Wendigo facts for kids

The Wendigo is a scary spirit and monster from many Native American stories. It comes from the old tales of the Plains and Great Lakes Native peoples, as well as some First Nations in Canada. People often describe the Wendigo as a very bad spirit. Sometimes, it looks like a creature with human features that can take over people's bodies.

People say the Wendigo makes those it influences feel an extreme hunger and a strong desire to harm others.

Some stories describe the Wendigo as a giant human-like creature with a heart made of ice. People might know it's coming if they feel a bad smell or a sudden, unusual chill in the air. Hollywood movies sometimes show the Wendigo with antlers or horns, like a mix of human and animal. However, the original Native American stories do not describe the Wendigo with these animal features.

What is the Wendigo?

The Wendigo is a very old and important part of the traditional beliefs of several Algonquin-speaking peoples. These include the Ojibwe, the Saulteaux, the Cree, the Naskapi, and the Innu. Even though descriptions can be a bit different, all these cultures see the Wendigo as an ugly and evil supernatural being. It is strongly connected to winter, the north, cold weather, and times of not having enough food.

Why is the Wendigo not named?

Some people believe that saying the full word "Wendigo" out loud can make it appear. Because of this, people often avoid saying the word. Sometimes, they even censor it when writing, like "wend*go," to avoid using the full name.

How big is the Wendigo?

In the stories of the Ojibwe, Eastern Cree, Westmain Swampy Cree, Naskapi, and Innu peoples, Wendigos are often described as giants. They are many times bigger than regular humans. The stories say that every time a Wendigo ate another person, it would grow even larger. This meant it could never feel full, no matter how much it ate. So, Wendigos are shown as being both extremely hungry and very thin at the same time.

What does the Wendigo represent?

The word "Wendigo" is also used to describe people who are very greedy. These are people who are never happy with what they have and always want more and more. The Wendigo is seen as a symbol of extreme greed and taking too much. Because of this, the idea of the Wendigo has been used to talk about European colonization. It helps explain how it affected Native peoples and their lands.

Wendigo in Pop Culture

The Wendigo has appeared in many different comics, TV shows, and movies.

See also

In Spanish: Wendigo para niños