WINDIGO PSYCHOSIS AND ITS EFFECTS ON PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE CULTURE

WINDIGO PSYCHOSIS AND ITS EFFECTS ON PEOPLE WHO ARE

NOT INCLUDED IN THE CULTURE

A Research Paper Presented to

The Faculty of the English Resource Center 

School of Multimedia Arts

Asia Pacific College 

Magallanes, Makati

In Partial Fulfillment 

of the Requirements for the Course

ERESWRT - Research Writing

Jaisen Maree G. Morales

March 2014

Chapter 1 

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Windigo Psychosis is a culture-bound mental disorder. That means the disease is only recognizable within a particular society.  Culture bound disorders or also known as culture specific disorders or folk illnesses are the disorders that only a specific culture can develop or obtain. The Windigo Psychosis was first identified within the tribes that originated from the Algonquian tribes of Chippewa, Ojibwa, Cree and Inuit in North America.

Andrew Coleman wrote a book called, "Dictionary of Psychology". In that book he explained the nature of the culture-bound syndromes and how they manifest a person. In the book he also discussed how some taboo cultural behaviors practiced by some communities don't necessarily fall under any category of mental disorders.

According to Andrew Colman in his book, Dictionary of Psychology: "Culture-bound syndromes are patterns of behavior that do not fit accordingly into normal classifications of mental disorders. They are entirely or mainly restricted to particular cultural groups" (http://www.fcas.nova.edu/faculty/publications/quadrivium/issue1/mental_illness/).

Different cultures have different perspectives in which specific practice or thing is acceptable or not. Maybe that's why culture bound diseases are only limited to the specific culture that believes in them. 

Windigo Psychosis is related to cannibalism. A person diagnosed with this disorder features an intense craving for human flesh even when food sources are present. Cannibalism have been present for a long time now and is still practiced by many today. There are many reasons why people resort to cannibalism. Some reasons are more valid than others. Such as resorting to cannibalism in order to survive, much like how the windigo monster is theorized to emerge. But there are also unusual reasons why people resort to cannibalism.

Armin Miewes is a convicted murderer and a cannibal. He was asked by the judge during one of his trials about why he resorted to cannibalism. According to the article, entitled "Why do people eat other people?" There are many reasons and theories on why people practice cannibalism. It could be ritualistic cannibalism or survival cannibalism. But on Armin Miewes, he resorted to cannibalism because of his fantasy of having a younger brother.

According to Armin Miewes, "I had always dreamt of having a younger brother—someone to be part of me—and I become fascinated with cannibalism as a way to fulfill that obsession" (http://www.businessinsider.com/10-things-you-always-wondered-about-cannibalism-2012-5?op=1).

This is a result of sexual cannibalism where people derive sexual satisfaction from fantasizing about and consuming humans. 

Windigo Psychosis originated from the Windigo. A mythical creature that existed in the Algonquian legends. It is believed that windigos inhabited the northern woodlands of Canada. A windigo was once a man who turns into a cannibal to survive. It is said that if a man consumes human flesh, he would gain supernatural abilities like super strength, super speed, and even immortality. It could also imitate human voices to lure their victims.

Basil Johnston, an Ojibwe teacher, scholar, and writer from Ontario gives a description of how windigos are visualized. Windigos are viewed as monsters because they really are. In his description, a windigo is a monster who is decaying. 

According to Basil Johnston,"The Weendigo was gaunt to the point of emaciation, its desiccated skin pulled tautly over its bones. With its bones pushing out against its skin, its complexion the ash gray of death, and its eyes pushed back deep into their sockets, the Weendigo looked like a gaunt skeleton recently disinterred from the grave. What lips it had were tattered and bloody [....] Unclean and suffering from suppurations of the flesh, the Weendigo gave off a strange and eerie odor of decay and decomposition, of death and corruption" (http://tfwalsh.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/wendigo-cannibalistic-spirit/).

Windigos are a part of the Algonquian culture. They were so inclined that the creature is true that they named windigo psychosis after the monster. It feeds on human flesh and never stops craving for murder because it can never be satisfied with all the lives that it feeds on. Windigos symbolize greed and gluttony that's why it can never be satisfied with all the lives it killed.

Windigos have a lot of variations. It is also called wendigo, witigo, waindigo, wihtikow, and a lot more. Some creatures that are considered to be a windigo's counterpart are the Jokao and the Rugaru. Jakaos are a race of cannibals from the myths of the Iroquos and Seneca Native Americans. They look human but their skin are covered with stone scales. They were once humans but during a harsh Winter their hunger caused them to eat other humans which is just like the how windigos are born. And another counterpart is the Rugaru, another cannibalistic mythical creature.

In an article entitled "What is a Rugaru and where did the concept originated", Peter Matthiessen described the Rugaru and how it is similar to the windigo.

According to Peter Matthiessen ,"The Rugaru is a separate legend from that of the cannibal-likegiant wendigo. While the wendigo is feared, the rugaru is seen as sacred and in tune with Mother Earth, somewhat like bigfoot legends are today" (http://www.legionofpagans.com/hoodoovoodoo/4810/what-is-a-rugaru-and-where-did-the-concept-of-them-originate).

