The full moon hangs over the Louisiana swamp and the Rougarou appears. Bright stars twinkle in the dark waves near the towering, sinister cypress trees. Frogs croak their songs in the distance and mosquitoes buzz as they fly in search of their next meal.
There is a howl in the nearby distance. It sounds like a wolf, but something is a little off. Standing on two legs atop a fallen, moss-covered tree is a large, snarling beast.
It throws its head back, letting out a howl that chills the blood to the moon. However, that is not a werewolf. That is what we call the Rougarou in Louisiana, cher.
Description
In modern Cajun Louisiana, the beast has developed several consistent characteristics:
- Described as 7 to 8 feet tall, with sharp teeth and glowing red eyes.
- It transforms into its animal form on the night of the full moon. It could be anyone—a neighbor, a librarian, a dentist.
With all the storms and floods in recent years, it is believed that the beast made its way into the city (New Orleans) because some city residents claim to have heard terrifying growls in the night.
Abilities
- Shape-shifting: Once the person takes a bite of human flesh, they transform into a Rougarou.
- Superhuman strength: They are stronger than men, capable of crushing bones with ease.
- Speed: Like animals, they can move extremely fast; a necessity when hunting prey.
- Eating flesh: It’s what’s for dinner, and their main motivation.
Weakness:
- Fire: Some say that these Rougarous can only be destroyed by fire.
- Decapitation: Despite this, many feel that decapitation is the only way to kill them.
- Severe destruction of the body: In addition to decapitation, people will mutilate their bodies so that the Rougarou cannot return.
What exactly is a Rougarou?
Cryptozoology reports throughout the area point to several possibilities, all of which end with tales of fantastical creatures.
No matter how you spell it, the Rougarou, Roux-Ga-Roux, Rugaroo, Rugaru, or LoupGarou is a werewolf-like creature that lives in the folklore of French Cajun Louisiana. The story originated in France in medieval times, when people actually believed in werewolves. These stories were used to keep children in line and out of the woods.
Later in the 16th century, people saw the Rougarou phenomenon as a genetic disorder rather than something that could be “caught” from another person or be cursed by a witch. According to this genetic version, a person’s life would be normal until something triggered the condition.
The person’s body would enlarge, and they would develop a craving for raw meat. To complete the final transformation, the person/Rougarou had to bite human flesh.
As the French set sail and established Quebec in Canada and then Louisiana in the southern United States, the story came with them and mutated.
Legend and folklore
The story followed the French settlers to Louisiana, and French Canadians were further encouraged to emigrate to New Orleans in the last two hundred years.
The Rougarou roams the swamps and marshes of Louisiana, as well as the areas around New Orleans. It has the body of a man and the head of a wolf/dog. In addition to using the tales to keep children in line, it was also used as a way to keep Catholics in line.
There is a story that says that if you do not observe the strict rules of Lent for seven years in a row, you will automatically become a Rougarou. Sometimes a person would voluntarily become a Rougarou, while at other times, the person was cursed.
Another source claims that the eyes must be avoided because if you look at them, the curse is passed on to you and you become a Rougarou.
Another version of the legend says that the person is under the Rougarou’s spell for 101 days. When the Rougarou draws blood from its next victim, the curse is transferred to that victim and the current person is freed from the curse. They remain weakened and somewhat sickly from the experience, and never speak of it out of shame and fear of being killed.
Other versions describe the Rougarou as a type of “headless horseman” resulting from a witch’s curse. In this scenario, only a witch can make a Rougarou, either by turning into a wolf or by cursing others with lycanthropy (where one considers oneself a werewolf).
Rougarou legends in Cajun
Since migration, many of the legends began to change to match the times and dialect. Since the Cajun dialect is a mixture of French and English and is well known for changing words completely to make them easier to pronounce, the name of the beast changed from loup-garou to Rougarou (also spelled Roux-ga-Roux, rugaroo, or rugaru).
The swamps within the Greater New Orleans and Acadiana area are where this beast has come to live. It could even be a neighbor of the Honey Island Swamp Monster, which is Louisiana’s “swamp bigfoot.”
Honey Island Swamp Monster
Cajun legend says that the beast hunts Catholics who do not follow the rules of Lent, which is similar to the narrative of the old French stories.
Another account 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. Their curse usually comes from a local witch, sometimes a voodoo priestess.
It is said that you can protect yourself against the Rougarou by placing 13 small objects next to your doors. Apparently, when a person becomes a Rougarou.
13 pennies for the Rougarou
The Rougarou will see the 13 objects, try to count them, and be unable to count them all. This will confuse them, and they will continue counting until sunrise, when they must flee.
Drinks inspired by the Rougarou
Rougaroux rum, made by Donner-Peltier distillers in Thibodaux, Louisiana, has a special praline-flavored version called Rougaroux 13 Pennies. Although it was originally a legend, there have been sightings of the Rougarou to this day, although it has died down a bit in the last decade.
In culture and festivals
The beast is also a hit in pop culture here in Louisiana. There is an annual Rougarou Festival in Houma every year, and the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans has a Rougarou exhibit, which includes a statue of the creature in all its swampy glory. The New Orleans Pelicans had originally considered changing their name from the Hornets to the Rougarous at one point.
