Loogaroo
A Caribbean shapeshifter and vampire linked to the Devil.
The Loogaroo, also known as Ligaroo, Lougarou, or Lagahoo, is a shapeshifter, sorcerer, or vampire figure found across the Caribbean and African Diaspora. The term derives from the French word for werewolf, loup-garou, and is related to the myth of the Soucouyant. Stories of the Loogaroo are widespread through the Caribbean Islands, often told to children to warn them of the dangers of going out at night, and have spread to diaspora communities such as in Shepherds Bush, London.
- Also known as
- Ligaroo, Lougarou, Lagahoo, Lugarú
Lore & Background
In some myths, the Loogaroo is described as a witch who has sold her soul to the Devil. She can shed her skin to turn into a vampiric fireball known as a 'corpse candle.' She must give the Devil blood every night to retain magical abilities, or he will take her own blood, killing her. The Loogahoo leaves her skin under a 'Devil Tree' (a silk cotton tree) and becomes a flame or blue ball of light that hunts for blood. After collecting enough blood, she returns to her skin and human form. Later adaptations depict the Loogaroo as a man corrupted by wealth who deals with the Devil to keep his status, often disguised as a charming, well-dressed man who lures young women to their deaths, drawing blood from the stomach and abdomen.
Reader's Guide
The Loogaroo holds significant cultural importance across the Caribbean and Mauritius as a cautionary figure used to warn children against nighttime dangers. In Haiti, the lougawou is usually female and drains blood from sleeping victims. In the Dominican Republic, the Lugarú (or Galipote) can transform into animals and inanimate objects, possesses incredible strength, is immune to bullets, and is rumored to be immortal, drinking children's blood. In Trinidad and Tobago, the Lagahoo appears as a man with a coffin on his neck topped with three lit candles, carries a chain, and feeds on livestock; defeating it requires nine days of strikes with a stick doused in holy water and holy oils. In Mauritius, the Lougarou is used to scare children, appears at full moon, and protection is sought from local sorcerers or witch doctors. Following Cyclone Hollanda in 1994, a form called Touni Minwi caused hysteria, with witnesses reporting frightful manifestations and apparitions of Lougarou, leading to large mobilizations in Port Louis and Lallmatie.
Did You Know?
- The term Loogaroo comes from the French word for werewolf, loup-garou.
- In some myths, the Loogaroo sheds her skin and leaves it under a silk cotton tree, known as a 'Devil Tree.'
- In Trinidad and Tobago, the Lagahoo is a shape-shifting, chain-rattling creature, distinct from the La Diablesse.
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