A counterpart is something that is similar to a person or character. Windigos have a lot of counterparts such as Jenu, Atshen, Gici Awas.

Windigo Psychosis still occur nowadays. The murder of Mr. McLean occured on the evening of July 30, 2008. McLean, a 22-year-old Canadian man, was stabbed, beheaded and cannibalized while riding a Greyhound Canada bus traveling the Trans Canada Highway. On March 5, 2009, McLean's killer, 40-year-old Vince Weiguang Li was found to be not criminally responsible for murder and was remanded to a high-security mental health facility where he currently resides.

One of the witnesses of that incident was Garnet Caton. He was asked about what he witnessed and described what happened. In his statement, the attacker which was Vince Li seemed like he was in a trance while he was stabbing his victim. 

According to the witness Garnet Caton, "There was no rage or anything. He was like a robot, stabbing the guy," and "I got sick after I saw the head thing. Some people were puking, some people were crying, some people were shocked. [The attacker] just looked at us and dropped the head on the ground, totally calm" (http://murderpedia.org/male.L/l/li-vince-weiguang.htm).

Occurrences of the people diagnosed with windigo psychosis have been rare. Only a few documented reports are available and some of them are not even complete with the necessary details such as Swift Runner's case.

The researcher observes that the windigo psychosis is said to be a culture bound disorder but it also affect people who do not belong to that certain tribe or culture. What effects are present to the people who are included and what effects are present to those who are not.

This research paper will enlighten the readers about the true definition of the rare culture bound disease known as windigo psychosis. It will also help them understand its true nature. Reading this study will bring them a new knowledge about this topic and fill their interests about the myths and legends the windigo has.

The purpose of this study is to explain why people who do not belong to the culture where windigo psychosis originated become affected by this disease.

B. Statement of the Problem

This study aims to answer this question:

1. Why are people outside the culture can still be affected by windigo psychosis?

C. Significance of the Study

College Students of Folklore and Mythology. This research paper would be able to help college students who are taking up courses which are connected to folklore and mythology. The researcher hopes that it will widen their perspectives on how a certain culture could affect many.

Teachers and Professors of Folklore and Mythology. Teachers and professors would benefit from this study because they would have a background of what they are going to teach when this sort of topic arrives. They could prepare their lesson plans using the information derived from this research paper.

Writers. This research paper will give the writers who have read it valid information about the disorder and they could portray it more vividly in their compositions.

Future Researchers. This research paper could be a guide to many researchers in the future who will have the similar topic as mine.

D. Scope and Delimitation

This study focuses only on why people who are outside the culture of believing in windigos can still be affected by the windigo psychosis.

Due to lack of information, this study will no longer discuss the scientific reason why windigo psychosis occurs. This study limits only two people who are diagnosed with windigo psychosis (Swift Runner and Vince Li) because other people who have been diagnosed with this disorder are either undocumented or irrelevant to the study.

E. Materials and Methods

    This research took its information from different articles, books, and journals from online sources. The researcher took the most vital and necessary information with each media and summarized it to make the study brief yet understandable.

Chapter 2

DISCUSSION

Why are people outside the culture can still be affected by windigo psychosis?

Definition of Windigo Psychosis

Windigo Psychosis when defined as a term, according the Stedman's Medical Dictiorary is "a culture-specific syndrome of some Canadian autochthones, consisting of delusions of being transformed into a cannibalistic monster called a windigo. The sufferer also experiences agitation, depression, and fears about inability to control sadistic impulses"  (http://www.medilexicon.com/medicaldictionary.php?t=73731).

Yet windigo psychosis is not only a term used to people who have delusions of transforming into a windigo. The sufferer, according to the researcher's findings. also resorts to cannibalism. Yes, the person diagnosed with the windigo psychosis will eventually try to eat his fellow human.

A more accurate definition of windigo psychosis is presented in the medical dictionary website wherein windigo psychosis "is a culture-bound disorder formerly of the Algonquian tribes of North America which involves an intense craving for human flesh - even when other food sources are readily available- and the fear that one will turn into a cannibal" 
(http://cogitz.wordpress.com/2009/09/13/wendigo-psychosis-monstrous-men/).

The most common response of someone diagnosed with this unusual disease  is seeking the help of traditional native healers or western doctors. If these attempts fail, the person with this disease might ask for his own execution to prevent harm to others.

To give emphasis to the word, culture-bound. Culture bound disorders or also known as culture specific disorders or folk illnesses are the disorders that only a specific culture can develop or obtain.

In conclusion, windigo psychosis is a strange and rare mental illness in which only people who are included in the culture, specifically the Algonquians, can be affected. But according to the information the researcher has discovered, there was an instance where a person who is not included in the culture, Vince Weiguang Li, was affected by the windigo psychosis which led him to murdering and cannibalizing the person he sat in the bus with, Tim McLean.

The following theories below will give the people who will read this study some ideas on why does the windigo psychosis occur to people who are outside the culture.

Ideas that might explain why people outside the culture can still be affected by windigo psychosis

There was no direct information on why people outside the culture could still be diagnosed with windigo psychosis. But the researcher dug deeper and found out ideas that would correlate on why people develop certain behaviors that are symptoms of windigo psychosis.

