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From the Algonquian peoples of North America comes a legend of a creature born from famine and greed — the Wendigo. Described as gaunt, skeletal, with glowing eyes and an insatiable craving for human flesh, the Wendigo has haunted the collective imagination for centuries.
In this episode of Veil of Echoes, Bria, Zach, and Lyndsay explore:
- 🌲 Origins in Indigenous Folklore – stories passed down by Algonquian-speaking peoples of the Great Lakes and Canadian woodlands.
- 🥶 Historical Accounts – reports of “Wendigo psychosis” documented by Jesuit missionaries in the 1600s and by settlers in the 19th century.
- 📖 The Case of Swift Runner – a Cree man from Alberta who, during the winter of 1878, murdered and ate his family, later claiming to be consumed by the Wendigo spirit.
- 🎮 Pop Culture Echoes – the Wendigo in literature (Algernon Blackwood’s “The Wendigo”), film, games (Until Dawn), and even Marvel comics.
- 👻 Paranormal Dimensions – why this legend still lingers in ghost stories, cryptid reports, and the imagination of horror fans today.
⏱️ Timestamps:
- 0:00 – Intro
- 2:00 – The legend of the Wendigo
- 10:00 – Early accounts and folklore
- 20:00 – Wendigo psychosis & Swift Runner
- 30:00 – Pop culture & paranormal connections
- 37:00 – Closing thoughts
⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of cannibalism, starvation, and disturbing folklore. Listener discretion advised.
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🔎 Sources & References
- Brightman, R. (1988). The Windigo in the Material World. Ethnohistory, 35(4), 337–379.
- Marano, R. (1982). “Windigo Psychosis: The Anatomy of an Emic-Etic Confusion.” Current Anthropology, 23(4), 385–412.
- Smallman, S. (2019). Dangerous Spirits: The Windigo in Myth and History. Heritage House Publishing.
- Blackwood, Algernon. (1910). The Wendigo (short story).
- Jesuit Relations (1630s–1640s): Missionary accounts from New France documenting Wendigo beliefs.
- The Swift Runner case, 1878 – Historical trial records from Alberta, Canada.
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🕯️ New episodes drop every Monday (True Crime) & Friday (Paranormal) — where true crime meets the supernatural.
