I mean yeah I see what your saying, personally I do research on what its about even if I don't use it in it's entirety. The cannibalistic forest creature is known for allegedly . See more. A specimen of folk story collected in the early 20th century by Lottie Chicogquaw Marsden, an ethnographer of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, in which a wendigo also exhibits tool use, an ability to survive partial dismemberment, and autocannibalism, reads:[19]. In 1661, The Jesuit Relations reported: I have not always done so, and it appears that in this case, J.K. Rowling did not either. [24], Although in many recorded cases of Wendigo psychosis the individual has been killed to prevent cannibalism from resulting, some Cree folklore recommends treatment by ingestion of fatty animal meats or drinking animal grease; those treated may sometimes vomit ice as part of the curing process. The "Dark Horse" singer . I always thought these are what cannibals are turning into. Basically, the word wendigo can also function as a symbol for gluttony and the image of excess. Thank god I am not from USA, where this seems to be an issue. Native Americans shouldn't be a "niche," and neither should women, LGBT people, or people of color. Ojibwe scholar Dr. Brady Santi has developed this guide for teachers who would like to teach students about her communitys unique belief systems with an emphasis on the wendigo as it appears in popular films. Native Americans, Our headquarters are located at: 89 South Street, Suite 401, Boston, MA 02111. He said, "You bet there is, I have eaten lots of Indians, no wonder they are fat." It's just fiction, I thought. "This isn't going to be the last time a story like this emerges about cultural appropriation, and what it emphasises is how much we need more diversity, in all components of the fashion industry," says Lewis. I mentioned above that I was guilty of doing the same thing. From Stephen Kings Pet Sematary to the television series Hanibal, the flesh-eating image of the wendigo is often presented apart from its original cultural contexts where it carries deep moral significance. Check it out here:https://youtu.be/fHE4fkvUpWMI really just made this video to express how I am currently feeling about the wendigo doll situation and the questions I have about it. WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS (www.evilcheezproductions.blogspot.com, www.facebook.com/evilcheezproductions), specializing in theatrical performances and haunted attractions. White authors should be able to write about non-white people. No cultural appropriation in it, I promise! [40][41] Joe Nazare wrote that Blackwood's "subtly-demonizing rhetoric transforms the Wendigo from a native myth into a descriptive template for the Indian savage."[42]. LOL. The Windigo also has the power to turn humans into cannibals who suffer the same . Draw/write what you want, I say. Indigenous, As researchers, most of us are lost in a wilderness filled with Windigo, Skinwalkers and various other indigenous cosmological entities, and we need to recognize we have no idea what we are talking about. And how many would have known that in the past - and even now - the originators of the cornrows, the headdresses, the bindis, would have been persecuted for wearing them? [10], The Wechuge is a similar being that appears in the legends of the Athabaskan people of the Northwest Pacific Coast. Dollightful's Wendigo Doll - Cultural Appreciation or Appropriation? But as far as cultural appropriation and the Wendigo goes, dont you daredont you DAREtry to take our monsters away from us, PC wankers! Further, cultural appropriation often occurs as the backwash of colonization, and contributes to widening existing divisions and perpetuating patterns of historic dispossession and oppression. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. For example, dressing up as a Native American while using redface and using the gaudiest, most elaborate costume you can think of (using the stereotypical feathered headress, tribal print tan clothing, holding a spear, etc.). The game I will be going over in this is Until Dawn, a horror game made by Supermassive Games, made . I do not possess the cultural or social knowledge required. I have to look! My basic rule is simple: be respectful. Shock factor aside, it's especially eye-catching in that it isn't necessarily a result of being desperate for food. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 I really just want to learn about how to appreciate aspects of cultures that I am not included in respectfully. [11], This was the end of the wendigo is part of the traditional belief system of a number of Algonquin-speaking peoples, including the Ojibwe, the Saulteaux, the Cree, the Naskapi, and the Innu. For other uses, see, Graham, John Russell; John Coates; Barbara Swartzentruber; Brian Ouellette; ", harvcoltxt error: no target: CITEREFSchwarz1969 (, International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, descriptive template for the Indian savage, corporate voracity, exploitation, and power, "Windigo: The Flesh-Eating Monster of Native American Legend", International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, "Windigo, the Ice Cannibal (Wendigo, Wiindigoo, Windgo, Windego)", "Relations des Jsuites contenant ce qui s'est pass de plus remarquable dans les missions des Pres de la Compagnie de Jsus dans la Nouvelle-France", "The Jesuit Relations: Travels and Expectations of the Jesuit Missionaries in New France, 16101791", "Love, and Death in Stephen King's 'Pet Sematary', "The In Character Interview with Nathan Niigan Noodin Adler", "Nathan Niigan Noodin Adler on writing an Indigenous horror story", "ANTLERS: GUILLERMO DEL TORO E SCOTT COOPER SVELANO IL SIGNIFICATO DEL WENDIGO", "Supernatural - Season 1, Episode 2: Wendigo", "Fallout 76 Creatures: Bethesda Tells Tales of the Wendigo", "The Wiitiko Psychosis in the Context of Ojibwa Personality and Culture", Seeing Wetiko: on Capitalism, Mind Viruses, and Antidotes for a World in Transition, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wendigo&oldid=1139431905, Legendary creatures of the indigenous peoples of North America, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism, Articles with text