Welcome to the research notes for the Wendigo episode!
Regarding the intro questions, Planet X is a whole 'nother story for a 'nother episode. Although, I did have to research what would happen if Neo took the red pill and the blue pill at the same time.
"Let's assume Morpheus wasn't quick enough to stop him"
One user @Pepo_Rasta suggested: "it would be like taking sleeping pill and laxative at the same time" which I'm just not sure is true.
Someone did ask the Watchowkis what was actually in the red pill though, and they said: It’s like a computer virus that’s meant to disrupt Neo’s life signal so that they can pinpoint where Neo’s body is in the power plant..
Damn. That's badass. Anyway I prefer our take that they're both actually red pills and Dorpheus is running around Zion somewhere, free as a wendigo.
Anyways! Back to the investigation at hand.
I know y'all are probably dying to see what a Wendigo actually looks like? I know, I painted quite a picture.
Brace yourselves, and hold on for your sanity, check out this hideous beast:
jesus christ. Wait what did I say I was showing you? Oh yeah the Wendigo. Sorry. Here's one
Now it should be said that (if we're being honest) almost every example image of a Wendigo available online is an artists interpretation. As you can see
So you can see it's obviously difficult/impossible to capture a picture of the bastard! As with many Cryptids, we have to rely solely on deviant art and furry erotica to get an idea of it's image.
I just want to nip something in the bud now though:
NO NO NO. Stop it. Less of this please. The wendigo is 'skeletal' not ripped with giant quads. Also they are cannibals, they aren't running around literally picking up beautiful damsels, king kong style. This is NOT what we were talking about. Christ.
Back to the story. As I mentioned on the pod, the Chippewa people were performing the Wiindigookaanzhimowin, in areas such as Minnesota.
Chippewa, or Ojibwe tribesmen
And although wiindigookaanzhimowin is a great word, I wish I could show you what it looked like, but I cannot, there is very little written about it! Not to mention no youtube videos!
What I can guarantee, is that contrary to Rory's suggestion, it is NOTHING like Mr C The Slide Man's Cha Cha Slide.
I really wish the cha cha slide had remained buried in my memories of the year 2000.
Good times.
However whilst we have no evidence regarding the ritual itself, this piece of evidence is pretty wild! Here you can read the Jesuit Relations publications from the early 1600s (insane) and if you look hard enough you'll find the excerpt I read in a perfect french accent:
Now, it's about time we talked about Swift Runner, the Cree mounted policeman that supposedly went full Wendigo.
Here's the initial picture I showed Rory:
And, grimly, I can show you what remained of his family...
And I think this is pretty cool: here's the official papers regarding his prosecution from way back in the day.
And as mentioned on the pod, it wasn't just Swift Runner! He happens to be the most famous case, but there were others. And I have evidence!! Sheesh! Of course I do. Who do you take me for, Rory?!
Here's a crazy account in a paper, about the arrest of two Wendigo hunters!
I think that's the craziest thing to me, is how there is all this written history about something as mental as the Wendigo! I mean, it entered the medical dictionary for cryin' out loud!
So I think we've covered everything, but if you want to read further on the phenomenon of the Wendigo I recommend these websites!
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/hanged/swiftrunner.html
As always, our music was by http://www.purple-planet.com/
If you have any other questions about this ep, drop us a comment! Otherwise we will see you next week, for another paranormal tale!
k&r