wendigo appropriation

and our The paper concludes that employing the Wendigo as a caveless creature is a common practice within horror as it easily creates a villain for white protagonists to defeat repeatedly. By looking at the depictions of windigo in these specific Western stories and in Native American beliefs, it is possible to see how stripping spirits of their original contexts is harmful to Native communities. 0000002723 00000 n In most traditions, the wendigo is human in origin and becomes a monster through a process that results either from acts of starvation-induced cannibalism or from possession by a spirit. Now that I have a major problem with. Turning on I believe that the Wendigo is far older than that, far more primal. In this paper, I document the depictions of windigo in Native American mythology, those of Western literature, and the effects of appropriation and misrepresentation on Native communities. And whoever!). a lot of Natives and people in general don't even like saying the word itself. :)Looking to buy some stickers or look at some pictures of my art or my other things? 0000007477 00000 n This construction is problematic in the horror genre as it presents an Indigenous antagonist that poses a threat to white culture for its otherness and indigeneity while at the same time, misappropriating, discarding and demonising the Indigenous culture the myth comes from, at whim. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 0000020040 00000 n For more information, please see our And I accept that the Wendigo can symbolize for them that exploitation. Although well-documented in Western literature, the windigo spirit of stories like Pet Sematary by Stephen King and The Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood are stripped of their original context and are mere stereotypes of the cultures they originate from. 0000006529 00000 n Political correctness started out as one thing, a good thing. 3 0 obj Hunchman, K. N. (2020). Copyright 2022 Facing History & Ourselves. Thus I support Scott Cooper, the director of the forthcoming (hopefully by next spring) ANTLERS, in his efforts to seek out consultation from Indian advisors when making his movie, which features a Wendigo. Sorry, this post was deleted by the person who originally posted it. Marvel Comics pay tribute to classic Monsters. Welcome to Facing Today, a Facing History blog. Sponsored by Ball State University Libraries. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I'm just struggling to understand the significance of it. There's nothing wrong with drawing the popular concept of a wendigo monster, or drawing any monster with antlers, and calling it a wendigo. It was intended to be a lesson on human greed and the damage it can cause. Just as the vampire and werewolf do not belong exclusively to people of European descent and the Mummy doesnt belong to Egyptians. The question of how to challenge the wtiko psychosis as described by Forbes and Wendigo Economics as described by LaDuke is a difficult one, but the mythic force of the concept of the wendigo helps to underscore the urgency of these questions. The wendigo is intended to embody hunger, particularly as refracted through the icy cold of winter and the monstrous things that people do when their appetites overwhelm them. The windigo is a Native American spirit belonging to the Algonquian tribes of North America and Canada. 0000005304 00000 n Learn how your comment data is processed. 1. 0000012030 00000 n 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. The Wendigo is a 'terrifying cannibal ice monster that has its genesis in stories of people forced into cannibalism by the long winter' (Smith and Fiore, 2010: 68). 0000012532 00000 n Only assholes think thats offensive. it's just something thats been bothering me so i thought it'd come to reddit to see what other people thought. trailer This is a place to learn more bout Social Justice However, it never provents for people of that tribe to share this and that story. I really just want to learn about how to appreciate aspects of cultures that I am not included in respectfully. 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 After thinking about it more, I think I get it about the wendigos. This subreddit is about sharing your worlds, discovering the creations of others, and discussing the many aspects of creating new universes. 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. It was already here. Learn how your comment data is processed. One example is Ojibwe activist Winona LaDuke who has called for a decisive shift away from what she has termed Wendigo Economics for the sake of the health of the natural world. 2 0 obj If you do go as a specific person, avoid figures of religious or cultural significance to a particular group to which you do not belong. 0000007047 00000 n By Christian Chiakulas, Contributor Writer, musician, activist, single father from Chicago. 0000004071 00000 n Scan this QR code to download the app now. I have this character in a webcomic I want to write who is a Wendigo. 1 0 obj 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. Be supportive, this is a place for growth, not hostility. In my blind quest to represent everyone, all I did was reinforce the problem. Cultural appropriation consists of borrowing something from another culture in mockery or thoughtless misuse. 