![]() ![]() In years past, such a practice was possible, although still rare, as many of the tribes and settlers in the region were cut off by the bitter snows and ice of the north woods. But how would a person grow to become one of this strange creatures?Īccording to the lore, the Wendigo is created whenever a human resorts to cannibalism to survive. They are tall and lanky and are driven by a horrible hunger. Most have a sallow, yellowish skin but others are said to be matted with hair. Though all of the descriptions of the creature vary slightly, the Wendigo is generally said to have glowing eyes, long yellowed fangs and overly long tongues. Native American versions of the creature spoke of a gigantic spirit, over fifteen feet tall, that had once been human but had been transformed into a creature by the use of magic. Around 1860, a German explorer translated Wendigo to mean "cannibal" among the tribes along the Great Lakes. The Inuit Indians of the region called the creature by various names, including Wendigo, Witigo, Witiko and Wee-Tee-Go but each of them was roughly translated to mean "the evil spirit that devours mankind". The American Indians had their own tales of the Wendigo, dating back so many years that most who were interviewed could not remember when the story had not been told. ![]() The spirit was said to have a voracious appetite for human flesh and the many forest dwellers who disappeared over the years were said to be victims of the monster. ![]() In one variation of the story, the creature could only be seen if it faced the witness head-on, because it was so thin that it could not be seen from the side. Many legends and stories have circulated over the years about a mysterious creature who was encountered by hunters and campers in the shadowy forests of the upper regions of Minnesota. While this creature is considered by many to be the creation of horror writer Algernon Blackwood in his classic terror tale, "The Wendigo", this woods spirit was, and is, very real to many in the northern woods and prairies of the state. ![]()
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