they've been stripped of cultural context. 0000008020 00000 n
That's just pulling a potential explanation out of my ass, though, I have no idea if its accurate or not. Smith and Fiore detail that, among the Cree and northernmost Ojibwa, it is a feared creature because it is understood as both a 'mythic character' and as a threat to humans (2010: 68). <>
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. Not only is it not offensive, I LOVE seeing references to wendigos in popular culture! And whoever!). 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. 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. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. arent cryptids thing. Handle the characters and the story with respect. 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. endobj
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and our And you know what? I'm just struggling to understand the significance of it. HeyYaIQ 21 days ago. 0000000016 00000 n
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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. 0000023412 00000 n
17spaz 2 yr. ago Turning on The windigo is a Native American spirit belonging to the Algonquian tribes of North America and Canada. You dont have to be of Afro-Caribbean descent to talk about, write about, or make movies about zombies. 0000009056 00000 n
The Witherell House and the Cult of Weird, Movie Review: BIRDS OF PREY (And the Fantabulous Inclusion of Victor Zsasz and a Hyena). 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. 0000007047 00000 n
Ill admit, my initial reaction was very dismissive. <<410561E535828C4ABA4EA5627C70A225>]/Prev 78716/XRefStm 1365>>
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. 0000009954 00000 n
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. Have you encountered wendigo stories in films, television shows, or books? Native Americans, Our headquarters are located at: 89 South Street, Suite 401, Boston, MA 02111. So, thanks, Dave! The windigo is a Native American spirit belonging to the Algonquian tribes of North America and Canada. 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. 2. 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. 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. appropriation that has troubled the exchange between Indigenous . If so, what did you think about it? This subreddit is about sharing your worlds, discovering the creations of others, and discussing the many aspects of creating new universes. T[,%q5 By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. You must be here to either learn more about social justice or answer questions from a social justice viewpoint. 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. 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. I have named this observation of the Wendigothe Caveless Creature phenomenon. 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. s\&|5T!JN04hy'I0 1pv=~0-K$k}xSK"g:O*ox&zGa13(YXzy_{v-N^!c@[H It may be used to justify calling. i don't know if anyone has talked about this, but i have a special interest in Native American culture, history, etc. Usually, the appropriating culture is in a relation of domination to the appropriated culture. 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. i love the videos uploaded to youtube and try to keep up with posts, so this is by no means a bash at Wendigoon. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. it's just something thats been bothering me so i thought it'd come to reddit to see what other people thought. Now that I have a major problem with. 0000001365 00000 n
And were on the right side, thats what were working on but sometimes you get that cannibal tendency. Magazine with fellow environmental thought leaders, LaDuke said: Theres this conflict between the cannibals and Mother Earth, and its going on everywhere. It was intended to be a lesson on human greed and the damage it can cause. %%EOF
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 springs from the well of the collective human unconscious, the communal soul. 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. 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. %
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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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 0000004651 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. For more information, please see our Learn how your comment data is processed. 1. During a panel at YES! 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). spellings (see Colombo 2) but is most commonly rendered as Windigo, Wendigo, or Witiko. It can serve as a metaphor explaining any pattern of domination by which groups subjugate and dominate or violently destroy and displace. 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. 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. By Christian Chiakulas, Contributor Writer, musician, activist, single father from Chicago. 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. 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 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. But as far as cultural appropriation and the Wendigo goes, dont you daredont you DAREtry to take our monsters away from us, PC wankers! 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. Only assholes think thats offensive. 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. We do the same thing with a lot of mythological creatures. However, it never provents for people of that tribe to share this and that story. Early folklore described them as tall and impossibly emaciated humanoids with sharp incisors and a heart of ice. 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. teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate. 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. For artists, writers, gamemasters, musicians, programmers, philosophers and scientists alike! For more information, please see our Just as the vampire and werewolf do not belong exclusively to people of European descent and the Mummy doesnt belong to Egyptians. If you were to look around the world about other religions, anything that is associated with death and disease is regarded upon. So yeah, if anyone could offer any insight/information, thatd be appreciated. 0000020040 00000 n
Finally, it's just not that hard to do two minutes of. 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. And they are worth considering including in ones classroom teaching. 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. 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. 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 . 4. She is Native American. 0000009596 00000 n
In the course of the transformation from human to wendigo, the person exhibits increasing selfishness, violence, hunger, and greed particularly for human flesh. When you comment on, Asian American and Pacific Islander History, Race and Membership in American History: Eugenics. Western appropriation has long-lasting effects on the perceptions of Native American cultures by the average consumer and even scientific communities. (A friend sent this screenshot to me, along with the info, because he knows how much PC-ism pisses me off. 0000002723 00000 n
trailer
He has written, produced and directed (and occasionally acted in) over a dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and Crime genres. 0000003976 00000 n