0000005961 00000 n This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In most traditions, the wendigo is human in origin and becomes a monster through a process that results either from acts of starvation-induced cannibalism or from possession by a spirit. George warns those who are leaving about the Wendigo myth: anyone who consumes the flesh of their enemies takes their strength but becomes a demon cursed by an insatiable hunger for more human flesh. Stolen Spirits: The Appropriation of the Windigo Spirit in Horror Literature. This space is not for debate. <> so im sort of clueless how reddit works and made an account for this, so bare with me. x\o7a_h ss+yHL$eW}gfw)$/D !;n*+v}}uSU|.&-y Copyright (c) 2022 Francesca Amee Johnson, https://doi.org/10.31273/reinvention.v15iS1.906, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, Accepts submissions from any undergraduate student, worldwide, including student-staff collaborations (student must be lead author), Edited by students and staff at the University of Warwick and Monash University. spellings (see Colombo 2) but is most commonly rendered as Windigo, Wendigo, or Witiko. Cultural appropriation is the co-optation of elements, customs, or practices of one culture by another culture without acknowledgment or consent. endobj When you comment on, Asian American and Pacific Islander History, Race and Membership in American History: Eugenics. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. So yeah, if anyone could offer any insight/information, thatd be appreciated. 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. I just posted a new video talking about cultural appropriation and art! Abstract. i love the videos uploaded to youtube and try to keep up with posts, so this is by no means a bash at Wendigoon. Indigenous, Topics: This article's cross-media analysis covers television, film and game media; Teen Wolf (2011-17), Supernatural (2005-20), Bruce Wemple's The Retreat (2020) and SuperMassive Games' Until Dawn . 0000003862 00000 n To Helheimr with it! 0000001365 00000 n %PDF-1.4 % 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. the origins don't even depict the w*ndigo with deer antlers, but a human with bitten off lips. When the soldiers reach Ives' cave, Boyd and Reich investigate. 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. startxref <>/Metadata 266 0 R/ViewerPreferences 267 0 R>> <>/ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 595.32 841.92] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> When she was brought to the lab she already had the curse of the Wendigo but after she was "updated" she had visible antlers and could change her shape. 4 0 obj 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. Western appropriation has long-lasting effects on the perceptions of Native American cultures by the average consumer and even scientific communities. It can serve as a metaphor explaining any pattern of domination by which groups subjugate and dominate or violently destroy and displace. arent cryptids thing. U%.CI$ FKe{CiV/\Lg1DD$A!=FHD6 EInw^9qkCh&1rvR'`{7X wEB7Az~q0n8 t)$xh1rQJ,p>O/$-J)'OTk|m9(k|6U g/-JU;WM}7d5)V.yX=Qu,TDI+CA_5U|nH$WK7G3-aYaqeV2jWQV6C6OY"W5?x;f_27j3Y)/G`j|e9NHCp+-r4g7D? c! Its incredibly validating to know that other people have heard about it and enjoy the story enough to make reference to the name and concept. Not only is it not offensive, I LOVE seeing references to wendigos in popular culture! For more information, please see our Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. (Anything that isnt outright vandalism isnt likely to harm the statue at all, but I wouldnt dare do anything disrespectful around it. Beyond Forbes, other Native American thinkers have also used wendigo stories to present critical perspectives on various social problems and call for their resolution. In the course of the transformation from human to wendigo, the person exhibits increasing selfishness, violence, hunger, and greed particularly for human flesh. But I do notice that Eyre stopped short of saying colonialization is the origin for the Wendigo legend. And besides that, it never hurts to include your sources. 246 0 obj <> endobj 9'b_X~~@0CKYO~8yOK9I$^I>t 0000000974 00000 n It has no place in the world of Folklore and monsters. That is why we know about the wendigo today, it is an oral tradition like all the . New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. I analyze the way the windigo are represented in Western literature and argue that Native American spirits should belong to the cultures they originate from. That taste of human flesh, which out of that rose the wendigo.. Magazine with fellow environmental thought leaders, LaDuke said: Theres this conflict between the cannibals and Mother Earth, and its going on everywhere. Here's some links:Website - https://thesierramistify.wixsite.com/thesierramistifyEtsy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/thesierramistify?ref=simple-shop-header-name\u0026listing_id=736195213Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesierramistify/Art Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesierramistify.art/- Music used in this video -Prime Beatz - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkG3r3-ODOw media has really misconstrued the original lore and importance of the w*ndigo to Indigenous culture. This analysis will trace the process of these media, made by non-Indigenous white creators, removing the Wendigos indigeneity and placing it within fictional settings as an antagonist. Facing History & Ourselves uses lessons of history to challenge i enjoy his content, but the w*ndigo is part of a closed