Rougarou

The Rougarou (alternatively spelled as roux-ga-roux, rugaroo, or rugaru) is a legendary creature in French diaspora communities linked to traditional concepts of the werewolf.

The stories of the creature known as a rougarou are as diverse as the spelling of its name, though they are all connected to francophone cultures through a common derived belief in the loup-garou (French pronunciation: [lu ɡaˈʁu], /ˈluː ɡəˈruː/).

Loup is French for wolf, and garou (from Frankish warulf, cognate with English werewolf) is a man who transforms into an animal.

In the Creole and Cajun legends, the creature is said to prowl the swamps around Acadiana and Greater New Orleans, and the sugar cane fields and woodlands of the regions.

[3] This coincides with the French Catholic loup-garou stories, according to which the method for turning into a werewolf is to break Lent seven years in a row.

"[8] The show Shadow of the Rougarou (2022, APTN lumi, AppleTV+), by Métis director Jordan Waunch, was created with the guidance of Elders and Knowledge Keepers to best represent the communal oral story.

A traditional Cajun and Creole Courir de Mardi Gras costume based on a Rougarou (figure on left)
Statue representation of the Rougarou at Audubon Zoo , New Orleans, Louisiana