Five Shadows of the Canadian Wild

 

In the shadowy forests and frostbitten wilds of Canada, is where ancient legends still stir. From that bone chilling hunger of the Wendigo to the icy wrath of the Chenoo or the primal howl of the Loup-Garou, the elusive stride of the Sasquatch, or the spectral menace of the Indian Devil, these cryptids will haunt not only the land, but the imagination. In this edition of The Mirror Watches, we peel back the veil between myth and reality. Exploring five of Canada's most enduring supernatural beings, each a reflection of fear, folklore, and mysteries that watch us back from the dark. 

The Chenoo

This is said to be a terrifying ice giant from Wabanaki folklore. The Chenoo haunts the forests of New England and the Canadian Maritimes, which includes New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The sightings of this mythical beast is rare, but they do occur. 

Rooted deeply in Wabanaki mythology the Chenoo is said to be a monstrous cannibalistic ice giant that was at one time human. A human that became cursed from evil deeds and possession which had made it's heart turn to ice. This transformation had turned the human with grotesque features such as fangs, chewed off lips, and an immense size. It is also believed that the hungrier it gets, the larger it grows in size. 

Unlike the Wendigo, which is more widely known, the Chenoo is specific to Northern tribes. Especially to the Passamaquoddy and Mikmaq people. While these creatures are said to be excruciatingly hot inside they are forced to reside in snowy environments to cool down. 

The Chenoo's are scared of humans, and can actually camouflage themselves by remaining still and blending in with it's surroundings. These creatures have no weapons and fight using trees and boulders. They are also well known for their unending hunger for human flesh. 

These creatures may not be as frequently documented as the Sasquatch but there have been a number of Chenoo sightings throughout the Maritime provinces and Maine. These are most often described as humanoid creatures roaming in remote wooded areas. 

There is one such encounter that reported humanoid footprints much larger than any man's that were found by some Canadian Hunters near the Passamaquoddy territory. These footprints, having been so much larger than man had sparked rumors of a Chenoo in the area. This creature has also been linked to places such as Meddybemps Lake near Calais, South Gardener and Route 1A in Maine, which borders New Brunswick. 

The Wendigo

This is a terrifying spirit from Algonquian folklore and is deeply rooted in Canadian Indigenous traditions. This creature is a symbol for greed, cannibalism and the dangers of isolation during harsh winters. While sightings have been reported across Canada, most notably in Northern forests and remote communities. 

This is a supernatural creature, from the oral traditions of the Algonquian speaking tribes. Which includes the Cree, Ojibwe, Innu, and Saulteaux. This humanoid creature is said to have been humans that have been transformed by cannibalism and cursed with an unsatisfying hunger for human flesh. These transformations usually happen during brutal winters, when starvation drives people into desperate measures. 

Most traditional descriptions of the Wendigo are a gaunt, skeletal, and frostbitten beast with glowing red eyes, and the stench of decay. Not often the antlered beast made popular by the media. In some of the stories it is said that the Wendigo grows larger the more it eats because its hunger is never truly satisfied. 

However, the Wendigo is often used to describe psychological and social breakdowns in extreme conditions. Such as the Wendigo Psychosis a controversial term for a condition caused by craving human flesh in a famine. 

Sightings of the Wendigo have been reported across Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta. These are often accompanied with eerie encounters in the woods and unexplained disappearances. One of the most notably accounts comes from Fort Kent, Alberta when a man witnessed a skeletal like creature observing him from behind a tree in a snow storm. 

In Northern Ontario, hunters have described unnatural howls in the woods, and reports of large humanoid footprints in the snow. Of course, these sightings are rare, and are often dismissed as folklore. However, local story telling and paranormal circles persist to this day. 

The Loup-Garou

This werewolf like creature stems from French-Canadian folklore. They are often tied to themes of religious guilt and supernatural punishment. There have been numerous sightings and stories centered around the Loup-Garou. These are especially popular in rural communities and historical accounts. 

This name derives from the French word Loup, which means wolf, and the French would Garou which means Man who turns into beast. The transformation is usually described as a curse, which is placed on someone who fails to uphold religious duties, such as confession at Easter. It is said that this punishment lasts a hundred and one days, during which the cursed person transforms into a wolf man every single night. 

