folklore
blood brothers
For those of you who aren’t aware, New Orleans is quite an eerie place. It’s is so dangerous in one sense & gothic in the other. It has always been a notorious place by highest murder rate & some missing persons. This place is always associated with vampires & paranormal activities. The Carter brothers, namely John & Wayne Carter are one of the most feared vampires in the city of New Orleans
Their story is quite haunting, so is the place where they used to live. They behaved like normal humans in every aspect & had normal labor jobs. They lived on a street in the famous French Quarter. One day a girl was reported to escape from the Caters. Her wrists were badly cut & bleeding. The policemen raided Carter’s apartment instantly & found 4 more people tied to the chairs & their wrist sliced in the same manner. The story was that these brothers used to kidnap people to drink their blood at the end of every day they came from work.
Searching further in their apartment, police also found the dead bodies of 14 people. Police waited for the brothers to return & they eventually did. It was so difficult for the police to abduct John & Wayne. Even 8 people couldn’t match the force of those average-sized men. The Carter brothers were executed & buried. After some years, their bodies were not found in the family’s vault.
The rumor is that you become a vampire if a vampire drinks your blood seven days in a row. One of the victims found in their apartment became a serial killer taking lives of more than 32 people. It was reported that he too drank the blood of his victims. In the New Orleans, Carter brothers are still feared because many people have reported their presence in the French Quarter.
roux-ga-roux
According to Professor Barry Jean Ancelet, an expert in Cajun folklore at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, the legend of the Rougarou is common throughout the area. He reiterated that the story originated in Medieval France and was thought to be a tale told to children to keep them away from the woods. The story followed the French settlers to Louisiana, and was further buoyed by French Canadians migrating down to New Orleans within the last couple hundred years.
Professor Ancelet indicated that the Rougarou is said to prowl the swamps and bayous of Louisiana as well as the areas around New Orleans itself. He added that it has the body of a man and the head of a wolf/dog. Besides using the tales to keep children in line, it was also used as a way to keep Catholics in line. There is a story that goes if you don’t observe the strict rules of Lent for seven years in a row, you’ll automatically turn into a Rougarou.
swamp monster
One of the odder mystery beasts said to lurk within the steamy, muck-mired swamps of Louisiana is a creature called the Grunch, most often said to be A reptilian monstrosity with glowing eyes, a goat-like head, hoofed feet, formidable fangs, wicked claws, and a bad attitude. The aggressive little monster is surrounded by a wretched stench, and has the apparent ability to instill great fear upon those who see it, and it also is known to unleash ear piercing howls or wails that invoke terror. The origins of the creature go way back to the beginnings of New Orleans, back in the 1700s, and stories began to be whispered amongst the new settlers of a strange monster living in the swamps.
nixie
Dazzling in color and about the size of large insects, Sprites have glistening membranous wings. In fact, they are often confused with exotic insects or flowers at first glance.
Considered to be the most common type of faerie, they are known to live in deep woods. Some make their homes high in the branches of trees while others prefer to live near ponds and streams. They particularly love to live in the forests inhabited by treefolk and other fey and enjoy cool weather and a calm, serene environment. If sprites are spotted, it is a sign that the area has a high concentration of faerie activity.
Each morning sprites come down from the trees, if they are tree sprites, and bathe in the dew. Water and ground dwelling sprites bathe in the river or pond they inhabit. Although we prefer to think of sprites as sweet and innocent they are still living beings and require sustenance. As the Faeries' main gardeners, they have a mutualistic relationship, eating the pests that cause damage to the plants and nourishing their bodies. This rids the flowers, grasses, trees and bushes of bugs, beetles, worms, grubs and slugs that harm the plant.
voodoo
Synonymous with New Orleans, voodoo first came to Louisiana with enslaved West Africans, who merged their religious rituals and practices with those of the local Catholic population. New Orleans Voodoo is also known as Voodoo-Catholicism. It is a religion connected to nature, spirits and ancestors. Voodoo was bolstered when followers fleeing Haiti after the 1791 slave revolt moved to New Orleans and grew as many freed people of color made its practice an important part of their culture. Voodoo queens and kings were spiritual and political figures of power in 1800s New Orleans.
The core belief of New Orleans Voodoo is that one God does not interfere in daily lives, but that spirits do. Connection with these spirits can be obtained through various rituals such as dance, music, chanting, and snakes.
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Today gris-gris dolls, potions and talismans are still found in stores and homes throughout the city – a reminder of the New Orleans fascination with spirits, magic and mystery. Voodoo practices include readings, spiritual baths, prayer and personal ceremony. It is used to cure anxiety, addictions and feelings of depression or loneliness, as well as to help the poor, hungry and the sick.