Werehyena: 14 Intriguing Facts (With Myths, Folklore & Cryptozoology)

Werehyenas are creatures from East Africa and the Near East in the other words they originate from African Folklore. A werehyena is a mythical creature related to fear or hatred of hyenas by many indigenous people in Africa. Some individuals even believe hyenas can take on human form at will. Unlike werewolves, which can be portrayed as being originally human (until their transformation), werehyenas are characterized as hyenas that transform into humans and vice versa it means; they also can transform into human to hyenas.

1 In Human Form They Are Just Like Us But When They Are Hybrid, They Can Stand With Rear Legs

Were-hyena is a mythic creature found in African folklore. They are said to be able to change (metamorphose) amid three chief forms: human, hybrid of human and hyena, and the original hyena form. In the human form they’re just like us and other humans in many ways. Hyenas are particular about the order of their attack – In the hybrid forms, hyenas stand on their astern legs and have some of the facial characteristics of a hyena.

2 During Metamorphose Into Hyenas, They Possess Much Larger Than Natural Size

They are large and golden-eyed with red-tinted coloring that can be seen before they attack and in addition produce a bloodcurdling roar just before they pounce. When they fully metamorphose into hyenas, they’re much larger than their natural equivalents and sometimes their skin can also be entirely hairless.

3 Werehyena Can Bury Their Prey Alive In Order To Gnawing At The Bones Later

Even if that’s not enough, hyenas are also said to have a rotting flesh-like smell and sometimes known for burying their victims alive and then return later to extract the bones and gnaw the remaining flesh; it means, comes back later to feast on their remains.

4 Being Nocturnal In Nature, They Are Too Difficult To Detect

Hyenas are often thought of as being a reflection of people’s real-life fears or hatred of hyenas in that they exist in a worst-case scenario. That may be true but is supported by the nature of were-hyenas themselves because they have the ability to transform into humans as well as people and vice versa, who can disguise themselves in order to dupe people.

5 What Do Different Cultures Think About Werehyena?

Whether or not it’s myth or reality, many people share a deep aversion towards these furry creatures. Both myths and reality are contributing to our animosity towards them, as animal’s features seem to offend us on a very basic level. Although they’re nocturnal, hyenas aren’t easy to spot as they have evolved facial features which make it difficult for predators like humans to detect them until it’s too late it means; sometimes they can see us but we can’t. A hyena’s ability to emit a high-pitched wail that sounds like human laughter is especially unnerving, perhaps encouraging to inspire the human suspicion of its capacity to converse in human language and bawl your name.

They were originally thought of as horrible, killing what they ate in order to feed themselves and historically viewed as scavengers that feed on fetor flesh. In contrast, their unchivalrous tendencies meant they were also accused of being cowardly and repulsive. Some African folklore attributes ogres (Werehyena) with a dangerous impact on humans. Many African legends say that they were like the devil, preying on humans in different ways. They were accused of raiding graves, affecting people’s souls, collecting human bones, taking children for their own entertainment and enticing people for their own gain.

There are a lot of myths which originated from the stories and folklore of ancient African cultures. One specific myth, found in the Beng people’s folklore, is known as “The Dispersal of All Animals” and is an attempt at telling a story about how Hyena persuaded another beasts to kill the first man and thereafter woman ever lived. For many reasons, dogs seem to be far more intelligent than hyenas. They can take advantage of the opportunities we give them, and they can warn our ancestors before they’re eaten alive by someone.

India’s northwestern states – from Afghanistan and Pakistan, where most of these hyenas live – have an active hunting trade. Hunters still routinely kill the hyenas over their supposed killing of the donkeys, eating of human bodies, and damaging the limbs of children who sleep outdoors. The great thing about hyenas is that they’re able to catch prey in the open desert, making them a bloodthirsty predator. However, they can also cause some serious damage if they come face-to-face with their preferred prey: sleeping children. A lesson to all those who sleep outside or in nature: be cautious when you’re doing so. In Arab folklore, hyenas were cunning creatures that could entice their prey with their pheromones or use their eyes to hypnotize them.

6Bambara people in Mali Portray Hyenas By Imitating The Animals’ Behaviour Through Masks & roleplays

The hatred for animals sometimes evolved into prejudice against groups. In other cases, such as with blacksmiths or Jews, this hatred was taken to an extreme. Animal cruelty has often been interlinked with anti-Semitism over the years. The various aspects of mythological storytelling in African cultures were likely inspired by the rich heritage of these diverse folk religions. It’s difficult to say what the origin of the concept of Werehyenas is. It may even have been obtained from a Bambara cult in Mali, called the Korè sect, which attempted to “become” hyenas via masks and roleplaying games. The frightening mythology of the were-hyena may have been inspired by furries, but there is no way to know for sure.

7 Werehyenas And Werewolves

When it comes to animals, some individuals in the Animal Kingdom have the ability to shapeshift into different types of animals in many mythologies or folks. Were-hyenas are just one kind of therianthrope—they’re an implausibly nerdy term for someone who can shift-shape into a human or animal hybrid in other words who can transform their bodies into another form (humans). If you’re looking for a mythical creature that’s eerily similar to your pet and behaves like a witch, you can always go with the hyena. They have a similarly unsettling temperament, inspiring their origin story in North Africa where they’re as ordinary as dissatisfied Britishers on the London landmark.

Despite what you may think, the were-hyena is not a mere African version of the Western werewolf. They’re actually much more labyrinthine than that and, if you manage to overcome your prejudices, they’ll become your new surprising animal.