A. Moral Rationalization

Moral rationalization is an individual's way or ability to reinterpret his or her immoral actions as moral. A person would save himself from feeling the sensation of guilt and remorse by rationalizing it. The following below are common examples:

1. Belief rationalizes homicide
2. Activating folklore to rationalize murder

In a research paper entitled, "Moral Rationalization and the Integration of Situational Factors and Psychological Processes in Immoral Behavior" by Jo-Ann Tsang. The author stated that, "An explanation of evil that incorporates moral rationalization posits that people can violate their moral standards because they have convinced themselves that their behavior is not immoral at all."
(http://www.academia.edu/171600/Moral_rationalization_and_the_integration_of_situational_factors_and_psychological_processes_in_immoral_behavior).

The researcher could connect windigo psychosis because a person who committed homicide could use windigo psychosis as a rational excuse to put away his feelings of guilt. It could also be an excuse to escape once sentence, much like how Vince Weiguang Li did it. He was absolved of his crime, murdering Tim McLean, and was put to a mental institution instead.

B. Confirmation Bias

We surround ourselves with information that matches our belief. It could be beliefs that other people have influence upon a person or information that a person have agreed upon even before he or she was asked if he or she believes in it or not. One good example of this are conspiracy theories in some Filipino culture wherein a family line considers themselves as zombies because when they die their corpses will awaken and walk among them.

Confirmation bias according the article entitled, "Confirmation Bias" by an anonymous author is a term that is commonly used in psychological literature where it is a type of selective thinking wherein a person seeking or interpreting of evidence in ways that are partial to existing beliefs, expectations, or a hypothesis in hand.

As the author quoted Francis Bacon in his article, “The human understanding when it has once adopted an opinion (either as being the received opinion or as being agreeable to itself) draws all things else to support and agree with it" (http://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/06/23/confirmation-bias/).

The researcher could relate this to people who are affected by windigo psychosis even though they are not included in the culture by their biases. A person could have been influenced by another person about windigo psychosis and has been persuaded that this culture-bound disorder really occurs. And that person's belief triggers something in his mind that makes him feel the symptoms of the disorder.

C. Trauma

There was an article entitled "Experts Debate What Forces Create A Cannibal" by Sally Talwani that states that cannibalism could also occur as a result of trauma, especially when it is experienced in the childhood stage.

According to Dr. Clancy McKenzie, a psychology professor at Capital University in Washington, D.C. "a child, following weaning from the breast, experiences separation anxiety and fantasizes about devouring the mother" (http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/psychology/cannibalism/8.html).

If this child grows up and becomes an adult, he or she may regress back to that stage in the past due to stress and seek out the fulfillment he has been denied by resorting to cannibalism.

The researcher could relate this to windigo psychosis because individual, before having the said mental disorder usually encounters traumatic experiences such as being alone in the forest at night, hunting for wild animals, and getting lost in the wilderness for days. 

D. Aggression

Aggression is a behavior or a disposition that is forceful, hostile or attacking. It may occur either in retaliation or without provocation . In the article entitled, "Cannibalism: The Ancient Taboo in Modern Times" by Rachel Bell, it is said that cannibalism can be motivated by a desire to express power or control over the victim. It is the ultimate expression of dominance over another individual. Aggression cannibalism is influenced by feelings of hostility or fear, manifesting a need to show power or dominance for retaliation or control over another individual. In which the conclusion would be murdering and consuming an individual.

According to Eli Sagan, "Cannibalism is a psychological response to anger and frustration expressed through oral aggression and an urge to literally absorb a person through consumption"
(http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/psychology/cannibalism/8.html).

It is stated that children who are excessively dependent to their mothers due to over nurturing, are more prone to experience oral aggression and frustration due to separation. Sagan also states that the adult who subconsciously carries this oral aggression is likely to express it by turning to cannibalism.

Windigo psychosis could be related to aggression cannibalism because first of all, one of the symptoms of windigo psychosis is craving for human flesh. Next, people diagnosed with windigo psychosis are said to be violent and may attack at any moment. This shows the characteristic of aggression. And this proves to be a helpful idea in understanding why people outside the culture can still be affected by windigo psychosis. 

E. Stress

Stress is felt by all of us. But to some people, stress can be a way to trigger cannibalism. In an article entitled, "Cannibalism: The Ancient Taboo in the Modern Times" by Rachel Bell. There was a man named Jeffrey Dahmer who was called as the Milwaukee cannibal. He murdered his first victim after the break up of his family.

According to Dr. Peter Dietz, "a person can resort to cannibalism when faced with sudden traumatic stress" (http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/psychology/cannibalism/8.html).

Stress could be an important factor that could trigger hunger for the same species. Though this was not further explained in the article, it showed a couple of names of cannibals who turned to cannibalism after being in a stressful situation such as financial problems, family problems, and relationship problems. 

Windigo Psychosis could be connected with cannibalism due to stress because aborigines who suffer from windigo psychosis were in stressful situations such as famine and anxiety of becoming a windigo, also a symptom of windigo psychosis. They are also in a lot of stress because they fear that they might hurt their loved ones and the people around them.

Chapter 3

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

SUMMARY

This paper attempted to discover and explain reasons on why people who are not included in the culture can still be affected by windigo psychosis. 

