Selfishness and extreme situations: the formula for lurking a wendigo They are attributed with powers such as superhuman strength and endurance, which enable them to stalk their victims. In the legends of native peoples, the wendigo is as tall as a person however, they become proportionally larger the more beings they devour. But, above all, it is accompanied by an unpleasant odor that covers its ash-colored skin.
Its eyes are milky and seem to be out of their sockets. It has also been described as having pointed ears and sharp elk-like antlers sprouting from its head. It has long limbs with slender, elongated claw-like fingers, and its face is terrifying, showing its sharp teeth. What does the wendigo look like?Īlthough it is not very clear what the wendigo looks like, as according to legends only those who have seen it could detail it, the creature has been described as having a humanoid appearance of large stature and bony structure. But other variations can also be found such as ‘windigoo’ in Ojibwa, ‘wìdjigò’ in Algonquin, and ‘wīhtikōw’ in the Cree language. It is believed that the word ‘wendigo’ or ‘windigo’ comes from the Proto-Algonquian ‘wi-nteko-wa’ meaning ‘owl’. Most North American legends tell that humans can become a wendigo after their spirit succumbs to greed, becomes isolated from their community, or loses its values in the despair caused by hunger and cold.ĭepending on the various Algonquin peoples including the Abenaki, Siksika, Mi’kmaq, Algonquin, Ojibwe, Cree, Kikapu, and even the Innu, the name given to the creature.
The origin of the wendigoĪccording to most Algonquin oral traditions, the wendigo is a creature that feeds on human beings and has a preference for those weak-minded people who fall into selfishness. The legend of the wendigo narrates the existence of a supernatural being that could well have been part of North American traditions as a means to internalize order and respect for the community. As in all cultures, these creatures are part of their worldview, although they are not always beings that give faith and hope. The oral traditions of the Algonquin-speaking First Nations in North America speak of magical and supernatural beings.
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