Indigenous, On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In a report from the Contemporary Folklore conference covered in issue 388 of FORTEAN TIMES, the go-to magazine for all things paranormal, weird, or unexplained, a complaint is voiced about the cultural appropriation of the Wendigo, likening it to the sexualization of the Mothman statue in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. does not have antlers or have any wolf features. [51], Television series employing the figure include Teen Wolf, Supernatural,[52] Blood Ties,[53] Charmed,[54] Grimm,[55] and Hannibal, where an FBI profiler has recurring dreams or visions of a wendigo that symbolizes the titular cannibalistic serial killer. One of those advisors I just mentioned, Chris Eyre, had this to say of the Wendigo: They [meaning Native peoples] truly, truly believe in it, because it represents greed and colonialism when we first came to the shores of what is now America, and pillaged all of their resources and forced them [into] cannibalism. We feed it because we don't know how else to live, and so we live disconnected lives watching the seasons change through windows . He writes: Wtiko is a Cree termwhich refers to a cannibal or, more specifically, to an evil person or spirit who terrorizes other creatures by means of terrible evil acts, including cannibalism I have come to the conclusion that imperialism and exploitation are forms of cannibalism and, in fact, are precisely those forms of cannibalism which are most diabolical or evil It should be understood that wtikos do not eat other humans only in a symbolic sense. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. In some traditions, humans overpowered by greed could turn into wendigos; the myth thus served as a method of encouraging cooperation and moderation. Cookie Notice Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. My intentions were pure, as were Rowling's, I imagine. Humans could also turn into wendigos by being in contact with them for too long. It was created by Mayuki . I'm just struggling to understand the significance of it. Far from just being a monster in an escapist horror flick, Forbes and LaDuke demonstrate that the wendigo can help us grasp the horrors of our real world so we can be here now and, ultimately, work toward solutions. Wendigo Cannibalism in Native American Folklore. "Cultural appropriation refers to the use of objects or elements of a non-dominant culture in a way that reinforces stereotypes or contributes to oppression and doesn't respect their original meaning or give credit to their source. As described by the Native American Cree legends, they were humans who have been mutated into cannibalistic monsters after being possessed by the Wendigo spirit, causing them to eat the flesh of other humans. Pet Sematary is an important cultural artifact thanks to King's widespread popularity and recognition as a horror writer. In the course of the transformation from human to wendigo, the person exhibits increasing selfishness, violence, hunger, and greedparticularly for human flesh. Doing so is an honorable endeavorbut only if we actually do our homework first. Ces pauures gens furent saisis, ce qu'on nous a dit, d'vn mal qui nous est inconnu, mais qui n'est pas bien extraordinaire parmy les peuples que nous cherchons: ils ne sont ny lunatiques, ny hypocondriaques, ny phrenetiques; mais ils ont vn mlange de toutes ces sortes de maladies, qui, leur blessant l'imagination, leur cause vne faim plus que canine, et les rend si affamez de chair humaine, qu'ils se iettent sur les femmes, sur les enfans, mesme sur les hommes, comme de vrais loups-garous, et les deuorent belles dents, sans se pouuoir rassasier ny saouler, cherchans tousiours nouuelle proye, et plus auidement que plus ils en ont mang. Lurking in the deep woods of the Northern United States and Southern Canada lies a mysterious and fearsome Native American monster, the Wendigo. I wouldn't be offended if someone dressed up as a stereotypical native american even though my great grandma was half blackfoot native american. arent cryptids thing. LOL. 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. But its none of your concern what turns someone on! [2], Although distinct from how it appears in the traditional lore, one of the first appearances of a character inspired by, or named after, a wendigo in non-Indigenous literature is Algernon Blackwood's 1910 novella The Wendigo. I would refuse to be shackled by political correctness. What lips it had were tattered and bloody Unclean and suffering from suppuration of the flesh, the Wendigo gave off a strange and eerie odor of decay and decomposition, of death and corruption.