The research design used in this study is the descriptive method wherein data from documents, articles, books, and other research papers found in the internet were used to answer the research questions posed:

1. Windigo psychosis is a culture bound disease originated in the Algonquian aborigines. It usually occurs in Canada.

2. Windigo psychosis may be rare but there are still people who are diagnosed with it in the modern era such as Vince Weiguang Li who murdered and ate Tim McLean in a bus in Canada. 

3. Cannibalism is a symptom of windigo psychosis. Other symptoms are anxiety, nausea, and vomitting.

4. Windigo Psychosis came from the legend of the windigo. A mythical creature found in the Algonquian legends.

5. Windigos have a few counterparts such as the Rugaru and the stonecoats. Its name has a lot of varieties such as weetigo, windago, wihtikow. 

CONCLUSION

Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions are drawn:

1. Windigo Psychosis does not have a definite reason on why people who are not included in the Algonquian culture can still be affected by windigo psychosis. But there are ideas and theories that can be closely related to it. 

2. People used moral rationalization in activating folklore to rationalize murder or homicide. 

3. People can be affected by windigo psychosis by being influenced by it in terms of confirmation bias.

4. Cannibalism can be triggered by traumatic experiences during childhood. If the child steps into adulthood, he might regress back to the past and seek out fulfillment by resorting to cannibalism.

5. Stress is an important factor in the craving for human flesh.

6. Aggression can also trigger cannibalism due to the need to control over someone because devouring your enemy is the ultimate expression of dominance over someone.

RECOMMENDATIONS

After drawing the conclusions of the study, the researcher hereby make the following suggestions/recommendations:

1. College students of Folklore and Mythology should use this as a guide to understanding more about windigo psychosis. They could also use this as a basis for research papers.

2.Teachers and Scholars should use this as one of their topics in their lesson plan.

3. Writers should use some of the facts in this research for more detailed compositions.

4. Future researchers should design a research that will develop and discover more about the rare mental disorder which is the windigo psychosis. Use this study as a basis for a more solid study in the future concerning topics related to this.

References:

A. Electronic Materials

"Conceptions of Mental Illness: Cultural Perspectives and Treatment Implications." Retrieved March 16, 2014 from http://www.fcas.nova.edu/faculty/publications/quadrivium/issue1/mental_illness/

"10 Things You Always Wondered About Cannibalism" Retrieved March 16, 2014 from http://www.businessinsider.com/10-things-you-always-wondered-about-cannibalism-2012-5?op=1

"Wendigo- Cannibalistic Spirit" Retrieved March 16, 2014 from http://tfwalsh.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/wendigo-cannibalistic-spirit/

"What is a Rugaru and where did the concept originate" Retrieved March 17, 2014 from http://www.legionofpagans.com/hoodoovoodoo/4810/what-is-a-rugaru-and-where-did-the-concept-of-them-originate

"Vince Weiguang Li" Retrieved March 17, 2014 from http://murderpedia.org/male.L/l/li-vince-weiguang.htm

"Windigo Psychosis" Retrieved March 19, 2014 from http://www.medilexicon.com/medicaldictionary.php?t=73731

"Wendigo Psychosis: Monstrous Men" Retrieved March 25, 2014 from http://cogitz.wordpress.com/2009/09/13/wendigo-psychosis-monstrous-men/

"Moral Rationalization and the Integration of Situational Factors andPsychological Processes in Immoral Behavior" Retrieved April 8, 2014 from http://www.academia.edu/171600/Moral_rationalization_and_the_integration_of_situational_factors_and_psychological_processes_in_immoral_behavior

"Confirmation Bias" Retrieved April 8, 2014 from http://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/06/23/confirmation-bias/

"Cannibalism: The Ancient Taboo in Modern Times" Retrieved April 8, 2014
http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/psychology/cannibalism/8.html

Blogpost #8: Strange Mental Illnesses

A mental disorder is a mental or bodily condition marked primarily  by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind, and emotions to seriously impair the psychological functioning of the individual.

There are a lot of known and common mental disorders such as bulimia,anorexia, and etc. But what my newest blog entry will behold several strange mental disorders that most likely you haven't heard of.

There was an article entitled, "5 Strangest Mental Disorders" by an anonymous writer in the site psychdegrees.org. The first disorder that was expounded was the Cotard's Syndrome aka Walking Corpse Syndrome. This is a mental disorder that makes the sufferer believe that they are dead, all their blood and organs are gone, and their soul has been removed. The second one was Synesthesia. It is an anomalous blending of the senses. The sufferers hear colors, feel sounds, and taste shapes. The third one is my topic of course, The Windigo Psychosis. And I assume you already know what it is from reading my previous blogpost but for the newbie's sake. I will summarize what it is. Windigo Psychosis is a culture-bound disorder that urges a person to become like a windigo (cannibal). The next disorder is called, Capgras Syndrome. It is a rare delusion in which a person falsely believes their loved one has been replaced by an impostor. Lastly, there is the Alien Hand Syndrome. A neurological disorder in which one hand functions involuntarily with the victim completely.

According to the anonymous writer, "Such mental illnesses has a ratio of 1:5 regarding American citizens and women are more prone to these disorders than men. Serious mental illness is defined by moderate - extreme impairment of 1-4 of the following: Feeling/mood, thinking, family, role performance and self care."