in Algonquian languages, Articles containing Proto-Algonquian-language text, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from March 2022, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Articles with failed verification from August 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Teicher, Morton I. Don't miss a beat. [56], Various characters inspired by the legend, or named for it, appear in Role-playing video games, such as 2018's Fallout 76 by Bethesda Game Studios, where wendigos are featured as one of the cryptid enemies found in the area of Appalachia, mutated from people who consumed human flesh in isolation. iii 3 four quarters: Jack D. Forbes' concept of colonialism as a manifestation of wtiko psychosis; ethnographical works that feature fearsome figures from the stories of North American tribal Though these misrepresentations of the wendigo beg for critical interrogation, the wendigo stories of Algonquian peoples offer a window into the endurance of cultural resources used to transmit significant moral values, and underscore the power of Native people using these stories to engage in social critique. In theory, art and other cultural products are created for the. I can write whatever fiction I want, and draw whatever I want. With the comments turned off on Dollightful's apology video, I thought that maybe we could have some discussion here(if anyone ever sees this, anyway). By Derrick Clifton. Certainly Navajo "skin walkers" are one of the more common Native American legends that non-native writers reference (the only other example I can think of that comes close is the Algonquin Wendigo), but like I said, it would be presumptuous of me to guess at Rowling's research style. And besides that, it never hurts to include your sources. It can serve as a metaphor explaining any pattern of domination by which groups subjugate and dominate or violently destroy and displace. If an idea has merit, it doesn't need protecting. are not cryptids, and don't even traditionally have deer skulls for heads. I don't don't value cultural pluralism. The Wendigos are the ultimate antagonists of Until Dawn. And they are worth considering including in ones classroom teaching. The Wendigo may be a figure from American Indian mythology, but it belongs to all of humankind. The moral lessons contained in wendigo stories are also used to support the task of social critique in the late Native American scholar Dr. Jack D. Forbes book Columbus and Other Cannibals: The Wtiko Disease of Exploitation, Imperialism, and Terrorism (1978). Cultural appropriation is a huge red flag that the brand has minimal diversity or representation behind the scenes," she explains. [28] Given that he resorted to cannibalism so near to food supplies, and that he killed and consumed the remains of all those present, it was revealed that Swift Runner's was not a case of pure cannibalism as a last resort to avoid starvation, but rather of a man with Wendigo psychosis. Unlike cultural appropriation, strategic anti-essentialism can be practiced by both minority cultures and majority cultures. In my blind quest to represent everyone, all I did was reinforce the problem. Ojibwe scholar Brady DeSanti asserts that the wendigo "can be understood as a marker indicating a person imbalanced both internally and toward the larger community of human and spiritual beings around them. But I do notice that Eyre stopped short of saying colonialization is the origin for the Wendigo legend. Europeans may well have behaved like Wendigos when they invaded the Americasthey didbut they didnt bring the Wendigo with them. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. Not only is it not offensive, I LOVE seeing references to wendigos in popular culture! You dont have to be French to love the Phantom of the Opera. [43] These works set the template for later portrayals in popular culture, at times even replacing the Native American lore. As a creator, I believe it is my responsibility, the responsibility of any creator, if using characters that belong to a culture other than mine and exploring themes from that culture, to be accurate. America is the symbol of inclusion, so as part of the American culture we embrace foreign influences in our society. Cooper and del Toro made the conscious decision to tell the story of the wendigo in a way that is respectful to its Native American roots, which in turn helps make Antlers a more authentic horror film. (1961). I wouldn't be offended if someone dressed up as a stereotypical native american even though my great grandma was half blackfoot native american. Wendigos/Windigos/etc. How stupid to think otherwise. Still though, Im not sure I fully get the Native American spirits(?) Created by the writer Steve Englehart and artist Herb Trimpe, the monster is the result of a curse that afflicts those who commit acts of cannibalism. Im just struggling to understand the significance of it. This is a story shared not merely for entertainment but to reinforce the communal values that allow the communities in which this practice occurs to live well with one another and within their environments. I am so offended! We should show proper respect to our Cryptids at all times, and Im rightfully righteously indignant at the thought of anyone doing otherwise with Mothman. I do know some natives believe you should not say or write its name because that may make it come or you may be infected and become it. So some of it may be that natives don't want people to be waking this monster. Create what you want; let the audience decide its fame. I think every idea can be taken to an extreme and distorted to the point where it is ridiculous. In my blind quest to represent everyone, all I did was reinforce the problem. In the 21st century, cultural appropriationlike globalizationisn't just inevitable; it's potentially positive. Contents 1 History 2 Gallery 3 Trivia 4 Navigation History Myeesquatis was holding the other leg and we were praying. With its bones pushing out against its skin, its complexion the ash-gray of death, and its eyes pushed back deep into their sockets, the Wendigo looked like a gaunt skeleton recently disinterred from the grave. Return to Article Details Culturally Conceptualizing Trauma: The Windigo in Joseph Boyden's Three Day Road [58] Several of these creatures also appear in the game's cover art.