Legend of the Wendigo: Blackfoot

Long before books were printed and stories were placed upon shelves, knowledge travelled through the spoken word.
Families gathered together while Elders and storytellers shared histories, teachings, warnings, humour, and memories. These stories helped younger generations understand the land, their responsibilities to one another, and the importance of courage, generosity, humility, and community.

This novel is set within a fictional Blackfoot community on the plains and foothills of what is now Alberta. It honours the importance of family, oral storytelling, respect for Elders, and the powerful relationship between people and the land.
The Wendigo legend, however, does not originate within Blackfoot traditions. It is most closely connected to the stories and teachings of several Algonquian-speaking Indigenous peoples from the eastern and northern regions of North America. Traditions differ between Nations and communities, and no single fictional retelling can represent them all.
Within this story, the Wendigo warning has travelled west through relationships, visitors, and generations of storytellers. The characters understand that the story came from another people and must therefore be carried with honesty and respect.

This is a work of fiction.

Its characters, conversations, journeys, and events were created for this novel. The story is not intended to replace traditional knowledge, sacred teachings, or the voices of Indigenous Elders and knowledge keepers.
At its heart, this novel explores a warning found within many cultures: unchecked greed, fear, isolation, and endless wanting can cause people to forget their responsibilities to others.

The monster in this story lives in the winter forest.

But its greatest strength comes when people believe they must face the darkness alone.

The Wendigo weakens when people share what they have, speak truthfully about their fears, accept help, and remember who they are.

That is why this story is carried around the fire.

Not only to frighten.

Not only to entertain.

But to remind each new generation that no darkness is stronger than a community that refuses to abandon one another.