The story of the Rougarou supposedly changed once French immigrantsor possibly also French-Canadian immigrantscame to live in the area that is now Louisiana. I had been riding my bike through the trails in the woods that were in the back of Laplace Park. Enjoy these allegedly. Address: Rougarou Fest, 7910 W Park Ave, Houma, LA 70364, USA. 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. I am a journalist from Louisiana who has always been fascinated by folk lore and its cultural impact. 1983 St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. Local stories say the Rougarou roams the streets at night, antagonizing people to attack it. For those of you who haven't heard th. one football field of coastline was lost per hour. The only way to arrive at the truth is to keep your mind open to weirdness. The Rougarou, also known as the loup-garou, is essentially Louisiana's bayou-dwelling werewolf, and it's a prominent figure in Cajun folklore. Your email address will not be published. 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. The creature continued on as it reached a woody marsh area near a canal then disappeared. 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 . Considering how many hunters love senselessly killing wild boars, we really cant blame the swamp monster. A few seconds passes and she started to feel a fear building inside. 4. Curious Louisiana answers. we have similar creatures in northeastern NY along with a few other cryptids like pig men and Bigfoot but i also have seen a panther like cat with black bat like wings by the tree line in a small town along lake Champlain. It was near 2am and both parties were hesitant to walk to the car to retrieve the purse. Nope, not The GrinchThe Grunch. Near Avenue A around 9pm, He arrived at the scene and spoke to the lady that called it in. 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 . The New Orleans Pelicans, Louisiana's NBA team, were formerly known as the Hornets. Even if I didnt believe his story, I believe his demeanor when recounting it. The Giants body appeared to be covered with reddish hair. I realized that parts of our folklore and our oral traditions were getting lost, he says. In this version, the Rougarou would live life as a normal person until some event occurred that triggered their condition. 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. These Louisiana monsters claim they feel lethargic and drained if they dont get the proper serving size of blood in on the regular. Remnants of history freckle the map, whether its old and potentially haunted buildings, abandoned theme parks or even museums with some very strange collections. Lapin, the trickster rabbit rooted in African folklore traditions that were brought to Louisiana by enslaved people, has also seen a transformation. The woman also reported finding hair all over the yard front steps, and porch. Theres a howl in the near distance. Back in the 16th century, theyd regularly blame various crimes on loup-garous. Strange noise ? The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. Today, theyre suave and sexy, thanks in part to pop culture hits such as Interview with the Vampire, Twilight, and True Blood. Discover the secrets of Louisiana lifestyle and explore Ruston, home of the Peach Festival. The neighbor then said he saw an 8 foot tall creature standing on two legs. That festival is cool because it links folklore to current issues and things that people need to be aware of, Rabalais says. Were you told the story of the Rougarou as . Deep within the swamps of south Louisiana, legend has it, there lives the Rougarou a legendary werewolf sort creature with sharp claws and glowing eyes. Once the girl was halfway to the vehicle she noticed her friend was still standing at the front door of the house. 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. The New Orleans Pelicans had originally thought about changing their names from the Hornets to the Rougarous at one point! The three adult men surveyed the area from the inside of the truck. Definitely a loup-garou. Get monthly email updates and the chance to win a prize. The Rougarou is a legendary creature that is often depicted on shirts, cups, and other forms of merchandise. Official Post from Deborah Hatswell BBR Being Believed Research & Investigation He checked out the deer kept driving and turned around at the lake headed back towards Hwy. It was getting late so I was heading back to my dad's house for the evening. Their property backs up to a vast cypress swamp. The cousins were ridding toward the creature when they spotted it walking on side of the road in their direction. It was enough just enough working knowledge for me to form an opinion. The Bible tells us to test the spirit(s) to see if it (they) come from God. 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. 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. Aside from snakes and alligators, there are lots of predators and other scary things living there. 9 REAL Sightings of the Rougarou | Darkness Prevails Darkness Prevails 631K subscribers Subscribe 4.7K 136K views 3 years ago It's like a real life werewolf, but worse. As outlandish as that sounds some of the very details in this essay support that. One of the most popular stories that gets passed down from generation to generation is the legend of the Rougarou, Cajun Country's answer to Bigfoot. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Many rumors haunt this road, also known as LA-57. I hunt all over america and even in Africa a couple times ive run across crap that has made me avoid entire states and run across other things that i tried to stalk and kill one of these things i tried to kill is a loup garou i lived in deep louisiana until i was 11 i know about these things your gonna need some back story for this i subscribe to the idea that they are cursed humans and will have the curse till they die like wherewolves and the loup garou may even be a wherewolf because the only time ive ever found a claim of one that i couldnt easily blow off the description was the same as a where wolf like a humanoid grizzly bear on two legs with lots of steroids that aside i was doing some hunting one night for hog and saw a huge animal walk out stood 6 or 7 feet tall on two legs couldnt make out fine details due to light but i took a shot at it after i saw enough to realize it wasnt human i shot it in the head with a 45-70 those of you who dont get that its a rifle capable of taking large game like an elephant with one shot very strong round and for those of you who are gun people ill give some specs it was a 500 grain soft lead bullet hot loaded on 72 grains of powder (that doesnt sound like much but i shoot black powder in it not smokeless and no its not a muzzle loader it shoots brass cased bullets like a normal gun) anyway i hit it in the head and it got really pissed of and started to charge from about 200 yards away i shot it again in the chest and it ran off i spent the night tracking it mind you this all happemed at about 10 i only quit when i lost blood trail and foot print trail right around daylight i went home and that night there was a story of a man whos body had been found with two large holes that resembled bullet holes but it was ruled out because there was no trace of any lead or powder and he was drained of all his blood that chalked it up to a satanic ritual now to me it sounds like i killed a loup garou but hey maybe its still out there and just really pissed off. We can only hope Ruston, LA never decides to build a Grunch Road. We use cookies to provide you with the best possible browsing experience. 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 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. [10] [11] Boxer Regis Prograis (of Creole descent) goes by the nickname Rougarou. A quick browse and youll find many pictures of the Rougarou. Immense fear or indifference could be contributed to psychic phenomena that are sometimes reported with these types of sightings. Back in the thick, fog-covered swamplands is where youll find the true beauty of Louisiana and perhaps even a monster or twoincluding the legendary beast called the Rougarou. Full report can be found at http://www.gcbro.com/LAsttammany0004.html. Numerous ghost sightings have been reported over the years, making it one of the most haunted landmarks in the USA. Full report can be found at http://www.gcbro.com/LAlivingston0001.html. That is if we are to believe that these creatures are flesh and blood biological entities. Kliebert was stunned when he saw this giant approaching him. The Rougarou, also known as the loup-garou, is essentially Louisiana's bayou-dwelling werewolf, and it's a prominent figure in Cajun folklore. 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. Who knows what it is? A woman reports that several nights before the actual sighting there was something rummaging around underneath ther house. 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. This sighting took place just north of the Manchac Swamp region, about a quarter mile away from Hwy. More than a millennium ago, vampires were demonic vectors of disease, possibly reflecting the very real threat of rabies. 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. Legends of the Rougarou. "I think it's fascinating,'' said Brettel. In the article, we will attempt to answer these questions and more. He has the body of a man, head of a werewolf, and sharp teeth that can seamlessly tear through flesh. 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. According to folklore, a Rougarou is a human that has been placed under a spell. We do have water spirits, such as Leviathan, a giant alligator spirit, who is actually mentioned in the Bible. These canine-humanoid shapeshifters travel between worlds using magical doors. A 1981 report bywriter Jerry Breaux pulled from The Advocate archives recalls a conversation the writer had with his long-time friend, Hubert. It was getting late so I was heading back to my dads house for the evening. After the initial sighting by the husband, the wife reported that a neighbor came by in an adjatated state. A cattle bridge that crossed the Yellow Water River was mentioned as a landmark in the report. 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. The French actually have a similar story of the Loup-garou. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. The plantation's most popular (and yet to be debunked) encounter is the apparition of a young . Once the cousin jumped back on they yelled GO! They did not look back after that. They had no clue to what creature could make such a sound. In a 2008 Fox News special,people claimed they'd seen the beast. A woman named Barbara Mullins discovered a supposedly unidentifiable carcass on the side of the road in 1996. Legend says that the Rougarou will hunt these individuals down and suck their blood, feeding on their energy for up to 101 days. The sounds stopped just before it would have broke the tree line and became visible. Some have claimed it to be the body of a Rougarou, though others have speculated it might be a Chupacabra or Devil Monkey. During this time, however, the Rougarou was called Loup-garou. According to the deputies, the Honey Island Swamp was a hellhole where criminals and monsters thrived. And as the stomping grounds for the rougarou have disappeared, so have tales about the beastuntil Foret made it his mission to save both. Sometimes I mix all of these subjects together. 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. Lover of all things comedy, photography, and travel related. We cant make this stuff up. Perrin's statement is quite obviously true due to the Rougarou's clear influence on local culture and beyond. 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." 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.