The bodjagee, or boogeyman, is a myth designed to keep children quiet at night, even though some kids have probably suffered nightmares as a result and are certain that the scary dark figure in the black night lurks in their closet or under the bed, waiting…
In the north, the bodjagee is a real figure. This phenomenon has a real name: development. Some aged surveyors have come forth telling of being airlifted into the middle of Northern Quebec with nothing much to live on. They, the silent surveyors, were ordered not to communicate with the Indians and if accidentally a meeting did occur between a trapper or a family, some sort of substance was reportedly used to “erase” their memories of the chance encounter.
The problem with this scenario was that the unlucky surveyor, who often had little experience living off such a harsh environment, was not able to sustain himself and had to resort to robbing traps and fishnets. This led to mysterious disappearances of freshly cooked fare, as the desperate and starving land mapper grew more brazen.
Sometimes their hunger was not just for food, as there are stories of young girls being tossed sticks and stones from the bushes and whistled at to encourage them to venture into the woods. Perhaps there are those who may have a sibling who doesn’t look like the rest of the family, but I’m just guessing at this point. Who knows, maybe there was a real boogeyman lurking around the outskirts of town.
Another myth is of the sea dog. This is a rare sight to behold. The creature has six toes, leaves an elongated footprint, has floppy ears and antlers, can stand up to eight feet tall and walk on its hind legs. Apparently, from reputable and numerous witnesses, not one but two of these creatures has appeared from the waters of Hudson Bay and ventured on the land, only to re-enter the seas and dive from sight at an incredible rate.
As flabbergasted onlookers recovered, the cameras appeared to document the undeniable evidence of the sea dog of Hudson Bay. Alas, only the prints can be analyzed for further diagnoses. Perhaps it is still an un-catalogued mammal or the last of the ice-age giants. I also know of another source who has seen this creature, but in a much larger version. Perhaps the two sighted in the ’Whale were mere babes of the seas and could grow much larger. Again, I could be wrong in my hypothesis.
Another myth is that some big time politicians cannot be reached, but in the case of some ground-breaking goodwill, Quebec Premier Jean Charest, arrived in Kuujjuuarapik last week in what was the first time a premier had visited this quadraphonic community. Good news, he brought, and it was all about the future and the coming generations, something I think is a good step forward with normal five-toed human beings leading the way.
