October 18, 2008

Sasquatch vs. Wendigo

Is Sasquatch a Wendigo?The general description of the Wendigo does not match that of the alleged species referred to as sasquatch, in either physical appearance or demeanor. The description of the Wendigo is that of the spirit of cannibalism. Wendigo was once a human and transformed by dark magic into an anthropophagus, or human flesh eating, entity. There is some variation in the general description of the Wendigo from that of a blood flecked, twisted, and fanged entity, to that of an actual spirit in the sense that it inhabits the souls of men. The majority of them describe a tall, lanky and extremely thin creature, possibly as a reflection of the extreme hunger that drives its evil nature. Hardly something that can normally be associated with the usual description of the sasquatch legend.

Some descriptions of the Wendigo’s nature reflects an outright disdain and malignance toward humankind, based mostly on the unacceptable act of cannibalism that transforms the person into the Wendigo and the lost humanity that one can never regain. It is believed by some tribes that as it ages the more powerful or shamanistic a Wendigo becomes. Its powers include weather control such as storms, and the ability to summon other animals to them, such as ravens and bears. The Wendigo was taken so seriously as a threat that Jack Fiddler thought to be infected with the Wendigo spirit, stood trial for the murder of someone in the early part of the 19th century.

So how did the Wendigo become associated with the sasquatch? One possible explanation is the impact of modern culture such as Marvel Comics whose version of the Wendigo appeared in the December 1973 issue of The Incredible Hulk (Vol. 1 #162). The creature seen in this version is tall, muscular and looks similar to the general description of a sasquatch.

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