Wendigo
Also known as: Windigo, Witiko, Wihtikow
A gaunt, insatiable spirit of the frozen north that was once human.
Pre-colonial Algonquian oral tradition
Great Lakes region, Canada
7-15 ft tall (varies by account)
Predatory, insatiable
Cultural tradition
The Lore
The Wendigo is a malevolent entity from Algonquian tradition, said to possess people who resort to cannibalism during harsh winters. Descriptions vary from an emaciated giant with ash-gray skin to a deer-skulled specter trailing the scent of decay. Wendigo psychosis, a culture-bound syndrome involving cravings for human flesh, was documented by early missionaries and physicians across Canada and the northern United States.
Body Type
Folklore Origin
Notable Witnesses
- Jack Fiddler
Media Appearances
- Pet Sematary (1989)
- Antlers (2021)
- Until Dawn (2015)
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