The next day the man found the two Dobermans decapitated. He hides in tall grass near Grunch Road in New Orleans, LA, waiting to prey on teens who park there. 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. It was late in the evening when Mr. Nameless flagged me down. Kliebert tried to communicate with the giant, asking who are you? We use cookies to provide you with the best possible browsing experience. 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. According to the woman, "The next day a prominent physician appeared in town with his right arm cut and in a sling. Legend says that the Rougarou will hunt these individuals down and suck their blood, feeding on their energy for up to 101 days. He sees it as an example of the way cryptids evolve alongside the cultures that created them. Two dead squirrels and a dead rabbit were found under the house where the creature had been rummaging. Curious Louisiana answers. The Legends Of The Rougarou In Louisiana May Send Chills Down Your Spine Since the dawn of time, people have been telling stories. "I think that there's magic in the swamps that's celebrated at Rougarou," Foret says. Children can see and hear everything that happens, but they are unable to move. 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. Long, thin arm attached to a 6 to 7 foot frame. According to some other accounts, the process of transferring the curse involves the willingly human drawing the blood of the Rougarou. There are multiple categories you can enter, including ones for kids and pets. Where can you find a Rougarou? Lover of writing, learning and teaching others about new things. Stories on its origin vary, but some say its a spirit while others claim its a child that was raised by alligators. 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. The Rougarou will see the 13 objects, try to count them, and be unable to count them all. The Audobon Zoo in New Orleans has an exhibit dedicated to the Rougarou, which includes a statue of the creature itself. Where are you from? Kliebert got no response. This will perplex it, and it will keep recounting until the sun comes up and it must flee. Audobon's website also has Rougarou t-shirts for sale. Well written and well documented. 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. The Rougarou has a varied history, though all variations seem to trace it back to the French. In the swamps within the Greater New Orleans area and the Acadiana is where this beast has come to live. 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. She says a local boy was being followed by a dog when he decided to cut it with his pocketknife. It had a face like a man and the body of an animal, said Herman Broom. The Rougarou is an important figure in Cajun legends. Here's what health officials, restaurants say. In the article, we will attempt to answer these questions and more. It now craves human flesh and overturns small boats to devour and feast! When they got to the spot they noticed the earth and surrounding plant life was disturbed like something big frequently passed there, a game trail of sorts. If your keys go missing without explanation, it could be a Lutin! 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. Stumbling upon the LObservateur article reignited my borderline obsessive interest in these types of creature sightings. The Rougarou, Beast of the Louisiana Bayou, Gets a Makeover. 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. The article reported the murder of a man killed because his whiskey was too good and too profitable. Southeast Louisiana Bigfoot Sightings. 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. He hides in tall grass near Grunch Road in New Orleans, LA, waiting to prey on teens who park there. 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. 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. 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. And we value equal representation for allso they deserve a spot on our list of the scariest Louisiana monsters! 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. That festival is cool because it links folklore to current issues and things that people need to be aware of, Rabalais says. The basic tale of Rougarou is one of a half man, half wolf that prowls the Louisiana swamps, looking for Catholics that have broken Lent or broken Catholic rules in other ways. On the last Saturday in October in the city of Houma, Rougarou Fest is held. The Rougarou at Cedar Point is one example of many as to how popular the folklore surrounding the beast truly is. The story of the Rougarou supposedly changed once French immigrantsor possibly also French-Canadian immigrantscame to live in the area that is now Louisiana. 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. The commuter stated that the headlights of his car shined directly onto the creature so they got a pretty good look at it. A Police officer and his partner, responding to a neighborhood prowler call. I used to have nightmares including the Rougarou as a kid and seeing this is crazy that its something based on my home state. Back in the day of armor, swords and jousting, there was a lot more to fear than the plague and witches. "Reporting a sighting of Bigfoot, Sasquatch and even the Honey Island Swamp Monster does not get you labeled a crazy person anymore, and therefore, those who believe eyewitnesses are not labeled crazy either," said Dana Holyfield, granddaughter of Harlan Ford a man often credited with having the first recorded encounter with the purported swamp monster. 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 gator is looking pretty good right now, huh? 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. That is if we are to believe that these creatures are flesh and blood biological entities. I think its fascinating,'' said Brettel. ", This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Other more out there schools of thought would suggest that these creatures or of a different origin, Alien, Spirit, even faerie. Required fields are marked *. But as with all great monsters, certifiable proof has been elusive. In the late summer of the early 90s (actual year up for debate), I was riding my bike. 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. Last but not least, the pinnacle of mythology in the bayou state and kingpin of all Louisiana monsters the Rougarou. In 1974, Ford, a wildlife photographer and former air traffic controller, claimed to have witnessed the creature while exploring potential hunting grounds. Your email address will not be published. Generations of youngsters have heard the scary tales. Had me captured. If this witness tells anyone about this encounter within a year and a day, they will become a Rougarou themselves. 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. Its true! Get more stories delivered right to your email. As it gets to 13, it becomes confused. Did your house get ransacked during the night? I remember when the physician shot himself here in Lockport. 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. The creature is only vaguely seen in the film with a head resembling a bear. Mr. Nameless admitted that he did not want to slow down to get a good look. 1989 St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. A lover of tasty meat, he lurks in swamps and hunts down unsuspecting humans. 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. Cauchemar is a monster that leaps out of childrens dreams and rides their backs. It's got to be the Rougarou, the infamous werewolf of the bayou. This legendary creature of Cajun folklore is often depicted in literature and images as a man with a wolfs or dogs head. I am a journalist from Louisiana who has always been fascinated by folk lore and its cultural impact. 4. There's more to this 19th-century crime than the dark side of fairy lore. Standing on two legs on top of a fallen, moss-covered tree is a large, snarling beast. Why do Bud's Broiler's burger prices conflict? Only you can prevent forest fires, and so only you can save Louisianas wetlands.. They had no clue to what creature could make such a sound. After the officers spoke to the complainant they decided to do a search of the perimeter. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Oh wow that sounds like an interested read, Bill! At the annual October events rougarou costume contest, the fests mascot is reimagined hundreds of different ways, including as an eco-activist. Case closed. This was one interesting problem that they had to deal with centuries ago. The Rougarou life involves shapeshifting into its beast form every night, then being forced to transform back into a human at sunrise. Often the story of the Rougarou has been used to instill fear in the hearts of Cajun children as a way to command obedience. They appear as fluorescent balls of light which loom over the marshlands of Louisiana. One recent supposed sighting came from a woman in Harvey, Louisiana, who claimed she saw a Grunch eating one of her neighbor's dogs. Click the image below to read our free eBook "The Big Book of Credit Union MythsBUSTED!

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