The deaths of tens of millions of Jews, Slavs, etc., at the hands of the Nazis, the deaths of tens of millions of blacks in slavery days, the deaths of up to 30 million or more Indians in the 1500s, the terribly short life spans of Mexican Indian farm workers in the US, and of Native Americans generally today, the high death rates in the early industrial centers among factory workers, and so on, all clearly attest to the fact that the wealthy and exploitative literally consume the lives of those that they exploit. 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. Be supportive, this is a place for growth, not hostility. I dont know who originally posted it, or where. the origins don't even depict the w*ndigo with deer antlers, but a human with bitten off lips. a lot of Natives and people in general don't even like saying the word itself. 0000011489 00000 n
I really just want to learn about how to appreciate aspects of cultures that I am not included in respectfully. 0000008549 00000 n
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o&g( Stolen Spirits: The Appropriation of the Windigo Spirit in Horror Literature. And besides that, it never hurts to include your sources. Windigo is a malevolent manitou or spirit whose insatiable appetite for human flesh can never be satisfied. Archived post. Cultural appropriation is the co-optation of elements, customs, or practices of one culture by another culture without acknowledgment or consent. P\^$'$@YWSB;Td54BD?YH"'kh::a;Vqz&4|:>)xP2n |94NrOqE'6 246 33
To Helheimr with it! 9'b_X~~@0CKYO~8yOK9I$^I>t New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. In my blind quest to represent everyone, all I did was reinforce the problem. startxref
As a concept, wendigo can apply to situations other than some Native American-European relations. 3. When the soldiers reach Ives' cave, Boyd and Reich investigate. Dollightful's Wendigo Doll - Cultural Appreciation or Appropriation? Only those entitled to them should wear them. 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. I have always felt a distinct emotional connection to it, in fact. (Anything that isnt outright vandalism isnt likely to harm the statue at all, but I wouldnt dare do anything disrespectful around it. 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. It has become something else altogether. Scan this QR code to download the app now. That taste of human flesh, which out of that rose the wendigo.. Im just struggling to understand the significance of it. 0000010971 00000 n
Scan this QR code to download the app now. My basic rule is simple: be respectful. <>/Metadata 266 0 R/ViewerPreferences 267 0 R>>
and our Appropriating the Wendigo As it so happens, I am currently working on a project involving a Wendigo, so this is personal to me. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The Windigo also has the power to turn humans into cannibals who suffer the same . 4 0 obj
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. It was already here. Cookie Notice 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.
He has written, produced and directed (and occasionally acted in) over a dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and Crime genres. 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. Copyright 2022 Facing History & Ourselves. Abstract. 0000012532 00000 n
Thats just asking for trouble.) 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? Learn how your comment data is processed. however, the w*ndigo originates from spiritual beliefs held by Indigenous peoples. On top of that, the wendigo is a part of death. A classic example is wearing a Plains Indian war bonnet (see the 80s band The Village People). 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. %PDF-1.7
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 . (Think Noah from .
i don't think there should be any 'canceling' of Wendigoon or whatever, but definitely something should be said. Okay, dont anybody get me wrong. 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. 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. Participate in good faith. 3 0 obj
Still though, Im not sure I fully get the Native American spirits(?) endobj
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. 0000003862 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. endobj
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}Wzp.S#WCXi;dRa ,.0H*. 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. That is why we know about the wendigo today, it is an oral tradition like all the . 246 0 obj
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But I do notice that Eyre stopped short of saying colonialization is the origin for the Wendigo legend. As much as I would love to tell everyone to just read her sources and then be able to understand everything better, I just don't think that's realistic for most people(because they are not easily accessible to most, and I don't think that was her intention by including these in her description. The Wendigo may be a figure from American Indian mythology, but it belongs to all of humankind. Film, 0000000974 00000 n
This is a place to learn more bout Social Justice 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). 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. 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. I read some stuff yesterday saying that teepees are cultural appropriation and there was a long post about how wendigos arent cryptids and how stories about them are cultural appropriation. Cookie Notice Indigenous,
7 (2020): Ghosts and Cultural Hauntings. These new narratives that white people make fail to acknowledge that the wendigo, and the Indi. Tell us about it in the comments. Please report rule violations. 0000001705 00000 n
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. Cultural appropriation consists of borrowing something from another culture in mockery or thoughtless misuse. 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. Welcome to Facing Today, a Facing History blog. This articlescross-media analysiscovers television, film and game media;Teen Wolf(201117),Supernatural(200520), Bruce WemplesThe Retreat(2020) and SuperMassive GamesUntil Dawn(2015). Marvel Comics pay tribute to classic Monsters. 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. No one can try to stake a singular claim to it. 0000010400 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. 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. With teepees, Im not sure I get it. 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 . And I accept that the Wendigo can symbolize for them that exploitation. My Thoughts and Questions OllieOnyx 845 subscribers Subscribe 4.5K 119K views 2 years ago I just posted a new video talking. x\o7a_h
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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. symL,JyvCq;[H~! 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. I just posted a new video talking about cultural appropriation and art! The concept of cultural appropriation began well enough, but just like everything else woke culture political correctness, it's gone way too far. As it so happens, I am currently working on a project involving a Wendigo, so this is personal to me. 0000012030 00000 n
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Facing History and Ourselves combats racism and antisemitism by using history to teach tolerance in classrooms around the globe. How stupid to think otherwise. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(443401, 'c61f3219-a9f3-4b0c-95ea-f614a80c184b', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Pictured above: A portion of the poster for the film Antlers (Fox Searchlight, 2021). :)Looking to buy some stickers or look at some pictures of my art or my other things? Scan this QR code to download the app now. 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. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763
MORTUI VELOCES SUNT! 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.