1 0 obj A classic example is wearing a Plains Indian war bonnet (see the 80s band The Village People). xref Apparently it's wrong to draw wendigos for Halloween 0000023412 00000 n Okay, dont anybody get me wrong. 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). 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. the origins don't even depict the w*ndigo with deer antlers, but a human with bitten off lips. Copyright 2022 Facing History & Ourselves. 246 33 I really just want to learn about how to appreciate aspects of cultures that I am not included in respectfully. 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. P\^$'$@YWSB;Td54BD?YH"'kh::a;Vqz&4|:>)xP2n |94NrOqE'6 A Creature Without a Cave: Abstraction and (Mis)Appropriation of the By Christian Chiakulas, Contributor Writer, musician, activist, single father from Chicago. Theres something else. 0000003862 00000 n Marvel Comics pay tribute to classic Monsters. I just posted a new video talking about cultural appropriation and art! i love the videos uploaded to youtube and try to keep up with posts, so this is by no means a bash at Wendigoon. 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. endobj Welcome to Facing Today, a Facing History blog. appropriation that has troubled the exchange between Indigenous . And you know what? Archived post. Learn how your comment data is processed. 0000002723 00000 n endobj and our and our 0000010400 00000 n 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. 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. 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. Antlers: The Wendigo Monster's History, Explained - CBR Wendigo - Wikipedia Early folklore described them as tall and impossibly emaciated humanoids with sharp incisors and a heart of ice. Now that I have a major problem with. 4. 0000012532 00000 n Political Correctness and the Wendigo | Werewolves The windigo is a Native American spirit belonging to the Algonquian tribes of North America and Canada. 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. 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? Cultural appropriation of Native American culture | Plaid Line Finally, it's just not that hard to do two minutes of. Wendigos, teepees and cultural appropriation : r/socialjustice101 - Reddit Participate in good faith. Stolen Spirits: The Appropriation of the Windigo Spirit in Horror Privacy Policy. 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. Beyond Forbes, other Native American thinkers have also used wendigo stories to present critical perspectives on various social problems and call for their resolution. So, thanks, Dave! 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. 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. 0000020040 00000 n spellings (see Colombo 2) but is most commonly rendered as Windigo, Wendigo, or Witiko. The Wendigo happens to be part of my own (Anishiinaabe) cultural heritage. Is it Cultural Appropriation if I have a Wendigo character? Only assholes think thats offensive. Would getting a tattoo of the wendigo be cultural appropriation - Quora This space is not for debate. "@TheThiccholas @realcoolJAY They can't say Issa wendigo cus of cultural appropriation props to them buuuuuut also WENDIGO type energy sooo " For more information, please see our 278 0 obj <>stream Posts and comments should be substantive, and assertions backed in fact or personal lived experience. 0000005304 00000 n 0000012791 00000 n To Helheimr with it! His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 Western appropriation has long-lasting effects on the perceptions of Native American cultures by the average consumer and even scientific communities. 0000013308 00000 n But as far as cultural appropriation and the Wendigo goes, dont you daredont you DAREtry to take our monsters away from us, PC wankers! 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. % Hunchman, K. N. (2020). These new narratives that white people make fail to acknowledge that the wendigo, and the Indi. It can serve as a metaphor explaining any pattern of domination by which groups subjugate and dominate or violently destroy and displace. And were on the right side, thats what were working on but sometimes you get that cannibal tendency. Halloween Costumes That Are Actually Racist, Even if You Might - Bustle 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. <> 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. media has really misconstrued the original lore and importance of the w*ndigo to Indigenous culture. But I do notice that Eyre stopped short of saying colonialization is the origin for the Wendigo legend. 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. Be supportive, this is a place for growth, not hostility. Driving down a dark quiet highway in Southern Manitoba, a man sees someone bent over on the side of the road. i don't think there should be any 'canceling' of Wendigoon or whatever, but definitely something should be said. 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. More Than Monsters: The Deeper Significance of Wendigo Stories 0000001705 00000 n wendigo cultural appropriation [26][27] During the winter of 1878, Swift Runner and his family were starving, and his eldest son died. 