People with mental disorders should be treated with care and precaution. There are no exact ways to prevent this form happening but to be sure. Consult a doctor when you feel or think of something that's unnatural or odd for even you can handle.

There was another article entitled, "10 Incredibly Strange Brain Disorders" by Esther Arkell in io9.com. Astasia-Abasia patients are always on the verge of falling, Anosognia patients are unable to recognize their own injuries, Broca's Aphasia patients are able to do everything but speak, and Palinopsia patients literally cannot unsee things. We have all experienced staring at an intense light and seeing it afterwards in a different location but with Palinopsia patients, they see this for several days. Dysmimia or Amimia patients cannot comprehend hand gestures, Verbal Dysdecorum patients can't censor themselves, Dysantigraphia patients can't copy handwriting, Amelodia Patients cannot name tunes, Anhedonia patients can't take pleasure in anything, and lastly, Jargonaphasia. It is when a patient has lost the ability to form words entirely, and only utters a string of sounds that don't resemble words at all. For some it's when patients speak words, but without any sentence structure or grammar to give them meaning. The last understanding of the term is the most interesting. Patients can be said to be suffering from jargonaphasia when they incessantly use platitudes, cliches, and pleasantries to cover the fact that they're saying nothing.

According to Thomas R. Insel, "We are really at the cusp of a revolution in the way we think about the brain and behavior, partly because of technological breakthroughs. We're finally able to answer some of the fundamental questions."

Though a lot of mental disorders emerged throughout the years. But science and medicine have figured a lot of ways to cure them. If not cure, then cheat. People who experience mental disorders commonly commit suicide but

Blogpost #7: Windigo Psychosis Cases

Scrolling through articles in the internet that are associated with cannibalism is not a fun thing to do. I have encountered seeing people slicing through other people's body parts and eating them. But fortunately, I could stomach it all in.

I have read many accounts of cannibalism but I could only pinpoint a few that could be counted or could be suspected as Windigo Psychosis. The most popular and documented account of Windigo Psychosis is the Runner's mass murder case but I've already talked about that in my first blogpost. So here are a two cases that caught my eye.

There was an article entitled, "Vince Weiguang Li" by Juan Blanco in murderpedia.com. The murder of Mr. McLean occured on the evening of July 30, 2008. McLean, a 22-year-old Canadian man, was stabbed, beheaded and cannibalized while riding a Greyhound Canada bus about 30 km west of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba traveling the Trans Canada Highway. On March 5, 2009, McLean's killer, 40-year-old Vince Weiguang Li was found to be not criminally responsible for murder and was remanded to a high-security mental health facility where he currently resides.

According to witnesses, McLean was sleeping with his headphones on when the man sitting next to him suddenly produced a large knife and began stabbing McLean in the neck and chest. The attacker then decapitated McLean and displayed his severed head to other passengers outside who had fled the bus in horror. The driver and two other men had attempted to rescue McLean but were chased away by Li, who slashed wildly at them from behind the locked bus doors. Li then went back to the body and began severing other body parts and consuming some of McLean's flesh.

Li's trial commenced with Li pleading not criminally responsible. The psychiatrist said that Li performed the attack because God's voice told him McLean was a force of evil and was about to execute him. The presiding judge accepted the diagnosis, and ruled that Li was not criminally responsible for the killing. Li was remanded to the Selkirk Mental Health Center. Though he had not fully emerged from the psychotic phase, the psychiatrist said that Li was beginning to realize what he had done, though he could not accept that he cannibalized McLean.

According to the witness Garnet Caton, "There was no rage or anything. He was like a robot, stabbing the guy," and "I got sick after I saw the head thing. Some people were puking, some people were crying, some people were shocked. [The attacker] just looked at us and dropped the head on the ground, totally calm."

The coincidences are uncanny if you compare this crime to Windigo Psychosis. First of, Li seemed like he was possessed by something as he was stabbing McLean's body repeatedly. Caton's statement was that Li was calmly stabbing him like he was a robot. In his interview, he said that he heard the voice of God. Maybe it wasn't God, maybe he was possessed by a malevolent spirit that turns people into windigos. It could be a possibility. Second, after the kill. Li digested McLean's flesh and decapitated his head. Windigo Psychosis makes a person violent and makes a person crave for human flesh. And lastly, Li wasn't put to jail for his crime but he was sent to a mental facility. And Windigo Psychosis is a mental disorder. 

There was another article entitled, "Dictionary of Canadian Biography" by James R. Stevens. Jack Fiddler or Zhauwuno-geezhigo-gaubow was a shaman and leader of the Sucker clan, a group of Cree living in the forest off of Sandy Lake in northwestern Ontario. He was a wendigo hunter who killed people suspected of windigo psychosis because it was a threat to the other tribe members. Along with his brother Joseph, who assisted Jack’s mercy killings.