This cursed person is aware of the transformation but is unable to control it. So, they wander the countryside in animal form. Thing is the curse can only be broken one of two ways. A person could recognize a Loup-Garou and draw blood, or the person can confess their sins. In some versions of this story the person is not violent, just a tragic figure seeking redemption. 

Quebec is at the heart of these stories and sightings. Especially within rural communities such as Saint-Eloi where tales of moonlight transformations and eerie howls persist. The legend itself had been carried into Canada by the coureurs de bois and settlers which had blended with indigenous myths of shapeshifters, and had evolved into regional variants. 

While modern sightings of this particular Cryptid is rare, paranormal communities and cryptozoology enthusiasts alike have linked the Loup-Garou to Dogman sightings across Canada, particularly in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. 

The Sasquatch

The beast also known as Bigfoot is most commonly reported in British Columbia, which has close to two hundred sightings. This is more documented sightings than any other province, but Ontario and Alberta also have some notable reports of Sasquatch which are often tied to remote wilderness regions. 

The name Sasquatch is most commonly used in Canada and is derived from Stsailies First Nation word Sesquac which naturally means "wild man". There are Indigenous oral traditions all over British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta, that describe a large, hairy, bipedal creature that lives in the forest and avoids human contact. These descriptions usually include, the height of seven to nine feet, being covered in dark brown or black hair, emitting a foul odor, and communicates through howls, grunts, and knocks. 

There have been a number of sightings across Canada. For instance in British Columbia there have been over one hundred and thirty-five sightings mainly in Harrison Hot Springs and Fraser Valley. In Ontario there is over sixty-five sightings mainly in Algonquin Park, Muskoka, and Northern Ontario. In Alberta there have been thirty sightings mainly in the Banff, Jasper, and Fort Kent areas. In Quebec there have been about twenty sightings, mainly in the Laurentians, and Gatineau Park areas. And in Manitoba and other Provinces, there have been less than 10 sightings mainly sparse in remote wilderness areas. 

Some of the most famous sightings in Canada include Harrison Hot Springs, BC. Which is known as the Sasquatch Capital of Canada. They have frequent sightings and even have a Sasquatch museum. While in Algonquin Park in Ontario, campers have reported seeing large footprints, and a tall shadowy figure in the woods as well as eerie howls. 

However, in Fort Kent Alberta, one man reported seeing a tall skeletal figure watching him from behind a tree in a snow storm. This story has also been linked to the Wendigo. 

The Indian Devil

This is a mysterious creature known to lurk in the woods of Eastern New Brunswick. Like the others it comes from New Brunswick folklore, and is often described as a supernatural predator, usually a panther like creature, with glowing red eyes that is feared by the indigenous people and early settlers. Though these creatures are rarely documented it is linked to eerie encounters in the woods, and oral traditions passed down through generations mainly with the Mikmaq and Maliseet people. This creature is often described as a malevolent spirit in the form of a panther which haunts the woods, swamps, and remote areas. Often described as a demonic like panther or a shadowy beast. 

Some legends say, that the Indian Devil's are really Guardians of Sacred lands, punishing those who trespass or disrespect nature. Other's portray the beast as a shapeshifter who can take the form of a man, animal or mist. While the Indian Devil is not as widely reported as the Sasquatch or Wendigo stories of it persist throughout Eastern New Brunswick, especially in rural communities near Miramichi, Kent County, and Restigouche.

Witnesses who have seen or heard the Indian Devil often report of unnatural howls and screams in the woods. Sudden temperature drops, and large feline like shadows moving silently in the tree line. While some link this to the Lake Utopia Monster sightings, suggesting a broader cryptid presence, others have a better explanation and link it to sightings of the rare Eastern Cougar. 

As the winds howl through the pines and the frost creeps across the forest floor one must wonder  if these legends: The Chenoo, The Wendigo, The Loup-Garou, The Sasquatch, and The Indian Devil are truly separate entities. Or if they are fragments of a much deeper and darker force that watches from the shadows. Each of these creatures, born of isolation, hunger, and fear, seem to echo the same primal warning: that the wilderness holds secrets not meant for the living. Perhaps they are guardians of forgotten truths, or some manifestation of the same ancient dread that slips between worlds. And if you ever come to find yourself alone in the woods, or staring too long into a mirror on a moonless night, beware. Because sometimes, the reflection doesn't always blink when you do, and sometimes...it watches back.