[15]. Native Americans, Our headquarters are located at: 89 South Street, Suite 401, Boston, MA 02111. PSA: These 11 Halloween "Costumes" Will Always Be Offensive. Halloween is literally a holiday (most Americans see it as a good excuse to dress as a sexy cat or whatever, but there are actually still people left who believe it's sacred and who perform rituals etc for the holiday). And some natives don't care at all. A nice summary is found here: The concept of cultural appropriation emerged in academia in the late 1970s and 1980s as part of the scholarly critique of colonialism. Watch popular content from the following creators: Thorn (@shr00mermaid), Thorn (@shr00mermaid), Nuoance(@nuoance), MattHatterPlays(@matthatterplays), Aidan Mattis(@theaidanmattis) . [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. Don't miss a beat. Strictly speaking, cultural appropriation is the adoption of some element of another culture -- food, language, practices, fashion, etc. As a concept, wendigo can apply to situations other than some Native American-European relations. For Indigenous peoples in Canada, cultural appropriation is rooted in colonization and ongoing oppression. (the proceeding statement may contain some levels of sarcasm.). As it so happens, I am currently working on a project involving a Wendigo, so this is personal to me. Romantic scholar and documentarian Emily Zarka, also a professor at Arizona State University, observes that two commonalities among the indigenous cultures of Algonquian language family speakers are that they are situated in climes where harsh winters are frequent and may be accompanied by starvation. Learn how your comment data is processed. No one can try to stake a singular claim to it. Wendigo psychosis is a fascinating condition with a storied history. Until Dawn logo. teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate. [5], In his 2004 treatise Revenge of the Windigo on disorders and treatments of the behavioral health industry in the United States and Canada that are peculiar to indigenous people, James B. Waldram wrote,[34]. In addition to characterizing individual people who exhibit destructive tendencies, the wendigo can also describe movements and events with similarly negative effects. 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]. I don't don't value cultural pluralism. Not only is it not offensive, I LOVE seeing references to wendigos in popular culture! 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. [33], The frequency of Wendigo psychosis cases decreased sharply in the 20th century as Boreal Algonquian people came into greater and greater contact with European ideologies and more sedentary, less rural, lifestyles. He said to the boy "Hurry up. These bonnets are symbols of warrior achievements and are the equivalent of military medals. and our 8.1.2014. And besides that, it never hurts to include your sources. The windigo, however, continues to seek revenge for this attempted scholarly execution by periodically duping unsuspecting passers-by, like psychiatrists, into believing that windigo psychosis not only exists but that a psychiatrist could conceivably encounter a patient suffering from this disorder in his or her practice today! The appropriation, and reclamation, of Native American mythology', Journal of . But overall I can't stand JKR. No they ain't. It shouldn't be bad thing if you don't mock culture, make sure to have all information you can ( read books from culture or ask someone who grew up with said culture if they are willing to teach you) but then again they aren't from your culture and unlike creatures like vampires they are a bit more closed i don't know is it good to use them. 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. Even before it went live, she was being criticized for her apparently blatant cultural appropriation of Native American folklore, and since publishing the criticism has only grown more pointed. The Wendigo is a mythical creature that has been reported in many different forms. Cultural appropriation consists of borrowing something from another culture in mockery or thoughtless misuse. Now neither Christian culture is by any means endangered to become a minority (although some US Bible Belt hate preachers consistently claim so) nor is Chinese culture, so both are out of ansatz here. Thats just asking for trouble.) https://www.deviantart.com/forum/community/complaints/2611618/. I believe that the Wendigo is far older than that, far more primal. In addition, for many Indigenous peoples and local communities, making traditional clothes is a source of income; as such, cultural appropriation can . Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I would not care much about what a statistically likely personally unrelated "woke" thinks about what Algonquin descendants may think about it, but only what Algonquin descendants. But I do notice that Eyre stopped short of saying colonialization is the origin for the Wendigo legend. The legend of the wendigo has long been associated with real-life problems like insatiable greed, selfishness, and violence. 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. He said, "You bet there is, I have eaten lots of Indians, no wonder they are fat." This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In, This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 02:58. The legend of the Wendigo is, in fact, one of the oldest manifestations of a taboo peculiar to most human societies, and which was already widespread among Anglophone tribes: cannibalism. 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. It can serve as a metaphor explaining any pattern of domination by which groups subjugate and dominate or violently destroy and displace. 