In early 1907, two members of the North-West Mounted Police visiting Island Lake heard of Jack Fiddler's power against the wendigo from Norman Rae, an in-law of the Fiddlers. Seeking to introduce Canadian law in the North, the Mounties went to the Sucker camp at Deer Lake and arrested Jack and Joseph Fiddler for murder. The elderly brothers were charged with murdering Wahsakapeequay, Joseph's daughter-in-law, the year before. They were held at Norway House to await trial. Meanwhile, newspapers across Canada picked up the story and printed sensational headlines of murder and devil-worship. Across the country, people demanded convictions, while the police conducting the trial saw an opportunity for fame and advancement. On September 30, Jack Fiddler escaped captivity during a walk outside. He hanged himself nearby and was found dead later in the day. Less than a month later, Joseph Fiddler was brought to trial in the court of Commissioner Aylesworth Bowen Perry.

According to Methodist missionary Joseph Albert George Lousley, “He has not the slightest sign of enmity or hatred towards men nor God, no rebellion or unbelief, he is a quiet dignified man who has lived his life with a clear conscience.”

Jack and Joseph Fiddler only wanted to protect their tribe members from their belief of a person becoming a wendigo. But all of the people they have killed were only presumed to have windigo psychosis. There were no actual and relevant proof for them to be executed. But because of their strong beliefs, they have taken away lives at their hands. Which is a valid reason for them to be put to jail. 

Blogpost #6: Counterparts of a Windigo

A lot of mythical creatures and topic of legends have a lot of counterparts. Zeus' counterpart is Jupiter and Poseidon's counterpart is Neptune. Though most of the characteristics are similar, there are still a few that differs it because of other cultural influences that occurred as these ideas were exploited throughout the world.

I've compared and contrasted various mythical creatures and came up with valid counterparts of a Windigo.

There was an article entitled, "Jokao" written by an anonymous author in the site mythicalcreatureslist.com. It is said that Jokaos are a race of cannibals from the myths of the Iroquois and Seneca Native Americans. They look human but their skin are covered with stone scales. They were once humans but during a harsh Winter their hunger caused them to eat other humans which is just like the how windigos are born. There was one Jokao that became aware of what he had become and he was filled with regret. He ran south away from the lands of the Jokao until a large deep river blocked his path. He called for help; a man in a canoe came to him and offered him hot deer fat. When the Jokao drank this, his scales melted away and he was human again.

According to Christopher Golden in his book "The Lost Ones", "They were called Stonecoats because their bodies were entirely covered in rocky armor. Their eyes were like pure quartz crystal. Whether there was flesh beneath theit Stonecoats was the subject of great conjecture."

Stonecoats or Jokaos are similar in a way that they both originated in Native American legend and both of them are cannibalistic creatures. Their differences however is windigos are creatures associated with ice while the stonecoats are associated with a rocky armor. Both of these creatures are commonly created during harsh winters. The Stonecoats can change back to humans while the Windigo cannot.

There was another creature that counts as a counterpart of a Windigo and it is called Rugaru. The article entitled "What is a Rugaru, and where did the concept of them originate" was written by an author with a psudoname, Alrwolf. The Rugaru, has been associated with the legendary cannibalistic Native American windigos. The stories of the windigo vary by tribe and region, but the most common cause of the change is typically related to cannibalism.

An example is that if a person sees a rugaru, that person will be transformed into one. Thereafter, the unfortunate victim will be doomed to wander in the form of this monster. That rugaru story bears some resemblance to a Native American version of the windigo legend related in a short story by Algernon Blackwood. In Blackwood's fictional adaptation of the legend, seeing a windigo causes one to turn into a windigo.

According to Peter Matthiessen, "The Rugaru is a separate legend from that of the cannibal-likegiant wendigo. While the wendigo is feared, the rugaru is seen as sacred and in tune with Mother Earth, somewhat like bigfoot legends are today."

Rugarus have a lot of places where its legend are known. There are legends of it in France, Louisiana, and in America. Rugaru can be counted as a counterpart of a wendigo because it first of all, it is cannibalistic. Second, the method of a man's transformation to a Rugaru is similar to how a wendigo itransforms from a human. And lastly, both of them have no cure. The ones who already transformed into a monster cannot be turned back to his or her human form. There maybe a lot of legends that are associated as a windigo counterpart such as the Jenu, Atshen, Gici Awas that I was not able to explain further because the articles lack certain information.

Blogpost #5: Windigo, Windigo Psychosis and Cannibalism-Inspired Art (Literature, Film, etc)

There is always a pinch of goodness in everything no matter how bad it is or how bad it gets. I've been consistent about the bad traits of Windigo Psychosis. How it makes humans crave for human flesh and how it morbid it is. But regardless of how gruesome it is. This disorder inspired people to make profit out of them.

In literature, film, and painting, Windigos and Windigo Psychosis could abundantly be found. 

There was an article entitled, "Wendigo - Cannibalistic Spirit" from the site wordpress.com that was written by T.F. Walsh. Wendigos have been referred to in literature for many decades, most notably in Algernon Blackwood’s 1910 story “The Wendigo,” which introduced the legend to horror fiction, and in Stephen King’s novel Pet Cemetery, recently they have become something of a stock character in horror and fantasy films and television, along the lines of werewolves and vampires. Appearances include the movies Wendigo and Ravenous and in episodes of the television series Blood Ties, Charmed, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Supernatural, and others. They also appear as characters in a number of computer and video games, including Final Fantasy, The Legend of Dragoon, and the Warcraft Universe, as well as role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons. Additionally, there is a Marvel Comics character known as “Wendigo”. They are referenced in music as well: the Cree singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie’s song “The Priests Of The Golden Bull” asserts that the “money junkies” of the world are Wendigos.

