Talk:Wendigo

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Course assignment

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 11 January 2022 and 29 April 2022. Further details are available on the course page. Peer reviewers: Lauralim13, Comfort06. — Preceding unsigned comment added by User:Comfort06 (talk • contribs) 10:32, 11 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Error?

The article states that a Wendigo is "a malevolent cannibalistic spirit into which humans could transform". Should this not be "a malevolent cannibalistic spirit which could transform into humans", or according to the legend could humans actually transform into this spirit? --KägeTorä - (影虎) (TALK) 13:22, 31 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

It's the humans that transform into the wendigo, or that are possessed, usually. That's the point of the taboo - if you resort to cannibalism, you'll become a wendigo.--Cúchullain ^t/c 13:32, 31 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

No 70.176.41.103 (talk) 20:11, 8 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Name Taboo?

I've noticed a few trending posts on social media from Algonquin, etc., folks claiming that saying the name is taboo for fear of attracting it (much like the etymology for "bear"), to the point where some refuse to write out the name fully (replacing letters with asterisks, etc.). Is anyone aware of any sources that may or may not back this claim up? Noir LeSable (talk) 14:26, 25 October 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Response by SteveBenassi (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · block user · block log) moved to user talk due to issues with WP:OR, WP:RS and WP:FORUM.- CorbieVreccan ^☊ ☼ 20:15, 21 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]

I really think members of indigenous groups that actually claim the Wendigo are an authoritative source in of themselves. Stopchewingyourcuticles (talk) 12:55, 4 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Our usual standards for reliable sources still apply. Somebody writing something on social media is not usually reliable. Gawaon (talk) 10:09, 5 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Info box image change

I think its completely disrespectful that the first image this article opens with is a genAI image and not only that, that it was added by the "author" of it. It's inaccurate to descriptions of the creature and, as an encyclopedia, it feels disingenuous to present a genAI image in a context where genAI is not relevant, not to mention that it could bring copyright troubles. This image should either be removed or replaced. 2806:370:9766:99BD:B973:63BF:8F97:50CF (talk) 18:54, 20 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think there could be copyright concerns, but the image seems of limited relevance. I have removed it from the article, replacing it with the image that was used there before. (Also some user's own creation, but that's a different topic.) Gawaon (talk) 09:36, 21 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, I hope I wasn't making a mountain out of a molehill but at least I feel like the replacement is a bit more appropriate. 200.68.187.10 (talk) 19:15, 21 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The current article image is really not great

Even though the caption (correctly) identifies the drawing as being a depiction of the (white, settler) conception of the video game monster trope called "Wendigo", it really has nothing to do with the actual mythological entity and is arguably disrespectful to indigenous peoples from cultures with Wendigo mythology and taboos. It's also just not a very helpful or illustrative image, it adds nothing to the article in terms of educational or informative value. I really think it should be removed. Stopchewingyourcuticles (talk) 12:58, 4 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Every article should have a top image. Please suggest a better one if you can find one. The problem, however, seems to be a lack of suitable candidates. Gawaon (talk) 10:10, 5 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]

@Gawaon Firstly, there's no guideline that says every article has to have an image. Secondly, given there wasn't ever a consistent physical depiction of a Wendigo in Algonquin folklore, I don't think this article needs one. I'll be removing it. Arcade Wise (they/them) (talk) 19:01, 18 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]