wendigo appropriation

PDF Windigo manitou - Portland State University Posted by A Creature Without a Cave: Abstraction and (Mis)Appropriation of the But as far as cultural appropriation and the Wendigo goes, dont you daredont you DAREtry to take our monsters away from us, PC wankers! <> With teepees, Im not sure I get it. 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. Still though, Im not sure I fully get the Native American spirits(?) Privacy Policy. MORTUI VELOCES SUNT! When the soldiers reach Ives' cave, Boyd and Reich investigate. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 Finally, it's just not that hard to do two minutes of. 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. Im glad, because I dont believe that it is. 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. 7 (2020): Ghosts and Cultural Hauntings. 0000005961 00000 n As it so happens, I am currently working on a project involving a Wendigo, so this is personal to me. 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 . Is it cultural appropriation for a white author to use a Native The windigo is a Native American spirit belonging to the Algonquian tribes of North America and Canada. 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Marvel Comics pay tribute to classic Monsters. 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. Cultural appropriation consists of borrowing something from another culture in mockery or thoughtless misuse. 0000005554 00000 n % You dont have to be French to love the Phantom of the Opera. And they are worth considering including in ones classroom teaching. I dont know who originally posted it, or where. Ravenous (1999 film) - Wikipedia New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. This articlescross-media analysiscovers television, film and game media;Teen Wolf(201117),Supernatural(200520), Bruce WemplesThe Retreat(2020) and SuperMassive GamesUntil Dawn(2015). 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. 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). A Creature Without a Cave | Reinvention: an International Journal of 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. 0000006529 00000 n 0000010400 00000 n Political correctness started out as one thing, a good thing. Answer (1 of 8): Yes, unless actively researched with proper resources and talked to with First Nation folks as proof-readers. 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. and our Antlers: The Wendigo Monster's History, Explained - CBR This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 0000009056 00000 n Stolen Spirits: The Appropriation of the Windigo Spirit in Horror Literature. endobj 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. Hunchman, K. N. (2020). 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. 0000008020 00000 n 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. Cookie Notice More Than Monsters: The Deeper Significance of Wendigo Stories s\&|5T!JN04hy'I0 1pv=~0-K$k}xSK"g:O*ox&zGa13(YXzy_{v-N^!c@[H stream 0000003465 00000 n 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 . 1. How stupid to think otherwise. 0000002723 00000 n a lot of Natives and people in general don't even like saying the word itself. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The Wendigo may be a figure from American Indian mythology, but it belongs to all of humankind. Beyond Forbes, other Native American thinkers have also used wendigo stories to present critical perspectives on various social problems and call for their resolution. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Although well-documented in Western literature, the windigo spirit of stories like . Be supportive, this is a place for growth, not hostility. Is it offensive to wear a wendigo costume? For context I'm - Quora For more information, please see our (A friend sent this screenshot to me, along with the info, because he knows how much PC-ism pisses me off. 0000013308 00000 n teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate. The Wendigo happens to be part of my own (Anishiinaabe) cultural heritage. 0000007047 00000 n 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. 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. 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 know what cultural appropriation is but Ive not been as involved in social justice as I used to be and I guess its showing. 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). You must be here to either learn more about social justice or answer questions from a social justice viewpoint. appropriation that has troubled the exchange between Indigenous . The Witherell House and the Cult of Weird, Movie Review: BIRDS OF PREY (And the Fantabulous Inclusion of Victor Zsasz and a Hyena). 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 . Only assholes think thats offensive. 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 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. To Helheimr with it! T[,%q5 l Ca#!LzH{t+8W5 !2*_{)rgx-`]CTXSH($g w*ndigo stuff : r/wendigoon - Reddit On top of that, the wendigo is a part of death. Magazine with fellow environmental thought leaders, LaDuke said: Theres this conflict between the cannibals and Mother Earth, and its going on everywhere. For resources: http://reddit.com/r/SRSDiscussion/wiki/required. 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. Just as the vampire and werewolf do not belong exclusively to people of European descent and the Mummy doesnt belong to Egyptians. 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. Tell us about it in the comments. startxref Privacy Policy. 0000011489 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. Rules: so im sort of clueless how reddit works and made an account for this, so bare with me. 0000001365 00000 n 0000000016 00000 n Dollightful's Wendigo Doll - Cultural Appreciation or Appropriation? <>/ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 595.32 841.92] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> And you know what? 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. Wendigos, teepees and cultural appropriation : r/socialjustice101 - Reddit She is Native American. 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. It was intended to be a lesson on human greed and the damage it can cause. 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 In my blind quest to represent everyone, all I did was reinforce the problem. 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. 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. For more information, please see our However, it never provents for people of that tribe to share this and that story. %PDF-1.4 % Stolen Spirits: The Appropriation of the Windigo Spirit in Horror That is why we know about the wendigo today, it is an oral tradition like all the . Okay, dont anybody get me wrong. I have this character in a webcomic I want to write who is a Wendigo. Wendigo - Wikipedia And whoever!). Until Dawn: On Representation, the Horror Genre, and the Illusion of Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Political Correctness and the Wendigo | Werewolves endobj It has no place in the world of Folklore and monsters. I just posted a new video talking about cultural appropriation and art! Abstract. 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. Dollightful's Wendigo Doll - Cultural Appreciation or Appropriation? My 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. 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. Native Americans, Our headquarters are located at: 89 South Street, Suite 401, Boston, MA 02111. 