Lately, I have been deeply influenced by the works of Robin Kimmerer. Kimmerer is a botanist, professor, and member of the Potawatomi Nation. She writes about both Indigenous and scientific knowledge with the goal of inspiring a more sustainable society. Her writings often reference Indigenous folklore, particularly stories of the Windigo.
The Windigo is a monster—once a man—who succumbed to greed, selfishness, and the hoarding of resources. His unrelenting desire for more transformed him into a cannibal, cursed to roam the land, always hungry and never satisfied. I find myself encountering the symbolism of this myth in many aspects of our town and county.
The Windigo lurks behind the motives of our local government when they seek to diminish programs and services that benefit the community—such as 4-H, the library, and the public pool. The Windigo is present when a real estate agent, now a County Commissioner, misleads and steals from elders. This monster’s angry howls echo in the words of a deeply discontented man who demands to be exempt from the shared civic responsibility of funding our library.
The hatred the Windigo inspires is evident when members of our community insist that the unhoused—those with the least—are undeserving of help. The depth of the Windigo’s selfishness is visible when our county fails to invest in schools desperately in need of repair, ensuring that future generations grow up knowing their needs were never a priority. When our forests are devastated for profit, it is the Windigo who has wounded us all, leaving a sadness that will only begin to heal when the natural world is finally allowed to regenerate.
The Windigo is an apt metaphor for the harm wrought by unchecked capitalism. When a system demands the infinite accumulation of resources, wealth, and power in a finite world, we all suffer. Those addicted to the thrill of having more are rarely concerned with the consequences of their actions. They ignore the pleas of people in need and remain indifferent to a planet slowly dying.
I do not know if there is a way to save those already cursed. But I do know that we can choose to elect leaders who care more about people than personal gain.
We deserve better.
Lisette Johnson