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? She annoys the hell out of me. Explore the latest videos from hashtags: #culturalappropriation, #cultureappropriation, #culturalappropiation, # . I just posted a new video talking about cultural appropriation and art! They got Thor and Loki all wrong and what the hell? I can write whatever fiction I want, and draw whatever I want. no actual cases of windigo psychosis have ever been studied, and Lou Marano's scathing critique in 1985 should have killed off the cannibal monster within the psychiatric annals. [25], One of the more famous cases of Wendigo psychosis reported involved a Plains Cree trapper from Alberta, named Swift Runner. Europeans may well have behaved like Wendigos when they invaded the Americasthey didbut they didnt bring the Wendigo with them. Cultural appropriation is a huge red flag that the brand has minimal diversity or representation behind the scenes," she explains. The Wendigo may be a figure from American Indian mythology, but it belongs to all of humankind. No, I read your comment. It has become something else altogether. Dont like someones fetish? Wendigos specifically represent the very real threat of starvation and what moral depths a person will sink to to avoid starving to death in the hard, cold de Continue Reading More answers below KEY OOY I think every idea can be taken to an extreme and distorted to the point where it is ridiculous. [47], Other creatures based on the legend, or named for it, appear in various films and television shows, including Dark Was the Night, Ravenous , The Lone Ranger (2013),[48] and the 2021 film Antlers by Scott Cooper, where the wendigo is portrayed as a deer-like creature with a glowing heart that moves from person to person with a never ending hunger. It's a really cool beast that I personally would like to see more in fiction. First, he gives definitions of the key concepts of "appropriation" and "arts," and delimits his investigation as one concerned with "cultural" appropriation. The latest addition to this lineup of wendigo tales is Scott Cooper and Guillermo del Toros horror film Antlers (2021) in which a Native American character provides some brief exposition before the story centered around a white community contending with the monster begins in earnest. Appropriating the Wendigo As it so happens, I am currently working on a project involving a Wendigo, so this is personal to me. [23], What caused us greater concern was the news that met us upon entering the Lake, namely, that the men deputed by our Conductor for the purpose of summoning the Nations to the North Sea, and assigning them a rendezvous, where they were to await our coming, had met their death the previous Winter in a very strange manner. I do not know, nor can I. The use of the creature in horror stories . Now why cant that be said to prudes lurking here. Even in the face of ongoing cultural appropriation and erasure, wendigo stories are but one reflection of the survivance, wisdom, and brilliance of Native peoples. Dressing up as a cultural stereotype is never, ever OK. Cady Heron once remarked that, "in the real world, Halloween is when kids . There, he uses the cannibalistic wendigo as a metaphor for the behaviors and attitudes central to patterns of social domination visited upon his own people in the Americas and subjugated peoples everywhere. We should talk about how Thor and Loki are cultural appropriation of Norwegian mythology. How stupid to think otherwise. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. . I think it's okay because you're not trying to rewrite actual history or actual legend. As long as theyre not shoving their porn in your face let them be as Paul McCartney sung. Copyright 2022 Facing History & Ourselves. Differing thinking is one of the cherished assets of democratic cultural pluralism. Idiots have just made a religion out of being racist about culture and only allowing genetic descendants to participate in cultures. BTW, I love rainbow farting unicorns! and our C'est la maladie dont ces dputez furent atteints; et comme la mort est l'vnique remede parmy ces bonnes gens, pour arrester ces meurtres, ils ont est massacrez pour arrester le cours de leur manie. Unlike cultural appropriation, strategic anti-essentialism can be practiced by both minority cultures and majority cultures. Cultural appropriation is the use of a people's traditional dress, music, cuisine, knowledge and other aspects of their culture, without their approval, by members of a different culture. Marvel Comics pay tribute to classic Monsters. Create what you want; let the audience decide its fame. It too is cannibalistic; however, it is characterized as enlightened with ancestral insights. 9 Neil Jamieson-Williams Science Fiction Writer (part-time/now full-time) at Self-Employment (1977-present) Author has 1.7K answers and 1.1M answer views Updated 6 mo Ah, another Mike Wilson question This term only applies to a . Some researchers argued that, essentially, Wendigo psychosis was a fabrication, the result of nave anthropologists taking stories related to them at face value without observation. The novel describes its primary antagonist, a rapist whose violent crimes desecrate a sacred site, as a wendigo who must be killed because he threatens the reservation's safety. