Hence we get 101 versions of the (more or less) same story. The problem with oral traditions is that they can be altered over time, and they seem to change from region to region. How do we get all these variations? Oral tradition.
He also stated that outcasts in the community or somewhat eccentric people often became objects of suspicion, the idea being that they are probably Rougarou. In this scenario a person commits a transgression of some sort and then they become a Rougarou. In this scenario, only a witch can make a Rougarou by either turning into a wolf herself or cursing others with lycanthropy (where one believes oneself to be a werewolf).Īmerican screenwriter and film maker Glen Pitre has another version of how one becomes a Rougarou.
Still other versions describe the Rougarou as a type of “headless horseman” resulting from the curse of a witch. They remain weakened and a bit sickly from the experience, and they never speak of it for shame as well as the fear of being killed. If/when the Rougarou draws the blood of its next victim, the curse transfers to that victim and the current person is released from the curse. Yet another version of the legend states that the person is under the spell of the Rougarou for 101 days. In one article, Professor Ancelet mentioned that sometimes a person became a Rougarou voluntarily, while at other times, the person was cursed.Īnother source claims that the eyes must be avoided because if you look into them the curse is passed onto you, and you become a Rougarou. There is a story that goes if you don’t observe the strict rules of Lent for seven years in a row, you’ll automatically turn into a Rougarou. Besides using the tales to keep children in line, it was also used as a way to keep Catholics in line. He added that it has the body of a man and the head of a wolf/dog. Professor Ancelet indicated that the Rougarou is said to prowl the swamps and bayous of Louisiana as well as the areas around New Orleans itself. Part of the proceeds from her products is donated to restoring historical cemeteries in the city.) (Artwork above right by New Orleans artist Claudia Rodriguez of Wrought Ink. . The story followed the French settlers to Louisiana, and was further buoyed by French Canadians migrating down to New Orleans within the last couple hundred years. He reiterated that the story originated in Medieval France and was thought to be a tale told to children to keep them away from the woods.
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(Cited on the TV show, Destination Fear.)Īccording to Professor Barry Jean Ancelet, an expert in Cajun folklore at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, the legend of the Rougarou is common throughout the area. With all the storms and flooding in recent years, it’s thought the beast made its way into the city (New Orleans) because some city residents claim they have heard terrifying growls at night. It could be anyone – neighbor, librarian, dentist.
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It becomes its animal form on the night of the full moon. In modern times throughout Cajun Louisiana, the beast has developed several consistent characteristics: it’s described as standing between 7-8 feet tall, has horrible sharp teeth, and glowing red eyes. In order to complete the final transformation, the person/Rougarou had to take a bite of human flesh.Īs the French set sail and settled Quebec in Canada and later Louisiana in the American South, the story came with them and mutated.
The person’s body then enlarged and they developed a craving for raw meat. According to this genetic version, a person’s life would be normal until whatever happened to trigger the condition turned on. Later in the 16 th Century version, people viewed the phenomenon of the Rougarou as a genetic disorder rather than something you could “catch” from someone else, or be cursed into by a witch. These stories were used to keep children in line and out of the woods. The story was born in France in medieval times, when they actually believed in werewolves. 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. Let’s see what we can discern from this mayhem. We take a wild ride through the folklore of Louisiana as we try to determine just what a Rougarou (or loup garu) is! Cryptozoology reports throughout the area point to several possibilities all ending with monster tales of fantastic creatures.
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