According to Blackwood's book entitled, Wendigo, "That same instant old Punk started for home. He covered the entire journey of three days as only Indian blood could have covered it. The terror of a whole race drove him. He knew what it all meant. Défago had seen the Wendigo."

Wendigos though gruesome and immoral. They are still used as science fiction characters in different forms of art such as literature, film, and music. Windigos can be diverse creatures. There are a lot of varieties and legends that you could choose from regarding the windigo. Maybe that's why people get intrigued by it and makes it a subject of their own enigmatic and strange masterpiece. Though Windigos are foul and merciless creatures, we still acknowledge it. It's amazing how us human beings could make something good out of something bad. Kudos to the one who conceptualized making the wendigo as a good character, a hero for a change. 

Another article that I've read was entitled, "Taboo and Truth in Cannibal Holocaust" by Jennifer Brown. Cannibalism in popular culture is a cliche and recurring theme, especially within the horror and gore genre. Artists who have worked with the topic of cannibalism include Ruggero Deodato, Herschell Gordon Lewis and Bret Easton Ellis.

Many works in popular culture depict groups of people for whom cannibalism is a cultural norm. A lot of horror films, known as cannibal films, have over-used the theme of cannibal tribes. This subgenre experienced a period of popularity through the work of Italian filmmakers in the 1970s and 1980s. These films commonly concern the discovery of cannibalistic tribes by documentary filmmakers or anthropologists. The best known of these films was Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust. Later horror films to feature cannibal groups include The Hills Have Eyes series, with its clan of cannibalistic savages, and the cannibalistic mountain men of Wrong Turn and its sequels. In the science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein, some human culture is transformed as a result of the Martians' practice of eating one's dead friends as an act of great respect. 

Popular culture depictions of cannibalism sometimes involve people who are unaware of their act, and have been served human flesh by a murderous host. In Greek mythology, Tantalus served the Olympian gods the flesh of his son, Pelops. None of the gods were fooled except for Demeter, who ate part of his shoulder. In another myth, the Thracian king Tereus raped his wife Procne's sister Philomela and cut out her tongue to prevent her from telling anyone. Philomela nevertheless notified Procne, who gained her revenge by serving Tereus the flesh of their son, Itys. The victims of legendary murderer Sweeney Todd are baked into meat pies, which are then sold in the streets of London. A variation on this theme occurs in The Untold Story series of Category 3 films. In William Shakespeare's late 16th century play Titus Andronicus, the character Tamora is unknowingly served a pie made from the remains of her two sons. In C. S. Lewis's The Silver Chair, the protagonists stay in a castle of Narnian giants, who serve them venison. It is revealed that the venison came from a talking stag, which in Narnia is tantamount to cannibalism. 

According to  Ruggero Deodato, in explaining how to eat a human being. "First you take the liver out, then you open the rib cage and take the innards out. Then you fill it with hot stones and aromatic herbs …"

He didn't actually ate a human being but that's how he explained it during filming his movie. A lot of films, books, and other works of art have been inspired by gruesome death and cannibalism. It's odd because we get ideas such as those to create something that will entertain people. That will satisfy their sadistic nature and this genre is being overused. A lot of movies that involves cannibalism rotates on one concept. A group gets lost in the middle of nowhere, finds themselves in the midst of cannibals, gets eaten, and dies. I've been watching those kinds of movies since I was in high school and got sick of it. 

Blogpost #4: Cannibalism

There are meat lovers and vegetarians. But if you eat the flesh of humans, you're in the cannibal category, my friend.

Cannibals and people diagnosed with Windigo Psychosis have a certain thing in common, they both crave for the taste of human flesh.

There was an article that I've read entitled, "Ten Things You've Always Wondered About Cannibalism" from the site www.businessinsider.com which was written by Lauren Brown. Cannibalism was practiced since the time of the Homo Antecessor, the link between the Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. And it still practiced by some people today. There is no law against the consumption of human flesh. Most criminals who commit this usually gets charged of murder and necrophilia. No one really knows the real reason of why people resort to cannibalism even though food sources are available. Aside from ritualistic and survival cannibalism, there's only speculation as to why criminal cannibalism occurs. Psychologists have speculated that it may relate to childhood trauma relating to separation anxiety from the mother and resulting oral aggression.There are references to cannibalism have to do with the siege of Jerusalem and what would happen if the Israelites disobeyed God. The article also states that, humans taste like pork. In some of the most horrific cases, are elements of sexual cannibalism where people derive sexual satisfaction from fantasizing about and consuming humans.

According to Miewes in the trials in 2004 and 2006: "I had always dreamt of having a younger brother—someone to be part of me—and I become fascinated with cannibalism as a way to fulfill that obsession."

Cannibalism have been part of our lives since then old days. But through our evolution, this has lessened. There are a lot of theories why cannibalism occurs but none of those actually were actually proven to be a hundred percent true. It's scary because one little thought could eventually make a cannibal. I wouldn't want to be one.