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. [29], Another well-known case involving Wendigo psychosis was that of Jack Fiddler, an Oji-Cree chief and medicine man known for his powers at defeating wendigos. Is it okay for a white person to celebrate the culture. White authors should be able to write about non-white people. Monsters like Wendigos often represent, in the imprecise language of emotion, a common cultural fear. But Native Americans shouldn't be a "niche," and neither should women, LGBT people, or people of color. Only those entitled to them should wear them. "[39] Lockhard's ideas explain that wendigos are an expression of a dark aspect of human nature: the drive toward greed, consumption, and disregard for other life in the pursuit of self-aggrandizement. [16] Whenever a wendigo ate another person, it would grow in proportion to the meal it had just eaten, so it could never be full. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. I hate that I am defending JKR but I think a lot of people don't really think about how the internet was in in the late 90s and what kind of content was on the internet. Other sources say wendigos were created when a human resorted to cannibalism to survive. This was the end of this Giant Windigo. So some may be fine if you draw it but don't say its full name. If so, what did you think about it? Truly insensitive cultural appropriation is when you're taking a part of another culture and portraying it in a deliberately insensitive or disrespectful manner. [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]. Maybe I'm just not a math person. So yeah, if anyone could offer any insight/information, thatd be appreciated. .mw-parser-output .verse_translation .translated{padding-left:2em}@media only screen and (max-width:43.75em){.mw-parser-output .verse_translation.wrap_when_small td{display:block;padding-left:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .verse_translation.wrap_when_small .translated{padding-left:0.5em}}, Ce qui nous mit plus en peine, fut la nouvelle que nous apprismes ds l'entre du Lac, sauoir: que les deputez par nostre Conducteur, qui deuoient conuoquer les Nations la Mer du Nord, et leur donner le rendez-vous pour nous y attendre, auoient est tuez l'Hiuer pass, d'une faon estonnante. But if they actually did, I would pick another monster from the giant Pandemonium one has at one's choice. The wendigo -- a creature from Native American myth -- carries powerful symbolism and is presumably sufficiently mysterious to keep enough audience members guessing at its motives and abilities. By the mid-1990s, it had gained a solid place in academic discourse, particularly in the field of sociology. Nitty gritty. 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. People can appreciate and draw as many wendigo and other scary monsters as they like, it's all entirely fictional and doesn't hurt anyone. Wendigos/Windigos/etc. What makes the wendigo any different from other culturally important mythological creatures like unicorns? :)Looking to buy some stickers or look at some pictures of my art or my other things? I am just reacting to what I read in this ridiculous PSA journal out there on Deviantart. Magazine with fellow environmental thought leaders, LaDuke said: Theres this conflict between the cannibals and Mother Earth, and its going on everywhere. Some controversial new studies question the syndrome's legitimacy, claiming cases were actually a product of hostile accusations invented to justify the victim's ostracism or execution."[35]. I know what cultural appropriation is but Ive not been as involved in social justice as I used to be and I guess its showing. She states that the wendigo symbolically represents three major concepts: it is the incarnation of winter, the embodiment of hunger, and the personification of selfishness. Rowling tries (and fails) to mitigate these implications by saying "although it is generally held to be a mark of the very greatest witches and wizards that they have also been able to produce wandless magic of a very high quality." 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. It's just fiction, I thought. creators (a large majority being white) . 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. Anyone who lives in a place that is exposed to more than . In theory, art and other cultural products are created for the. J.K. Rowling, author of the absurdly-popular Harry Potter series (of which I'm a massive fan), recently waded into controversy with her four-part "Magic in North America" series, which outlines the Potterverse's American history. Cultural appropriation by a dominant culture is harmful to underrepresented cultures because it reduces cultural significance and reinforces double standards. 