifting into its beast form every night, then being forced to transform back into a human at sunrise. What is the Rougarou? | Louisiana Swamp Base But for decades, hes wondered about one of the swamp's fabled creatures the Honey Island Swamp Monster, a legendary 500-pound beast that some claim hides amid the cypress trees andmurky waters. 4. The details of just seeing the eyes suggest that this sighting happened in the early morning while it was still dark. The Rougarou Supernatural Cameo Explained, Legend of the Rougarou: The Complete Loup-garou Guide. 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. Across French Louisiana, it is a very common legend, and most Louisiana natives are very familiar with at least the name, if nothing else. In the same story from The Nicholls Worth, the author, Brandon Folse, heavily quotes Patricia Perrin, a retired English instructor and folklore specialist. As the name implies, it pays homage to the legendary beast. No purchase necessary. The only credibility I can give to these reports is that they ran in the paper. About four weeks ago, PB and his 5-year-old daughter were walking along their long dirt driveway that leads to their home. It was a full moon so it made spotting the Bullfrogs easier "super tasty btw", anyway we're wondering down by the . The only way to arrive at the truth is to keep your mind open to weirdness. Modern claims of Rougarou sightings are few and far between, however, unlike reports of something strange seen in the swamps of Honey Island. Also in Harvey, residents say they've seen it knocking over trashcans and chasing cats. Both the officer and his partner got a good look at the creature when it passed under the streetlight. To kill some time before his date, Mr. Nameless decided to take an evening cruise down Peavine Road to the lake. Driving west on Airline Hwy. 10/8/21: Rougarou - an American Skinwalker in Louisiana W/ Seth 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. Some have claimed it to be the body of a Rougarou, though others have speculated it might be a Chupacabra or Devil Monkey. Considering how many hunters love senselessly killing wild boars, we really cant blame the swamp monster. 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. I got more specific with my search terms and soon stumbled upon something that reignited the idea of a creature like Bigfoot existing in our parts. 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. The lady said, "The next day, a distinguished physician arrived in town with his right arm bandaged and cut. The few folks that lay eyes on these creatures are simply catching an interloper just visiting. Full report can be found at http://www.gcbro.com/LAlivingston0001.html. The Rougarou, Beast of the Louisiana Bayou, Gets a Makeover One man hopes to turn the wolfish cryptid into a mascot for saving the state's imperiled wetlands. Catholics are told it will hunt down and kill them if they don't obey Lent. But you should 100% be on the lookout for alligators if you find yourself in the swamps at night. It stands upright on two legs, and is covered in hair. If you have lived in Louisiana, there is a significant chance you have heard the lore of the Rougarou (also spelled as Rouxgaroux). 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. Curious Louisiana answers. Your email address will not be published. Once the girl was halfway to the vehicle she noticed her friend was still standing at the front door of the house. 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. Legend of the Rougarou, a Louisiana werewolf - The Daily Advertiser Past participants have described the festival as fun, and until COVID it had managed to attract a decent crowd each year. In an attempt to keep occupied and at home during these various phases of the Covid-19 pandemic, on a whim I decided to search out Louisiana based Bigfoot sightings. This is similar to that of a traditional werewolf, however, unlike a werewolf, the Rougarou during the day appears weak, sickly, and vulnerable. Long, thin arm attached to a 6 to 7 foot frame. 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. You interact with them, theyre dancing and theyre nice. 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. Dragons, once the ultimate test of a heros courage, have been effectively domesticated. In 2011, Foret launched Rougarou Fest in Houma, Terrebones parish seat and largest city, as both a fundraiser for the center and a way to revive the fading cryptid tradition. Click the image below to read our free eBook "The Big Book of Credit Union MythsBUSTED! Why do Bud's Broiler's burger prices conflict? Ready for the creatures that will haunt you in your sleep? She describes the Rougarou as "an important identification marker for South Louisiana's culture." One recent supposed sighting came from a woman in Harvey, Louisiana, who claimed she saw a Grunch eating one of her neighbor's dogs. For centuries, if you didnt follow Catholic traditions, such as observing Lent, or if you hunted on holy days, the rougarou would get you. A spell that as you will soon find out is not that easy to break. Legend says a group of albino dwarves isolated themselves from society in the woods just outside of New Orleans. How safe are you from this magnificent monster? Its popularity has seen it placed on shirts, mugs, in Hollywood and even seen roller coasters named after it. 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. If you werent already aware, New Orleans has a prominent vampire subculture. Generations of youngsters have heard the scary tales. Honey Island Swamp Monster Nothing is going to hurt me. The student also stated that he did not want to alarm the creature by running off. Lurking in the woods and wetlands of southern Louisiana, according to Cajun legend, theres a ferocious monster that attacks the wayward and the wanderer. 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. 1989 St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. She finally located the purse she grabbed it and quickly ran inside the house. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have successfully subscribed to the PeachTown newsletter. There's more to this 19th-century crime than the dark side of fairy lore. Also known as Cajun fairies, these creatures can be either good or bad depending on the circumstances. 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. This sighting took place just north of the Manchac Swamp region, about a quarter mile away from Hwy. 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. The source of storms and an (occasional) kidnapper, the massive ancient beast has inspired muscle cars and jet fighters. He checked out the deer kept driving and turned around at the lake headed back towards Hwy. You have permission to edit this article. For the sake of anonymity this family friend will remain nameless, so I will refer to him as Mr. Nameless. The full moon hangs high over the Louisiana swampland. Thank you! The story of the Rougarou supposedly changed once French immigrantsor possibly also French-Canadian immigrantscame to live in the area that is now Louisiana. all proceeds from rougarou fest go to the south louisiana wetlands discovery center click here to learn more. Apparently that was a thing they did back then. However embracing legends, customs and tradition is the very foundation of culture. The Rougarou has a varied history, though all variations seem to trace it back to the French. