What is the Cajun Rougarou?

The rougarou (or loup-garou) is a monster from Cajun folklore. In the legend, this beast is often described as having the body of a man and the head of a wolf or a dog and prowls Louisiana swamps looking for misbehaving children.

What does Rougarou mean in Creole?

Rougarou: The Rougarou, or loup garou, is a Cajun lengend of a human who changes into a wolf at his/her own will. The French word loup means “wolf” and garou mean “man who turns into an animal.” Over time, the Cajun accent transitioned the word from loup garou to Rougarou.

How does one become a Rougarou?

What Actually Is A Rougarou? When a human is cursed with lycanthropy—or a human who transforms into a wolf—they become a Rougarou. However, there are different beliefs regarding how the curse transfers. One version states that a human who gets bitten by a Rougarou will remain in the Rougarou form for 101 days.

What is the story of Rougarou?

The basic tale of Rougarou is one of a half man, half wolf that prowls the Louisiana swamps, looking for Catholics that have broken Lent or broken Catholic rules in other ways. Legend says that the Rougarou will hunt these individuals down and suck their blood, feeding on their energy for up to 101 days.

What does Rougarou mean in French?

The rougarou (alternatively spelled as roux-ga-roux, rugaroo, or rugaru) is a legendary creature in Laurentian French communities linked to traditional concepts of the werewolf.

Is the loup-garou real?

Traditional tales about the Loup-Garou are found in French Canadian and European folklore. The Loup-Garou is also called lycanthrope or werewolf. A Loup-Garou is generally believed to a person who can change into animal form, often as a wolf….Loup-Garou.

Published Online	March 12, 2007
Last Edited	August 20, 2021

How do you stop a Rougarou?

To get rid of that curse, you have to get someone else to cut you and draw blood. When that person cuts you the curse would transfer onto them, releasing you of the curse — but then, turning them into the creature.

Are there werewolves in Louisiana?

What is the Rougarou? The Rougarou is a beastly, werewolf or dog-like creature existing in the rich Cajun folklore along the swamps and bayous of Southeast Louisiana.

What does Mais mean in Cajun French?

Mais: Well then! Technically, this is a French word meaning but. BUT! In South Louisiana, especially among those who don’t speak Cajun French anymore, it’s basically become an interjection that more or less means “Well then” and is used to delight, shock, exasperation — any number of things.

What does Garou mean in English?

Noun. garou m (plural garous) (archaic) werewolf.

What does rougarou mean in French?

Why was the loup garou important to the Cajuns?

Stories in Cajun folklore about the loup garou were mostly used to scare children in teaching them how to behave. On a side note, loup-garous were believed to hunt and kill Catholic Christians not observing Lent and abide by its rules.

What kind of creature is the rougarou in Louisiana?

The Rougarou, also known as the loup-garou, is essentially Louisiana’s bayou-dwelling werewolf, and it’s a prominent figure in Cajun folklore. It is most often described as having a human body with the head of a wolf or dog, with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp teeth.

How did the rougarou become a Cajun werewolf?

A story in The Nicholls Worth, a local college paper, titled “Rougarou Remains Strong Figure in Cajun Folklore,” recounts a story from a woman about an experience in her youth. She says a local boy was being followed by a dog when he decided to cut it with his pocketknife. The boy saw the dog turn into a man, then ran home to tell his family.

Where does the rougarou festival take place in Louisiana?

The Rougarou Fest is a festival that celebrates the folklore of the Louisiana bayous. It takes place on the last Saturday in October in Houma, Louisiana.