In another article entitled, "Facts About Cannibalism" that was written anonymously in the site of natgeov.com. The term Cannibalism originated from the Carib Indians of the Caribbean. The Carib Indians were accused by their neighbors as being very fierce and of eating people. The Spanish had a problem pronouncing the letter 'r' in Carib, so this became 'Canib' and eventually 'Canibales'. Suprisingly, those who have bitten their fingernails or eaten a bit of our own hair can be counted as a type of cannibal. Also known as auto cannibalism or self cannibalism.Even fairy tales have cannibals. In Snow White, the wicked stepmother wanted to eat Snow Whites heart, the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk ate English men and Hansel and Gretel were captured by an evil child eating witch. The Aztecs are believed to have engaged in Cannibalism in order to appease their Gods. In 1972 an airplane carrying a Uruguayan rugby team across the Andes crashed. Those who didn't die were forced to eat the other victims in order to survive. There is a cannibalistic practice known as Ko Ku and Ko Kan occurred in China. Children would donate parts of their body such as their liver to their sick parents. A Princess called Miao Chuang surrendered her severed hands to her ailing father, after which she was deified. There are many different forms of Cannibalism. Some of the less documented forms include Gastronomic cannibalism which is non survival cannibalism, medicinal cannibalism which involves the consumption of human tissues or bone for medical purposes and sadistic cannibalism which is the killing and eating of individuals out of sadistic or psycho pathological motives.

In a video that was also in this page. There was a man who dared to experience living with cannibals in Papua New Guinea. His name was Piers Gibbon, a reporter and an adventurer. He came to find tribe members who ate human flesh and meets with members of the once-feared Biami tribe and witnesses their ritual techniques.

According to Gibbon regarding to his experience of seeing those people eat human flesh, "It's a fine line to tread between seeing just that which is shocking and trying to put it into context."

Well, Gibbon is certainly proved that he is a brave, curious, and open-minded man because of what he did. He explored and saw the ultimate taboo being practiced. I couldn't stomach much of the content but I've learned enough. Cannibalism is something that has been around a thousand years ago and has been practiced by our ancestors yet we consider it as a wrong thing to do which is ironic. Because they've done it, why can't we? I'm not saying that we should be cannibals or anything because I find it really disgusting. But how came something that was done years and years back is considered wrong today? I just hope that cannibalism wouldn't be our last resort.

Blogpost #3: Windigo Psychosis and Other Culture Bound Disorders

   A lot of us are familiar with the disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and dementia because these disorders are very common. And is experienced throughout the nation and all over the globe. But in this blogpost, I will introduce several disorders that will shatter your innocence about culture bound disorders.

   Culture bound disorders or also known as culture specific disorders or folk illnesses are the disorders that only a specific culture can develop or obtain . These disorders might be similar in many cultures but have different names.

   In an article that I've read that was entitled, "Conceptions of Mental Illness: Cultural Perspectives and Treatment Implications" from the website www.fcas.nova.edu which was written by Lena Hall. More than 30 culture-bound disorders or folk illnesses have been reported in the clinical and research literature. However only a few receive the most attention and are well known. And it included Windigo Psychosis. Windingo Psychosis is a culture-bound syndrome of obsession for human flesh and it involves disgust for ordinary food and feelings of depression and anxiety, leading to possession by the witiko spirit (a giant man-eating monster) and often resulting in homicide and cannibalism. It occurs among Canadian Indians and has been construed as a severe form of starvation anxiety. If a cure is not reached, the witiko sufferer often pleads for death to avert his cannibalistic desire.

   Other disorders are "Amok" (involves wild behavior in a limited duration), "Brain fag" (involves problems in academic learning), "Koro" (involves the sensation that one's penis is retracting into the abdomen and the belief that when fully retracted, death will result), Ghost Sickness (involves weakness and dizziness resulting from the action of witches and evil forces) and many more.

   According to Andrew Colman in his book, Dictionary of Psychology: "Culture-bound syndromes are patterns of behavior that do not fit accordingly into normal classifications of mental disorders. They are entirely or mainly restricted to particular cultural groups."

   Different cultures have different perspectives in which specific practice or thing is acceptable or not. For example, in the Philippines it is normal and acceptable to kiss the hand of your elderly which is also called as "mano" while in other countries it is not. Every culture has its own disorders that are different to one another but can also be similar. That are not considered as universal that is why they are called culture bound disorders.

   In another article entitled, "Introduction to Culture-bound Syndromes" from the site mnstate.edu written by Ronald C. Simons. Culture bound disorders are really complex but it also teaches us a lesson. In considering the situation of a suffering human being, especially if the goal is to remove or cure that suffering, it is vital to consider not only the physiology, but also culturally significant beliefs and practices.

   According to Dr. Simons, "In theory, culture-bound syndromes are those folk illnesses in which alterations of behavior and experience figure prominently. In actuality, however, many are not syndromes at all. Instead, they are local ways of explaining any of a wide assortment of misfortunes."

   Culture bound disorders are not necessarily disorders. These are the products of a certain strong belief of something such as Windigos that's why when someone breaks a taboo of eating human flesh, they consider that someone to be possessed by windigo and diagnose him with windigo psychosis. Its normal to their culture but not to the other  cultures, that's why they've included it as a culture-bound disorder.