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. Thats no werewolf, though. A year later the boy killed himself and left a letter that the family turned over to the sheriff. 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. By the end, youll know the scariest rumors circulating in cajun land. The seminary student stood still, they got the impression that the source of the noise was moving along a path in the woods and getting closer. The friend forgot her purse in the car. Full report can be found at http://www.gcbro.com/LAsttammany0004.html. 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. one football field of coastline was lost per hour. Even the act of self-defense could be life-altering. However, due to its incredibly poor math skills, the beast can only count to 12. The Rougarou is a legendary creature that is often depicted on shirts, cups, and other forms of merchandise. 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. In some cases, they are your loved ones coming to greet you and bring good fortune. In this version, the Rougarou would live life as a normal person until some event occurred that triggered their condition. Just hope this Louisiana monster doesnt get hold of you. Have you ever heard of the Rougarou or another scary Louisiana monster before? Had me captured. Lover of writing, learning and teaching others about new things. 1990-1992 (early 90s) St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. But as with all great monsters, certifiable proof has been elusive. In Assumption Parish it is common place for house to be built substantially off the ground to withstand inevitable flood waters. The cryptid, usually described as a towering, hairy monster, is allegedly a human cursed to take beastly form. I had almost forgot about it since no one answered phone when I wanted to tell someone what I just seen was so weird. Lover of all things comedy, photography, and travel related. The Cajuns (also known as Acadians) are an ethnic group that makes up a significant portion of south Louisianas population. The story of the Letieche is Louisianas Jungle Book. 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. I had been riding my bike through the trails in the woods that were in the back of Laplace Park. 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. As outlandish as that sounds some of the very details in this essay support that. Louisiana Werewolf: Rougarou of the Bayou - Exemplore 51. There were no apparent wounds or blood, but the fresh carcass looked like it had been battered and crushed. A woman reports that several nights before the actual sighting there was something rummaging around underneath ther house. In these times, many crimes were blamed on the beast, ranging from theft to kidnapping of children. Outside of Louisiana, the Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio has a rollercoaster named Rougarou. He slowed down when he saw it because he got the impression that this was not a man. And we value equal representation for allso they deserve a spot on our list of the scariest Louisiana monsters! Legends of the Rougarou. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. You can reach the Curious Louisiana team at CuriousLouisiana@theadvocate.com. The Rougarou, The Louisiana Swamp Werewolf - YouTube 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. 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. The Rougarou: Southern Louisiana The legends of the rougarou, or loup-garou, have been passed down from generation to generation as long as Louisiana has been inhabited by modern man. Perhaps this giant was not a fan of small talk, and from the direction of travel I suspect the giant was heading home to Chackbay. 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. Back in the day of armor, swords and jousting, there was a lot more to fear than the plague and witches. That gator is looking pretty good right now, huh? Foret is now director of the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center, a nonprofit that educates students, in the classroom and on field trips, about the challenges of sea level rise, climate change, and living in a coastal communityone still recovering from 2021s Hurricane Ida. 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. "Who. Like the childhood game of telephone, the story morphs over the years as it gets passed down from generation to generation. It was eventually through the Cajun French that the name Rougarou came to be. Theres a lot of blue tarps still on roofs everywhere, says Foret. All the cliches are therethey come out at night mostly. 9 REAL Sightings of the Rougarou | Darkness Prevails - YouTube A simple yet effective trick to protect oneself from the beast. He and his partner were a part of a unit in Jefferson Parish that were first responders to criminal calls, making this a most credible report. I tend to lean more on the flesh and blood theory but I think it is important to keep all possibilities in play. Im not making this up. The student waited 5 more minutes to see if the sounds would return but the encounter was over. This continued for 15 minutes until the sound started to travel away. Where can you find a Rougarou? As the rougarou lunges forward he defends himself and cuts its arm, thus releasing the curse from that person and putting it onto [himself].. To my surprise I got text response saying Im outside in my backyard if you want to come over, its not much of a story. I remember it was a brief encounter and not many details but my objective was to write down what he remembered from his perspective, rather than a second-hand accounting from my childhood perspective. The New Orleans Pelicans had originally thought about changing their names from the Hornets to the Rougarous at one point! After being spotted, the creature ran between two houses then continued to the street when it passed under a streetlight. Registration begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 26, and the contest begins at 4 p.m. The rougarou (or loup-garou) is a monster from Cajun folklore. Discover the secrets of Louisiana lifestyle and explore Ruston, home of the Peach Festival. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The man heard a noise behind him; he turned around and witnessed two large, red eyes staring back at him. The commuter stated Unlike the sloth, it was man-like. Full report can be found on bfro.net Report #514. The Audobon Zoo in New Orleans has an exhibit dedicated to the Rougarou, which includes a statue of the creature itself. The rougarou, the Cajun cryptid said to haunt Louisiana's wetlands, is the mascot of a conservation effort for its traditional habitat. That festival is cool because it links folklore to current issues and things that people need to be aware of, Rabalais says. She says a local boy was being followed by a dog when he decided to cut it with his pocketknife. They described it as a cross between a whimpering dog and human crying. There also exist more supernatural explanations for the origins of the Rougarou. Bog Monster of Louisiana T-Shirt (Impractical Jokers). The plantation's most popular (and yet to be debunked) encounter is the apparition of a young . Recently I saw a picture of a bear with severe mange which looked like how people describe werewolves and rougarous. 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 creature was black, hairy, and walking upright on two legs. 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.