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).There, he uses the cannibalistic wendigo as a metaphor for the behaviors and attitudes central to patterns of social domination . 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. x\o7a_h ss+yHL$eW}gfw)$/D !;n*+v}}uSU|.&-y 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. Answer (1 of 8): Yes, unless actively researched with proper resources and talked to with First Nation folks as proof-readers. Appropriating the Wendigo As it so happens, I am currently working on a project involving a Wendigo, so this is personal to me. however, the w*ndigo originates from spiritual beliefs held by Indigenous peoples. 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. so im sort of clueless how reddit works and made an account for this, so bare with me. 1. 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. T[,%q5 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. These bonnets are symbols of warrior achievements and are the equivalent of military medals. When the soldiers reach Ives' cave, Boyd and Reich investigate. 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. teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate. Im glad, because I dont believe that it is. endobj A Creature Without a Cave | Reinvention: an International Journal of 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. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 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. 0000007047 00000 n 0000003976 00000 n Dollightful's Apology: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW-KBzKWvrUTo clear up the addition that I made even more, I think that it would be pretty important for the information on this topic to be easily accessible to her viewers. The Witherell House and the Cult of Weird, Movie Review: BIRDS OF PREY (And the Fantabulous Inclusion of Victor Zsasz and a Hyena). arent cryptids thing. 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. 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. 0000008549 00000 n MORTUI VELOCES SUNT! Scan this QR code to download the app now. 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. %PDF-1.7 Appropriating the Wendigo | Werewolves 17spaz 2 yr. ago Film, Learn how your comment data is processed. My basic rule is simple: be respectful. 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. 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. However, it never provents for people of that tribe to share this and that story. Topics: If so, what did you think about it? Scan this QR code to download the app now. Please report rule violations. Stolen Spirits: The Appropriation of the Windigo Spirit in Horror Literature. 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. Sponsored by Ball State University Libraries. Still though, Im not sure I fully get the Native American spirits(?) 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. How stupid to think otherwise. <> Is it cultural appropriation for a white author to use a Native 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. Have you encountered wendigo stories in films, television shows, or books? Thats just asking for trouble.) For resources: http://reddit.com/r/SRSDiscussion/wiki/required. 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. If you were to look around the world about other religions, anything that is associated with death and disease is regarded upon. 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. startxref 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. Stolen Spirits | Digital Literature Review - Ball State University 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. Indigenous, Sorry, this post was deleted by the person who originally posted it. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 3. 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). HeyYaIQ 21 days ago. Facing History and Ourselves combats racism and antisemitism by using history to teach tolerance in classrooms around the globe. I have always felt a distinct emotional connection to it, in fact. Cultural appropriation is the co-optation of elements, customs, or practices of one culture by another culture without acknowledgment or consent. (A friend sent this screenshot to me, along with the info, because he knows how much PC-ism pisses me off. Big Dan on Twitter So yeah, if anyone could offer any insight/information, thatd be appreciated. 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. they've been stripped of cultural context. 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). 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. 0000005961 00000 n 0000007477 00000 n Magazine with fellow environmental thought leaders, LaDuke said: Theres this conflict between the cannibals and Mother Earth, and its going on everywhere. o&g( By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 0000000974 00000 n hb```b``Ub`e``s`g@ ~+ a1fm{s/K5N9MHd@*2Ey]#B}>x,&ucrnhm:HkN=_B }Wzp.S#WCXi;dRa ,.0H*. My Thoughts and Questions OllieOnyx 845 subscribers Subscribe 4.5K 119K views 2 years ago I just posted a new video talking. Political correctness started out as one thing, a good thing. it's just something thats been bothering me so i thought it'd come to reddit to see what other people thought. For artists, writers, gamemasters, musicians, programmers, philosophers and scientists alike! 