289 - The Wendigo

The concept of a Wendigo, a malevolent spirt that can cause someone to become an insatiable cannibal is a part of Algonquin Folklore that is both part cryptid and part culture-bound syndrome.  While the concept has entered the vernacular of the western world with horror movies and stories depicting it, it stems from the Algonquin culture where the threat of starvation in the winter woods was a very real thing.  The tales help to steer society away from greed and account for the potentially very real possibility of resorting to cannibalism in times of extreme need.  Take a listen as we discuss the legend of the Wendigo.