1. appropriation, or - as I argue - misappropriation, of the Wendigo as a These things feel formulaic, quantitative, mathematicbalancing equations and subtraction. Funny how it's only creatures from certain culture's folklore people get pissy over and not others. This year's Met Gala theme China: Through the Looking Glass was just begging for cultural appropriation, which led many starlets to play it safe with minimal references to China.Emma Roberts, however, earned herself Twitter backlash for wearing chopsticks in her hair.. Chopsticks in the hair is one of many broadly "Asian" styles tried on by Western dressers (for what it's worth . Now time to go back and make some changes. Dont look at it! After thinking about it more, I think I get it about the wendigos. Even in the face of ongoing cultural appropriation and erasure, wendigo stories are but one reflection of the survivance, wisdom, and brilliance of Native peoples. I think if a Native American person were telling me not to speak about wendgos or name them out loud near them, I would comply, as I don't want to unreasonably make someone feel anxious or uncomfortable. If an idea has merit, it doesn't need protecting. Why is indigenous culture suddenly more sacred than any other culture? And they are worth considering including in ones classroom teaching. J.K. Rowling's Cultural Appropriation Should Be A Lesson To White Writers Native Americans shouldn't be a "niche," and neither should women, LGBT people, or people of color. I dont know who originally posted it, or where. There's nothing wrong with drawing the popular concept of a wendigo monster, or drawing any monster with antlers, and calling it a wendigo. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. 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. 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. Historically, deciding exactly what culture is hasn't been easy. 5. Cultural appropriation means using a racial, religious, or social group's customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits without authority or right. Ten years later, "cultural appropriation" is no longer an obscure academic term . Ill admit, my initial reaction was very dismissive. "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. Cho isn't even only problematic character, Lavander changed her race (in movies, i'm not sure about books but still, Rowling could of said something). The "Dark Horse" singer . You dont have to be of Afro-Caribbean descent to talk about, write about, or make movies about zombies. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 Chippewa author Louise Erdrich's novel The Round House, winner of the National Book Award, depicts a situation where an individual person becomes a wendigo. The Wendigo (Also known as windigo, weendigo, windago, waindigo, windiga, witiko, wihtikow, and various other names including manaha) originates from Native-American legend, and is said to be a demonic half-beast as told by the Algonquian peoples along the Atlantic coast of the United States and Canada. I think people just need to chill out, no mater what their religion and culture is. without permission.1 It also seems to me to be unacceptable for authors to be unable to use one (or more) of those characters/symbols/etc. The Witherell House and the Cult of Weird, Movie Review: BIRDS OF PREY (And the Fantabulous Inclusion of Victor Zsasz and a Hyena). 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 Windigo also has the power to turn humans into cannibals who suffer the same . 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. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. Mistgod Edited Oct 11, 2020 Hobbyist Traditional Artist Apparently, wendigos are sacred creatures from several indigenous cultures. There's also Wendigo psychosis. Film, His line of questioning effectively asks what if the monstrosity we face is actually not an otherworldly presence but our all too human selves?. ][22][failed verification], In historical accounts of retroactively diagnosed Wendigo psychosis, it has been reported that humans became possessed by the wendigo spirit, after being in a situation of needing food and having no other choice besides cannibalism. The Indians then killed him and cut him to pieces. Archived post. And unfortunately for them, this isn't the first time. He has written, produced and directed (and occasionally acted in) over a dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and Crime genres. It only becomes cultural appropriation when an element of culture is adopted from a marginalized group without respect for its cultural meaning or significance or with the purpose of exploiting the culture Learn how your comment data is processed. [45] Wrist, the 2016 debut novel by First Nations horror fiction writer Nathan Niigan Noodin Adler (Lac Des Milles Lacs Anishinaabe),[46] combines the traditional Ojibwe legend with the author's ideas inspired by non-Indigenous writers like Anne Rice and Tim Powers. Contents 1 History 2 Gallery 3 Trivia 4 Navigation History In my blind quest to represent everyone, all I did was reinforce the problem. It first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #162 (April 1973), and again in the October 1974 issue. Climbing the totem pole. Lots of stories have aped Native American folklore before her, including some of mine.
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