The Werewolf Café / therians in the real world. and their mention in science.

Canis Sapiens · 2010-01-05 16:37:21

Ok first off I know that this reference is not strictly scientific but it comes from a reputable source.

In the book by the famous Canadian naturalist Farly Moat "Never Cry Wolf" the whole concept of spiritually being a wolf plays a major part in the substance of the book. The book is about his study of wolves in the north on assignment by the Canadian government. in the book he describes an old Indian man who helps him in his study. Mr. Moat describes his as "spiritually, practically a wolf himself". the Indian man also claims to be able to understand the wolf howls and predicts to the day when the caribou migration will arrive using this alleged skill.

Ok I get the whole wolf spirit thing, I consider myself to be the same way. as for the whole understanding wolves thing i am only slightly skeptical.

WolfVanZandt · 2010-01-06 00:54:18

Wolves aren't that hard to understand, you just have to learn the expressions and gestures they use.

As for "spirit", what Moat sees is what we call behavior. How he infers "spirit" from that, I can't begin to fathom. Yes, there is spirit - I know that from much more direct methods but, again, I can't fathom how one would go about distinguishing the spirit of a wolf from the spirit of a human unless you were already familiar with the individual. Humans, all humans, act somewhat like wolves. Most comparative psychology books make the point that wolves are the closest animals to humans socially - and they are very close. What you know as "packs" is what humans naturally do, which is an endless source of amusement when Therians and Werewolf fans talk about forming packs - everybody forms packs.

bdk336 · 2010-01-06 08:56:59

I've read the book (it's a good book by the way) and honestly I have to say there isn't nearly enough detail to tell whether or not he was a Therian. As for understanding wolves it's not all that hard when you have been around them for a while, especially with an animal that, as VanZandt said, is so close to humans socially. People like The Dog Whisperer just have a distinct understanding of the language and motivations of animals.

Canis Sapiens · 2010-01-06 14:23:54

the man ho is said to poses a wolf's soul was a shaman of sorts for his tribe. as for communicating with wolves his understanding went beyond emotions and gestures, upon hearing a wolf howl from several miles away he described what the wolf said in words and stated the prediction of the wolf to the arrival of the caribou to a matter of days. any way I am just trying to create discussion.
I thought it interesting that the phenomena we refer to as "terianthropy" was documented (to an extent) by a reputable and respected naturalist. It is all a mater of how much you are willing to believe.

Last edited by Canis Sapiens (2010-01-06 14:25:27)

WolfVanZandt · 2010-01-07 03:04:50

A wolf howl is an emotive language. It's a broadcast. You learn the location of the individual from the direction and characteristics of the howl (over distances, the timbre changes in predictable ways. Overtones, quaver, and melodic structure convey individual signatures and emotive content which reveals what the individual is doing and what they are feeling. From all that, you can pretty much piece together they're full, current status.

It's an emotive language but consider, you would feel differently if you were hunting than if you were merely traveling, so by knowing your emotional content, I would know what you were doing also. Empathy is a complete communication system. It's just not so good for technical information. If you wanted to build a barn and you wanted me to tell you how, I wouldn't howl, I'd draw you a picture. It I just wanted to send a message home and wanted my people to know as fully as practical what was going on, I might howl.

Native Americans aren't actually any more "native" than Europeans Americans - they just migrated over long before the Europeans. They came from the homelands of the original Therians - the broad steppes of Asia and eastern Europe, so it wouldn't surprise me at all if they had a higher concentration of therianism, especially since they share a predisposition to a somewhat rare physical trait - shovel teeth.

Last edited by WolfVanZandt (2010-01-07 03:09:59)

Canis Sapiens · 2010-02-12 14:43:16

Ok I can understand that. I found this interesting becouse I thought it a good example or reference point for therianthropy. becouse the guy in the book claimed to have a wolf's soul. which I belive he demostrated enough to be beliveble.

WolfVanZandt · 2010-02-13 01:18:37

Could be....

What do you mean by "soul"?

#1 2010-01-05 16:37:21

therians in the real world. and their mention in science.

#2 2010-01-06 00:54:18

Re: therians in the real world. and their mention in science.

#3 2010-01-06 08:56:59

Re: therians in the real world. and their mention in science.

#4 2010-01-06 14:23:54

Re: therians in the real world. and their mention in science.

#5 2010-01-07 03:04:50

Re: therians in the real world. and their mention in science.

#6 2010-02-12 14:43:16

Re: therians in the real world. and their mention in science.

#7 2010-02-13 01:18:37

Re: therians in the real world. and their mention in science.

Board footer