religion and is supposed to be a lesson about human greed and selfishness, not a cannibal monster story. % ])yB\}OIZyY8 aA6Vo !C_D#!MYik.1>%'5ryZ*>fb=n#_dr;j5 { Facing History and Ourselves invites educators to explore our case study Stolen Lives: The Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the Indian Residential Schools, particularly our reading "Culture, Stereotypes, and Identity" which features reflection questions surrounding some of the stereotypical media representations that we touch upon at the beginning of this essay. Early folklore described them as tall and impossibly emaciated humanoids with sharp incisors and a heart of ice. 0000012791 00000 n Scan this QR code to download the app now. and our wendigo cultural appropriation [26][27] During the winter of 1878, Swift Runner and his family were starving, and his eldest son died. 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. A classic example is wearing a Plains Indian war bonnet (see the 80s band The Village People). Europeans may well have behaved like Wendigos when they invaded the Americasthey didbut they didnt bring the Wendigo with them. 0000001705 00000 n 0000010400 00000 n o&g( It's taboo to the Anishaabe people, but the common depiction of it in media is no where near the original frozen cannibal spirit that the legends are based off of. 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. 7 (2020): Ghosts and Cultural Hauntings. P\^$'$@YWSB;Td54BD?YH"'kh::a;Vqz&4|:>)xP2n |94NrOqE'6 0000009954 00000 n I dont know who originally posted it, or where. 0000011489 00000 n 3. Cookie Notice 0000000016 00000 n Answer (1 of 8): Yes, unless actively researched with proper resources and talked to with First Nation folks as proof-readers. 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. 0000009484 00000 n My basic rule is simple: be respectful. Theres something else. 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. 246 33 I have named this observation of the Wendigothe Caveless Creature phenomenon. One recurring theme across these storytelling mediums is the use of the wendigoalso spelled wtikoa monstrous figure from Algonquian mythology who exhibits an insatiable greed along with a desire for human flesh. We do the same thing with a lot of mythological creatures. The Wendigo happens to be part of my own (Anishiinaabe) cultural heritage. Cookie Notice 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. 0000004651 00000 n Basically, the wendigo was supposed to be a creature you didn't even say the name of or else you could draw the attention of one. For resources: http://reddit.com/r/SRSDiscussion/wiki/required. MORTUI VELOCES SUNT! Mythologynote my use of the capital M to convey that it is far more than just some made-up stories; it is stories containing deeper spiritual truthsbelongs to all of humanity. Only those entitled to them should wear them. defence-cultural-appropriation Cultural appropriation is defined by Britannica.com as "When members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way." Cultural appropriation is a growing topic in this country that when it occurs, or is discussed, often creates controversy. These new narratives that white people make fail to acknowledge that the wendigo, and the Indi. 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. One does not need to delve very deeply into the annals of American film, television, and literature to find an array of caricatured depictions of Native American peoples and a distortion of their knowledge. 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. 0000009056 00000 n He has written, produced and directed (and occasionally acted in) over a dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and Crime genres. Although well-documented in Western literature, the windigo spirit of stories like . Wendigos, teepees and cultural appropriation I read some stuff yesterday saying that teepees are cultural appropriation and there was a long post about how wendigos aren't cryptids and how stories about them are cultural appropriation. Theyre revered spirits to the point where people wont speak their name so it must be frustrating when people are just like Oh yeah, I saw one of those, it was so spooky or have an aesthetic called wendigocore. Participate in good faith. And were on the right side, thats what were working on but sometimes you get that cannibal tendency. 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? xref 17spaz 2 yr. ago Facing History and Ourselves combats racism and antisemitism by using history to teach tolerance in classrooms around the globe. Still though, Im not sure I fully get the Native American spirits(?) In contrast to modern horror stories that appropriate the wendigo as a plot device, Forbes implies that what actually ought to be terrifying to us is that we live in societies enveloped in violence and exploitation that we struggle to identify as such. On top of that, the wendigo is a part of death. %%EOF The windigo is a Native American spirit belonging to the Algonquian tribes of North America and Canada. Although this article is specifically observing the Wendigo, I argue that it is one of many caveless creatures, and the treatment of them by creators of non-Indigenous horror genre should be analysed in the future. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. She's part of a group of young adults created in a lab (she's the only one who wasn't) who have these special abilities. 