THE WEENDIGO SPIRIT
Among the
Anishenabe there are many legends of the Weendigo. The Weendigo was portrayed as
a cannibal eater of human flesh who lurked in the woods waiting to lure
unsuspecting people into the woods to eat. Parents and grandparents would
caution their children not to play too much or misbehave cause the Weendigo
would come and that would bring great danger to the whole village. The
following is one of those legends.
Long ago on the
north shores of Lake Superior lived a man named Weendigo and his family. For many years he and his family lived fully
on the plentiful game and fish that dwelt in the water and woods that
surrounded their village. But conditions changed. Animals became scarce and
fish were rare. For all his skill Weendigo s family began to starve. So
desperate was he that at last he and his family began to eat roots and make
soup from the bark of trees.
Weendigo began
to travel days from home in all directions in search of food, but these
journeys were pointless. He might find game but how would he get it home.
He prayed to
Kitchi Monitou, but his own circumstances did not improve. He went for help to
a Waubeno ( sorcerer ) from whom Weendigo obtained a potion for hunting
success. Weendigo was to take one small portion every day and make a tea from
it. That night Weendigo took a pinch and made the tea, which he drank before he
went to bed.
Very early the
next day, he woke up while it was still dark. Convinced that there was no point
in remaining in bed, Weendigo quietly rose and left his lodge. Outside, he was
astonished at the length of his strides and the speed at which he covered the
ground. In no time he covered a great distance a distance that would before
have taken him days. He soon came upon a village of people standing around a
great fire. Emerging from the woods for fun, he gave three loud war cries. At
the frightening call, the people fell into a faint and turned into beavers.
Without thinking
much of the transformation from people to beavers, Weendigo considered the
circumstances timely and a matter of good fortune. He was hungry and famine did
not allow him the luxury of questioning good fortune. Weendigo picked up the
beaver, fifteen in all and skinned them.
Then on the fire
that had been prepared by the people of the village, Weendigo roasted all the
beaver. When they were all done, Weendigo sat down to eat. He did not eat, he
stuffed himself. In fact he ate all fifteen beaver. It never occurred to
Weendigo to question his enormous appetite. He did not stop to wonder how he
could eat more than one beaver; he did not even stop to consider whether he
should carry some beaver home for his family. He thought only of himself. What
was more astonishing than the transformation and his appetite was his need. For
the more he ate the greater he grew in size and the greater was his hunger.
Instead of
alleviating his hunger, by his very act of eating he actually fostered more and
greater hunger.
Weendigo,
hungrier and larger left and proceeded north. It seemed like the further north
he went the more game there was. Weendigo’s hunger superseded all else, even
his family and village. His need had first had to be served and satisfied.
Along his way Weendigo continued to kill and eat.
In the meantime,
Megis returned from a long journey to find his village devastated and his
people missing.
Dispondent,
Megis went to a medicine man for guidance and help. As required by the medicine
man, Megis went into vigil where in dream; he saw the fate of his people and
village. His spirit helper Makwa ( Bear ), appeared to him and disclosed a
solution to render him powerful enough to challenge Weendigo. The next day
Megis made the medicine. After he took the medicine he began to grow. When he
had attained a very great height, Megis went in search of Weendigo. By
following the tracks and piles of discarded bones Megis found it easy to locate
Weendigo.
Without hesitating,
Megis attacked Weendigo and in a short while slew Weendigo, who was weak from
hunger. With Weendigo’s death his victims were revived. Weendigo himself,
though dead, continued to live on as an incorporeal being, the spirit of
excess. As the spirit of excess Weendigo could captivate or enslave anyone too
preoccupied with sleep, work and play, eating or drinking.
Though Weendigo
was fearsome and visited punishment upon those committing excesses, he
nevertheless conferred rewards upon the moderate. He was excess who encouraged
moderation.
Weendigo has long been
forgotten and far removed form our culture, or at least the legend has. The Weendigo’s did not die out or disappear
they have only been assimilated and reincarnated into today’s society. Today that greed is no less insatiable then
that of their ancestors. Today’s
Weendigo’s are disguised as corporations, conglomerates and multinationals.
No longer are their bodies
covered with hair, but expensive suits.
Though their manners have been refined and polished their cupidity is the same
not for that of raw flesh but for more refined viands.
They destruct the land through
deforestation. They pollute the water
and land through mining. Through their cupidity they have robbed future generations
harvest of the land and the chance to view many of the beauties of creation,
which become extinct daily. The
Weendigo of today may not feed on the flesh of humans but they feed their
cupidity on our needs. Our needs have
even superseded the needs of our children; yes that makes us the Weendigo. It
is my hope through this legend that none will be offended, but that our
children will benefit through our understanding.