[59]. (Anything that isnt outright vandalism isnt likely to harm the statue at all, but I wouldnt dare do anything disrespectful around it. Thats just asking for trouble.) I am ashamed I watched all the movies. No one can try to stake a singular claim to it. Cultural appropriation by a dominant culture is harmful to underrepresented cultures because it reduces cultural significance and reinforces double standards. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. In Algonquian traditions, the wendigo monster emerges not randomly or in violent response to colonialism as it often does in popular media but through a specific set of circumstances that are unique to different tribal groupings. It really depends who you talk to. "[36] Out of equilibrium and estranged by their communities, individuals thought to be afflicted by the wendigo spirit unravel and destroy the ecological balance around them. In their most recent music video for 'How You Like That', fans spotted a Ganesha idol kept on the ground, in the background of the music video. As much as I would love to tell everyone to just read her sources and then be able to understand everything better, I just don't think that's realistic for most people(because they are not easily accessible to most, and I don't think that was her intention by including these in her description. Blackwood's work has influenced many of the subsequent portrayals in mainstream horror fiction,[42][43] such as August Derleth's "The Thing that Walked on the Wind" and "Ithaqua" (1933 and 1941),[41] which in turn inspired the character in Stephen King's novel Pet Sematary,[42] where it is a personification of evil, an ugly grinning creature with yellow-grey eyes, ears replaced by ram's horns, white vapor coming from its nostrils, and a pointed, decaying yellow tongue. and our As a concept, the wendigo can apply to any person, idea, or movement infected by a corrosive drive toward self-aggrandizing greed and excessive consumption, traits that sow disharmony and destruction if left unchecked. The Witherell House and the Cult of Weird, Movie Review: BIRDS OF PREY (And the Fantabulous Inclusion of Victor Zsasz and a Hyena). Creative freedom is a beautiful luxury too many do not understand; it wasn't but a hundred years ago when art was said to have an objective hierarchy, and that was how it was for thousands of years. This was the end of this Giant Windigo. This makes them so ravenous for human flesh that they pounce upon women, children, and even upon men, like veritable werewolves, and devour them voraciously, without being able to appease or glut their appetiteever seeking fresh prey, and the more greedily the more they eat. (the proceeding statement may contain some levels of sarcasm.). No one said it were exceptional that way. I can't say for sure how much research Rowling did when writing her series, but others have pointed out that it doesn't seem like much. Since the concept of a wendigo stems from First Nations folklore, maybe someone making a cute little doll of this evil spirit figure was seen as inappropriate or making fun of their culture? First, he gives definitions of the key concepts of "appropriation" and "arts," and delimits his investigation as one concerned with "cultural" appropriation. arent cryptids thing. I believe that the Wendigo is far older than that, far more primal. During a panel at YES! Cultural appropriation, defined Culture refers to the traditions, customs, beliefs, and practices of any given ethnic, racial, or religious group. Why is indigenous culture suddenly more sacred than any other culture? I mean, I have native heritage, grew up with the culture and I even have a wendigo character in my own comic that's based on the pop-culture version with the elk skull and whatnot so I honestly don't see an issue with it but if you're really concerned then perhaps try a different monster called the Leshy from Slavic folklore? "To the people present, it was suspected that Moostoos was becoming a 'Whitego', an insane person capable of murdering and cannibalism.41 To the natives without jails or asylums, there was only one thing to do. Anyone who lives in a place that is exposed to more than . Sentences like "The Native American wizarding community was particularly gifted in animal and plant magic" are cringe-worthy if you give them a little thought, and the notion that only European wizards were clever enough to invent wands, which make magic "more precise and more powerful" borders on horrific levels of cluelessness. Idiots have just made a religion out of being racist about culture and only allowing genetic descendants to participate in cultures. It also includes the unauthorized use of parts of their culture (their dress, dance, etc.) I will draw whatever I feel like drawing. It never occurred to me that what I was doing might be offensive, because I've never even met a Native American person in real life. In Ojibwe, Eastern Cree, Westmain Swampy Cree, Naskapi, and Innu lore, wendigos are often described as giants that are many times larger than human beings, a characteristic absent from myths in other Algonquian cultures. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Jack committed suicide, but Joseph was tried and sentenced to life in prison. In an as-yet unpublished urban fantasy novel of mine, I basically did the same thing; I made a supporting character an Acheri, completely bungling any semblance of folkloric accuracy in my attempt to come up with a "cool" and "unorthodox" monster. Welcome to Facing Today, a Facing History blog. Copyright 2022 Facing History & Ourselves. As a result, in 1907, Fiddler and his brother Joseph were arrested by the Canadian authorities for homicide. It just looks like a human that may be bigger than normal. Cultural appropriation consists of borrowing something from another culture in mockery or thoughtless misuse. I think she knew that her decision would be challenged and she wanted to let people know that she had valid reasons for doing what she did. Have you encountered wendigo stories in films, television shows, or books? Those things, the predation on the Indians by Europeans, most certainly happened.