The Wendigo, also known as the Windigo, is a mythical evil spirit or man-eating monster native to the Atlantic Seaboard in the Northern Forest. Mythical creatures appear primarily in the Algonquian folklore of Canada and the United States. The Wendigo’s traits are those that might appear to be human, but this human was possessed by the entity, causing him to become monstrous.
Upon possession, the ship will initiate despicable behaviors such as insatiable greed and the need to commit murder. Communities where greed is rampant are often said to have a Wendigo Psychosis manifestation.
Facts About Wendigo Legend And It’s Dark History
1. Human Possession
Since the earliest era of the Wendigo myth, it has been noted that humans can be very much possessed by the demonic entity, sometimes simply transforming into humans to carry out their destructive activities.
In some cases, the Wendigo spirit may possess a person who had a reason to fall into cannibalism, likely as a result of surviving during a harsh winter season. In other circumstances, the spirit may possess a person who nurtures greed in their hearts. This then causes the individual to behave like bloodthirsty zombies, with a thoughtless desire to devour human flesh.
2. Supernatural Abilities
The entity has some scary and intimidating abilities. For its animal nature, it is unnaturally large, strong, and fast with persistently keen senses. The ghost is a hunter and a predator, immune to the deadliest of climates. It has the ability to mimic human voices familiar to its unsuspecting victims in order to lure them to secluded places where they would either devour them or possess them. It also has the uncanny ability to heal.
3. Beast Form
Aside from possessing or taking the form of a human, the Wendigo can appear in the form of a bloody-looking animal, usually with a stag’s head, sunken eyes, incredibly taut skin over its bones, and a stench raging with corruption and death. It is also a strikingly large creature that appears fragile, alienated, or collapsing in on itself with decomposition. Don’t let that fool you, according to legend, the creature is a bloodthirsty animal with an endless craving for human flesh.
4. The older, the more impressive
Consistent with the tales, the Wendigo creature is as destructive and powerful as its age. In orderly words, the older the spirit possession, the stronger the being. If the creature is on earth for a very long time, it can develop the ability to control and manipulate the weather, calling on the darkness before sunset. It can also gain a sort of alpha control over predators in the forest, ordering them to attack a chosen victim on a whim.
5. Eternal hunger
Whatever form the Wendigo takes, the flesh is endless. What’s more, his hunger for more meat increases with every kill. As such, it is never satisfied and always seeks to devour as much more flesh as possible.
6. Cree chief controversy
In 1907, a famous healer, witch doctor, and Oji Cree boss Jack Fiddler was arrested along with his brother Joseph for murdering 14 people. While in the custody of the Canadian Police, Jack stated that he had to kill the humans because they wanted to turn into the Wendigo creature. He later committed suicide shortly before his trial date.
On the other hand, his brother got a life sentence but mysteriously died in prison after serving three days early in his sentence. Unfortunately, he was considered for a pardon as he was charged as an accomplice to the crime, not exactly the perpetrator. He never had a chance to be freed.
7. Rituals and rites to keep the spirit away
During famine or harsh winter, the Cree, Ojibwe and Assiniboine tribes would perform a ceremonial dance under these conditions and make offerings which they believed would help stem the threat of attack, particularly on people’s heads. These rites were typically performed in northern Minnesota at Lake Windigo.