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Cynthia Cleveland
Legends of the Wendigo
Legends of the Wendigo are not as obscure as one might think. In fact, in
recent years, popular culture has introduced the mass public to the old Native
American legend of the Wendigo. These adaptations of the legends have appeared
in television series, the most recent and well-known being Supernatural,
and has even gained a foothold in video game storylines, such as Until Dawn.
I was motivated to conduct more research on the legends that inspired these
entertainments when mention of them was made in Louise Erdrich’s The Round
House. Although the use of these legends has recently gained popularity,
they don’t delve very deeply into the origin tales, which, interestingly enough,
give us rich insights into the culture and anxieties felt by the Native
Americans.
The Wendigo legends stem from the Algonquin, Ojibwe and Cree peoples; all
of them originating from the Great Lakes regions (Dillon). The meaning of the
word windigo (a variation of one of the many spellings of this creature)
is still a subject of debate, but the closest terms translate to either “owl” or
“cannibal,” depending on the dialect (DeSanti, 188). The legends describe the
Wendigo as a preternatural being that has an insatiable desire for human flesh
(DeSanti, 188). The physical appearance of the creature is one that “possesses
hideous features and immense physical and spiritual power.” (DeSanti, 188). The
Wendigo is said to be most active during the Winter and preys upon travelers,
hunters and villagers in the woods (Dillon; DeSanti, 188). Legends also claim
that the Wendigo has a “heart of ice” and appears as an “emaciated” figure
(DeSanti, 188). Interestingly enough, some variations of the legend insist that
each time a Wendigo consumes human flesh, the physical figure of the monster
grows in size, thus “their hunger and craving remained in proportion to their
size” (Dillon). Legends also suggest that a Wendigo is capable of “infecting”
humans with its cannibalistic desire; though they do not become animalistic in
appearance, as the spirit is reported to be, but the desire for flesh takes over
(DeSanti, 188).
What is most interesting concerning these legends is that they reflect a
sincere concern within the lives of the Native Americans in the Great Lakes
regions. During the winter, starvation was a startling concern, and many
historians speculate that the existence of these tales is directly related to
this concern (DeSanti, 188). Historically, we understand that during times of
starvation and desperation, instances of cannibalism have occurred. In recent
years, historians have discovered that people within the colony of Jamestown,
once beset by a particularly harsh winter, had to resort to cannibalism to
survive. Cannibalism is considered an unforgivable sin in most cultures and we
even have legends of our own that echo that horror and shock associated with
such an act. Zombies are the American equivalent of the Wendigo—they are almost
always creatures of horror and disgust, much like the Wendigo.
Erdrich’s brief telling of the Wendigo in The Round House follows
the same standards by which the legends are told. Although, we are not presented
with a clear history, it follows the same motivation: during a particularly
harsh winter the tribe Nanapush belongs to experiences a shortage of food. Some
of the men accuse Akii—Nanapush’s mother—of being a Wendigo and they attempt to
take her life for the sake of the tribe. Of course, Nanapush recognizes that his
mother is not possessed by any evil spirit—that of the Wendigo—and sets out to
sate the madness that has come upon some of the tribe members by hunting down a
buffalo. Once Nanapush returns with the buffalo—his mother is safe from the
accusations of the Wendigo spirit’s possession.
This telling of the Wendigo legend in Erdrich’s novel is consistent with
the etymology of the creature. During times of starvation and isolation, members
of the tribe could possibly resort to cannibalism as a means of survival when
driven by desperation. Many scholars have attempted to reconcile this legend
with what they term “windigo psychosis”, which is defined as a general condition
that is associated with feelings of “melancholy, agitation, social isolation,
and aloofness”, all symptoms which they attributed to poor nutrition during
winters months (DeSanti, 188). However, scholars have heavily disputed this
explaination for the legends, since it suggests that there is a “culture-bound
mental illness”, and we have found that similar legends—such as the zombie—do
exist outside of those tribes (DeSanti, 188).
DeSanti, Brady. “The Cannibal Talking Head: The Portrayal of the Windigo
“Monster” in Popular Culture and Ojibwe Traditions”. Journal of Religion and
Popular Culture.
Dillon, G. L. (2014). Windigo. In J. A. Weinstock, The
ashgate encyclopedia of literary and cinematic monsters.
Surrey, UK: Ashgate Publishing