0000013308 00000 n i don't think there should be any 'canceling' of Wendigoon or whatever, but definitely something should be said. l Ca#!LzH{t+8W5 !2*_{)rgx-`]CTXSH($g Handle the characters and the story with respect. T[,%q5 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. 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. He has written, produced and directed (and occasionally acted in) over a dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and Crime genres. %PDF-1.7 0000023412 00000 n You dont have to be French to love the Phantom of the Opera. How stupid to think otherwise. As I mentioned during our latest episode of the NYMG podcast, I've been playing Until Dawn, and the game has got me thinking about a few different things that I'd like to spend some time parsing through, like the game's representation of things like gender and race, how it is that the idea of choice seems to influence the way we think about these representations, and the manner in which . For artists, writers, gamemasters, musicians, programmers, philosophers and scientists alike! Ill admit, my initial reaction was very dismissive. She is Native American. More Than Monsters: The Deeper Significance of Wendigo Stories, often presented apart from its original cultural contexts, At Facing History and Ourselves, we value conversationin classrooms, in our professional development for educators, and online. <> teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate. After thinking about it some more, I understand that its a kind of It was okay for these kids to pretend to be Indians but not for these kids to actually be Indians thing but I saw someone claim that it was contributing to colonisation and the death of death of their culture and that felt a bit strong. The creation of new worlds and new universes has long been a key element of speculative fiction, from the fantasy works of Tolkien and Le Guin, to the science-fiction universes of Delany and Asimov, to the tabletop realm of Gygax and Barker, and beyond. Usually, the appropriating culture is in a relation of domination to the appropriated culture. You must be here to either learn more about social justice or answer questions from a social justice viewpoint. 0000015547 00000 n Please report rule violations. 0 That, I would affirm, is truly and literally cannibalism, and it is cannibalism accompanied by no spiritually meaningful ceremony or ritual., More than a commentary on the life of wendigo stories amongst his own people, Forbes deploys the metaphor of the wendigo to advance nothing less than a critique of civilization at large and describes the violence that he argues lies at its foundation as one driven by a kind of wendigo psychosis. Privacy Policy. HeyYaIQ 21 days ago. 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. Scan this QR code to download the app now. This articlescross-media analysiscovers television, film and game media;Teen Wolf(201117),Supernatural(200520), Bruce WemplesThe Retreat(2020) and SuperMassive GamesUntil Dawn(2015). hb```b``Ub`e``s`g@ ~+ a1fm{s/K5N9MHd@*2Ey]#B}>x,&ucrnhm:HkN=_B }Wzp.S#WCXi;dRa ,.0H*. 0000005554 00000 n If you were to look around the world about other religions, anything that is associated with death and disease is regarded upon. (Think Noah from . Answer (1 of 6): First and foremost, I'm not telling you this because I personally have a problem with you dressing as a wendigo for a cryptid fair, but we are living in an age of cancel culture where a costume you sported ten years ago might be used against you. Appropriating the Wendigo As it so happens, I am currently working on a project involving a Wendigo, so this is personal to me. As a concept, wendigo can apply to situations other than some Native American-European relations. endobj Driving down a dark quiet highway in Southern Manitoba, a man sees someone bent over on the side of the road. As it so happens, I am currently working on a project involving a Wendigo, so this is personal to me. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 symL,JyvCq;[H~! Vol. The concept of cultural appropriation began well enough, but just like everything else woke culture political correctness, it's gone way too far. 0000003976 00000 n The windigo is a per-sonal spirit that still belongs to the Native American cultures from which it has been taken, and the appropriation of this spirit harms Native American communities by poorly representing their beliefs for a marketable gain. It springs from the well of the collective human unconscious, the communal soul. The Wendigo may be a figure from American Indian mythology, but it belongs to all of humankind. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. With teepees, Im not sure I get it. Im just struggling to understand the significance of it. Posted by It has become something else altogether. Film, Privacy Policy. Im glad, because I dont believe that it is. 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. This article analyses prominent examples of the Wendigo myth in modern North American horror media and the implications of misappropriation by non-Indigenous creators for non-Indigenous audiences. 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. Native Americans, Our headquarters are located at: 89 South Street, Suite 401, Boston, MA 02111. My Thoughts and Questions OllieOnyx 845 subscribers Subscribe 4.5K 119K views 2 years ago I just posted a new video talking. 0000009596 00000 n 0000003465 00000 n 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.
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