Case file · Folklore / legend
Rougarou (loup-garou)
The rougarou of Cajun and Creole south Louisiana is a werewolf-like creature said to prowl the bayous, especially to punish Catholics who break the Lenten fast.
1750 CE · 29.60, -90.72 · status: legend
The account
The name comes from the French loup-garou brought by colonists; there is no single first attestation, so the year marks the French colonial period. Houma holds an annual Rougarou Fest.
The sceptical view
Folklorists see it as a cautionary figure used to keep children and the lax faithful in line.