Canadian Nature: Wendigo, the Misunderstood Cannibal.

Stalking Canadian forests is a creature so terrifying that it takes at least five names to define it.  Alternately known as Windego, Wendigo, Wetiko, Windago, Windikouk, amongst other names, the creature roams the countryside seeking juicy, human flesh in an attempt to satiate it’s never ending hunger. Growing larger with each feeding, it has to search further and further afield, devouring everything in its path.  When will the carnage end?  When will the creature die?

Kinda sounds like land developers.

But it’s not!  It is a creature of such mythic proportions that it is actually three separate, and yet strangely linked, myths all falling under the name Wendigo.  Or Windigo.  Or Wetiko.  And so on…

I’m guessing you are probably thinking something like, “This creature sounds insane!  Quick, let’s lock it up somewhere so that it won’t hurt us anymore!  Are you sure you’re not talking about land developers?”

Although land developers and Wendigoes share many similar traits, they are, indeed, different creatures, albeit equally dangerous.

Let’s take a look at the three faces of the Wendigoes:

1.  The first form that the creature can take is that of a spirit searching for a human host to inhabit.  It searches for humans who are starving to such an extent that they are considering cannibalism.  The creature inhabits the human host, and then proceeds to carve out a swath of devastation and destruction across the land as it searches for human flesh to devour, much like land developers.

People inhabited by wendigo spirits change physically. Some believe that for every human that the wendigo consumes it adds that mass to it’s being, thus even though it feeds, it grows in proportion to the food that it consumed, so that it is never able to satisfy its hunger.  Wendigoes are said to be sallow in complexion and very thin, with terrifyingly distorted features.  I tried to look for a spirit Wendigo picture, but this was the best I could find:

Pretty scary, eh?  Here is a less scary, illustrated version:

(Picture from the Tallpoppy Studio Web Site.)

2.  The second form is that of a tall, furry creature, much like a sasquatch, except unlike the Sasquatch, it tends to be violent in nature.  These creatures are covered in white fur with large claws and sharp teeth.    Wendigoes may look something like this:

(Much like Wendigoes, cats are furry and enjoy devouring human flesh in an attempt to satiate their never ending hunger.  Photo from the Pictures of Cats blog.)

3.  The third form of Wendigo is a type of human psychosis. People retain their human form, but become violent while exhibiting anti-social behaviour and craving human flesh.  Once again, very similar to the behaviour of land developers.

Wendigoes typically haunt hunters and back-woods hikers.  The main trick to avoiding Wendigoes while travelling through the Canadian wilderness is to take a lot of food with you so that you will not have to face starvation.  It is also a good idea to travel with a companion so that if a Wendigo spirit inhabits you, you have an easily accessible source of food.

For more cannibalistic activity, visit Humor-Blogs.com