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 . 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. 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. l Ca#!LzH{t+8W5 !2*_{)rgx-`]CTXSH($g symL,JyvCq;[H~! In a report from the Contemporary Folklore conference covered in issue 388 of FORTEAN TIMES, the go-to magazine for all things paranormal, weird, or unexplained, a complaint is voiced about the cultural appropriation of the Wendigo, likening it to the sexualization of the Mothman statue in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. One example is Ojibwe activist Winona LaDuke who has called for a decisive shift away from what she has termed Wendigo Economics for the sake of the health of the natural world. 9'b_X~~@0CKYO~8yOK9I$^I>t 0000009056 00000 n 0000009484 00000 n I have named this observation of the Wendigothe Caveless Creature phenomenon. That is why we know about the wendigo today, it is an oral tradition like all the . Why are wendigos seen as offensive? : r/NoStupidQuestions - Reddit 0000010971 00000 n 13 Cultural Appropriation Examples (2023) - Helpful Professor +9*]aty``mZm/[= ${2R{!g=b{B,L0R2"T]IDa. The windigo is a Native American spirit belonging to the Algonquian tribes of North America and Canada. 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. Ill admit, my initial reaction was very dismissive. The Windigo also has the power to turn humans into cannibals who suffer the same . 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. i don't know if anyone has talked about this, but i have a special interest in Native American culture, history, etc. Ravenous (1999 film) - Wikipedia 0000015547 00000 n 0000003465 00000 n (Think Noah from . After thinking about it more, I think I get it about the wendigos. 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. This subreddit is about sharing your worlds, discovering the creations of others, and discussing the many aspects of creating new universes. Western appropriation has long-lasting effects on the perceptions of Native American cultures by the average consumer and even scientific communities. 0000001365 00000 n I dont know who originally posted it, or where. 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. 0000009954 00000 n Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Not only is it not offensive, I LOVE seeing references to wendigos in popular culture! When you comment on, Asian American and Pacific Islander History, Race and Membership in American History: Eugenics. Only those entitled to them should wear them. Dollightful's Wendigo Doll - Cultural Appreciation or Appropriation? My Usually, the appropriating culture is in a relation of domination to the appropriated culture. It springs from the well of the collective human unconscious, the communal soul. It may be used to justify calling. 2. 0000004651 00000 n %PDF-1.4 % 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. a lot of Natives and people in general don't even like saying the word itself. 0000004071 00000 n Those things, the predation on the Indians by Europeans, most certainly happened. ])yB\}OIZyY8 aA6Vo !C_D#!MYik.1>%'5ryZ*>fb=n#_dr;j5 { Is it offensive to wear a wendigo costume? For context I'm - Quora 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. However, PCism taken to its extreme would say that neither Cooper, nor I, should be telling stories about Wendigos at all, since were not of aboriginal descent. And I accept that the Wendigo can symbolize for them that exploitation. 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. I have this character in a webcomic I want to write who is a Wendigo. For more information, please see our During a panel at YES! 0000000016 00000 n As it so happens, I am currently working on a project involving a Wendigo, so this is personal to me. 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. Dollightful's Wendigo Doll - Cultural Appreciation or Appropriation? It has no place in the world of Folklore and monsters. 0000012030 00000 n <>/ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 595.32 841.92] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> 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. Just as the vampire and werewolf do not belong exclusively to people of European descent and the Mummy doesnt belong to Egyptians. The concept of cultural appropriation began well enough, but just like everything else woke culture political correctness, it's gone way too far. Although well-documented in Western literature, the windigo spirit of stories like . And they are worth considering including in ones classroom teaching. 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. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 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 . There's nothing wrong with drawing the popular concept of a wendigo monster, or drawing any monster with antlers, and calling it a wendigo. 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.