Contrary to popular belief, werewolves are purely human beings at heart. Were-hyenas begin life as humans that can modify into hyenas or, surprisingly, as hyenas who have the ability to camouflage themselves as Homo sapiens. The author makes a humorous observation by asking why someone would give up on being a person at all and turn into an animal instead, but maybe we can find out as we go along. Unlike werewolves, were-hyenas have a duality. The were-hyena is a mythical creature that hints at the bisexuality of therianthropes community. They can transform from a human to a hyena, and vice versa. Being a were-hyena is amazing, but also quite scary. There’s horror at both ends of the transformation process.

8 Hungry Werehyenas Hunt Whether They Are Alone Or With Cackle

Werehyenas can be single but they occasionally hunt in groups. They’re known to be incredibly powerful and have an avaricious hunger for human flesh. In fact, being filled with bestial strength isn’t even enough to make them fearful of anyone. There have been many cases of people being attacked and devoured by these vampires. People have often seen them lurking from the shadows and famed for bawling their victims’ names to lure them into a trap before finally consuming them. Now wouldn’t you feel better knowing that there’s always a bat covered in your backpack in the case that she decides to call you again?

9 Some African Folklore Tells Blacksmiths Can Secretly Shapeshift Into Werehyenas

Perhaps one of the most unusual superstitions among African people is the belief that witches and magicians have the power to shape-shift into these animals. People believed that this power was almost always used maliciously, such as when they attacked blacksmiths door. However, another interesting African superstition was that blacksmiths were exceptionally inclined to becoming transformed into a were-hyena. This belief that blacksmiths were “Bouda”, who could transform into hyenas at will, was taken to the ultimate in Ethiopia, where it was believed that all blacksmiths were witches or wizards. In extreme cases, Ethiopian Christians have verbally attacked Jewish-Ethiopian people as a result of rumors that they found Christian carcasses and devoured them. One belief that is commonly seen in Jewish culture is that Jewish men in Ethiopia were blacksmiths, which led to one belief being seen as being developed from the other.

10 Regardless Of Hunting, Werehyenas Are Known For Grave-Robbery, Cannibalism & Making Blacksmith Horse Shoes

Since were-hyenas could control their own transformation, all they had to do was change at any time they wanted. For the most part they preferred to change under the cover of night. It’s said that when the werewolves aren’t hunting prey, the werehyenas are known to sometimes engage in displeasing activities such as hunting for prey, grave-robbing, cannibalism and creating horse shoes.

11 Few Villages Of Bornu Empire Were Once Occupied By Werehyenas

Each culture has their own way of describing someone who is known to be cunning, so in the Kunari language of the former Bornu Empire, province around Lake Chad and they were described as Bultungin or literally “I change myself into a hyena”. This led to a lot of confusion and misunderstanding because sometimes people would be accused of being a were-hyena and other times it was just someone saying that they were a were-hyena themselves in the other words, this mix-up created a lot of confusion when the person using these pronouns were unsure whether they were being condemned of being a were-hyena or if they were just chatting with someone (Their friend) who has the condition. A traditional belief has been that there was a small number of villages in the region occupied by these creatures, which presumably describes the low house prices; it means the low prices there have likely been attributed to the presence of these creatures.

12 From Berbers To Persians, Different Culture Have Strong Belief In The Existence Of Werehyenas

The were-hyenas are said to hold influence in countries like Sudan, Tanzania, and Morocco as well, where some Berber people (Berber people have their own traditions and mysteries) believe them as women or men who become hyenas at night and take up again their human state in the morning. The Persian Empire is well-known for being home to evil creatures such as the “Kaftar”. Described as a “half-man, half-hyena” which likes to slaughter children, in the other words a gigantic, carnivorous creature kaftar wreaks havoc and kills dozens of children every year, this demonic beast has featured in many stories and myths. And because of a number of stories and myths until the 19th century, people thought that the ghosts of werewolves that hadn’t been properly dealt with yet would haunt the war zone as satanic hyenas and would sip the blood of soldiers who were injured during battle.

13There’s another version of Werehyena Exists In Neologism: Hyena-Man

The ancient people had a lot to say about hyenas-some things that really might not have been too flattering. It’s almost difficult to believe that this animal was once thought of as being jerks, but in truth, ancient people thought this about hyenas. For a different version of the were-hyena, there is the creature known as a hyena man, who had two mouths which allowed it to eat and talk simultaneously at the similar time. It’s always best to keep an eye on your friends! Especially when they might be a cannibal. You should also know that according to many myths, anyone who has tasted human flesh-they could transform into a hyena-man through a magician if they’re not careful. It is said that they enjoyed living near graveyards and eating the flesh of the deceased. Of course, they also have a penchant for living human flesh. One of the more intriguing features of hyenas is their peculiarity. Some look handsome despite their obvious two mouths, while some look strange or bizarre. Their dual appearance also gives them a rather hyena’s smell. If you see a handsome two-mouthed man on Tinder, don’t be fooled by his good looks and just swipe left.

14 Werehyenas Also Take Their Positions In Popular Culture

The concept of the Werehyena was first explored in a Buffy episode and then developed with books, comics, TV shows, and films. The “Pack” possessed by hyena spirits began to devolve into ravenous monsters because of their possession and cannibalism soon followed. The Primal cult, which Doctor Weirick’s character belonged to, most likely got its idea from this fictional concept and also likely inspired from real African hyena cults.

The 2011 horror film Hyenas, The 1994 film Le Cri du Coeur or The Heart’s Cry and the autobiographical novel “The Life and Adventures of Nathaniel Pearce” also feature stories about Werehyenas.

Dungeons & Dragons mentioned a fictional creature called a “Gnoll”, which appears to be a human-looking with the head of a hyena.