Native American language
American Indian culture
American Indian nations
Native American Legends: Rugaru (Rougarou)
Name: Rugaru
Tribal affiliation: Metis,
Crees
Alternate spellings: Rougarou, Rigoureau, Rou-Garou, Roogaroo, Rougaroo, Rugaroo, Ruggaroo, Roux-Ga-Roux
Pronunciation: roo-gah-roo
Type: Monster,
shapeshifter,
ice cannibal,
wolf spirit
Related figures in other tribes: Windigo (Anishinabe),
Jinu (Mi'kmaq)
"Rugaru" is not actually a Native American word, but rather a Michif pronunciation of the French phrase
"loup garou," meaning "wolf-man." Some stories about Rugaru come from French werewolf legends, some are
adaptations of Algonquian Windigo legends about man-eating ice monsters, and some are combinations
of the two. In most Rugaru legends a Metis person is turned into a Rugaru by catching sight of another
Rugaru, not being bitten by one (as in French werewolf legends) or committing sins of cannibalism
or greed (as in Algonquian Windigo legends.)
Rougarou Stories
The Roogaroo: Scary Monster of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa:
Michif folktale about a woman's encounter with a rugaru.
Recommended Books of Related Native American Legends
Our organization earns a commission from any book bought through these links
Stories of the Road Allowance People:
A good collection of traditional Metis folktales.
Algonquian Spirit:
Excellent anthology of Native American stories, songs, and oral history from the Cree and other Algonquian tribes.
Sponsored Links
Additional Resources
Metis mythology
Michif language
Cree tribe
Native Canadian peoples
Woodland Indian
Algonquian religious beliefs
Learn more about the Cree tribe
Back to Native American Horror Stories
Back to Native American Legends
Native American names
Lenape tribe
Make dreamcatcher
Native flute
Native American Indian jewelry
Would you like to help support our organization's work with endangered American Indian languages?
Native Languages of the Americas website © 1998-2020 
Contacts and FAQ page