0000012791 00000 n You dont have to be of Afro-Caribbean descent to talk about, write about, or make movies about zombies. and our 0000012030 00000 n Posts and comments should be substantive, and assertions backed in fact or personal lived experience. 3. o&g( For artists, writers, gamemasters, musicians, programmers, philosophers and scientists alike! (Think Noah from . ])yB\}OIZyY8 aA6Vo !C_D#!MYik.1>%'5ryZ*>fb=n#_dr;j5 { 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. The concept of cultural appropriation began well enough, but just like everything else woke culture political correctness, it's gone way too far. Those things, the predation on the Indians by Europeans, most certainly happened. Apparently it's wrong to draw wendigos for Halloween it's just something thats been bothering me so i thought it'd come to reddit to see what other people thought. Usually, the appropriating culture is in a relation of domination to the appropriated culture. 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. This subreddit is about sharing your worlds, discovering the creations of others, and discussing the many aspects of creating new universes. <>/Metadata 266 0 R/ViewerPreferences 267 0 R>> trailer The windigo is a Native American spirit belonging to the Algonquian tribes of North America and Canada. 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. Not only is it not offensive, I LOVE seeing references to wendigos in popular culture! Scan this QR code to download the app now. Vol. arent cryptids thing. 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. Cookie Notice 2. Topics: wendigo cultural appropriation Scan this QR code to download the app now. Appropriating the Wendigo As it so happens, I am currently working on a project involving a Wendigo, so this is personal to me. So yeah, if anyone could offer any insight/information, thatd be appreciated. 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. 17spaz 2 yr. ago i don't know if anyone has talked about this, but i have a special interest in Native American culture, history, etc. 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. 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. 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). 4. Ill admit, my initial reaction was very dismissive. Sorry, this post was deleted by the person who originally posted it. These bonnets are symbols of warrior achievements and are the equivalent of military medals. Europeans may well have behaved like Wendigos when they invaded the Americasthey didbut they didnt bring the Wendigo with them. It has become something else altogether. 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 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. "@TheThiccholas @realcoolJAY They can't say Issa wendigo cus of cultural appropriation props to them buuuuuut also WENDIGO type energy sooo " %%EOF Appropriating the Wendigo | Werewolves 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. But I do notice that Eyre stopped short of saying colonialization is the origin for the Wendigo legend. 246 0 obj <> endobj 0000001705 00000 n Is it Cultural Appropriation if I have a Wendigo character? 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. 0000015547 00000 n And besides that, it never hurts to include your sources. 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. Western appropriation has long-lasting effects on the perceptions of Native American cultures by the average consumer and even scientific communities. Digital Literature Review 1 Stolen Spirits: The Appropriation of the A classic example is wearing a Plains Indian war bonnet (see the 80s band The Village People). If you were to look around the world about other religions, anything that is associated with death and disease is regarded upon. 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. 0000009954 00000 n 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 is the co-optation of elements, customs, or practices of one culture by another culture without acknowledgment or consent. Scan this QR code to download the app now. MORTUI VELOCES SUNT! 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. Indigenous, If so, what did you think about it? It may be used to justify calling. Cultural appropriation of Native American culture | Plaid Line 0000001546 00000 n It can serve as a metaphor explaining any pattern of domination by which groups subjugate and dominate or violently destroy and displace. As a concept, wendigo can apply to situations other than some Native American-European relations. 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. In the course of the transformation from human to wendigo, the person exhibits increasing selfishness, violence, hunger, and greedparticularly for human flesh. i love the videos uploaded to youtube and try to keep up with posts, so this is by no means a bash at Wendigoon. More Than Monsters: The Deeper Significance of Wendigo Stories i don't think there should be any 'canceling' of Wendigoon or whatever, but definitely something should be said. 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. Would getting a tattoo of the wendigo be cultural appropriation - Quora Halloween Costumes That Are Actually Racist, Even if You Might - Bustle 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. Only those entitled to them should wear them. 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. I believe that the Wendigo is far older than that, far more primal. Im just struggling to understand the significance of it. He has written, produced and directed (and occasionally acted in) over a dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and Crime genres. Sponsored by Ball State University Libraries. 1 0 obj 0000008549 00000 n This is a place to learn more bout Social Justice wendigo cultural appropriation [26][27] During the winter of 1878, Swift Runner and his family were starving, and his eldest son died. When you comment on, Asian American and Pacific Islander History, Race and Membership in American History: Eugenics. Learn how your comment data is processed. 9'b_X~~@0CKYO~8yOK9I$^I>t His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 Welcome to Facing Today, a Facing History blog. 0000004651 00000 n 0000009596 00000 n Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. U%.CI$ 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! symL,JyvCq;[H~! P\^$'$@YWSB;Td54BD?YH"'kh::a;Vqz&4|:>)xP2n |94NrOqE'6 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. 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. Early folklore described them as tall and impossibly emaciated humanoids with sharp incisors and a heart of ice. 278 0 obj <>stream The Windigo also has the power to turn humans into cannibals who suffer the same . 0000009484 00000 n 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. J.K. Rowling's Cultural Appropriation Should Be A Lesson To - HuffPost Thats just asking for trouble.) 0000023412 00000 n they've been stripped of cultural context. And I accept that the Wendigo can symbolize for them that exploitation. Now that I have a major problem with. Turning on 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. HeyYaIQ 21 days ago. (Anything that isnt outright vandalism isnt likely to harm the statue at all, but I wouldnt dare do anything disrespectful around it. Facing History & Ourselves uses lessons of history to challenge 0000010971 00000 n 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. 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