In Algonquian folklore, the cannibalistic spirit that becomes a gaunt, ice-hearted monster is the Wendigo.
Wendigo traditions belong to several Algonquian-speaking peoples, including the Ojibwe, Cree, Saulteaux, Naskapi, and Innu. The being is associated with winter, famine, starvation, and an insatiable appetite for human flesh. In some stories, a person can become a Wendigo through cannibalism, greed, or possession by the spirit.
Descriptions vary by community. Some traditions portray it as a giant supernatural being; others emphasize its ability to possess or transform humans. The “gaunt” image reflects a paradox: the Wendigo grows larger with every victim yet remains perpetually starving. Its “heart of ice” is a common image in later retellings, not a universal feature of every traditional account.
A common mix-up is Windigo, which is a legitimate alternate English spelling rather than a different creature. Sasquatch is a separate being, while Skinwalker belongs to Navajo tradition. The term was popularized in English partly through Algernon Blackwood’s 1910 novella The Wendigo.