Indians and bigfoot

[jamesr]

I know first hand of stories passed down about Sasquatch. My mother was from a remote area of Ontario. Red Lake. Her father/ my grandfather had an encounter with one that shook him up. He claimed to have been stalked buy one for a full day while out on his trap line.This is from a man who lived off the land and was as at home in the wild as we are in our living-room. Several things that stand out to me was he mention a foul smell. Also he would tell my father while he was working for the ministry of forest there to avoid areas where trees were crossed in X's because of these creatures.

Second story is from the same area was from my uncle who at the time was also working for the ministry. he was flying in to fight a forest fire and spotted one running away from the fire area in a clearing. They circled back to see if was perhaps a human but it was gone.

Thirdly, many of my family that still live there claim to hear them from time to time. It's nothing out of the ordinary these types of stories for people of the area. They have heard stories and legends for years. To the point that these things are real not fictional to many of the people there. He's an example. My kook-um(grandmother) cry ed when my brother and I stopped in on a cross Canada hitchhiking/camping trip. She told my uncle who translated for us that we could be killed by evil creatures and was legitimately scared to death.

Many first nations and indigenous people from around the world have some type of legend about these things. A good place to start any search in any area is to talk to the local indians and listen to the local folklore. I have always found that there is some connection with these creatures and areas that the local indians consider bad places or places that should be avoided.

[vilnoori]

Hey thanks, James. That tip about the tree X's could come in handy for researchers. I'll have to keep an eye out. European people had stories about these kinds of beings too, and they were called giants, faeries, trolls, gnomes, little people etc. The Bible talks about "Giborim" giants, and "Nephilim," the half-breed offspring of men and the "sons of god" or fallen angels. Saint Christopher was said to be 12 feet tall with a face like a monkey or dog, and very hairy. Legend has it his mother was impregnated by an evil spirit of the deep desert (Egypt or Syria). He is an interesting read on google.

It's neat to watch for names on maps, as you mention, a lot of place names give a hint about the fact that these beings were seen there in the past: Cultus Lake, Devil's mountain, Hoodoo ridge, etc.

I wonder why there is such a difference between the general opinion of indigenous tribes in NA that these creatures are dangerous, scary, eat people, particularly children, and the current experience that they are pretty shy and non-aggressive unless provoked. I suppose the scary stories got remembered and retained over the years, combined with the physical size and imposing quality of these creatures?

[jamesr]

Like most legends or myths. There is usually some base in reality. It's usually how the people of the time choose to explain it and what they have to compare it too. Ive heard it said that the "sons of man" may have been their way of explaining alien craft coming down from the heavens. And that they were a race giants that looked like man. Or maybe it was explorers form different parts of the world. the Norse where big men also the Germanic tribes where said to be big.
I watched a documentary on some bodies found in the peet bogs in Ireland. The one body they found they got a height average of around 6'5". the figured it to be a Viking.
Speaking of Ireland they have there fair share of myths and legends. Finn McCuhal a giant warrior. Banshees, Fairies , Leprechauns, All said to be from a race called the tuatha de danann. They where said to be driven undrground by the invaiding Milesians
Point being that when you look back at all the turmoil of tribes fighting one another and even going back further to Modern man decimating Neanderthals. when your enemies are from afar and they are that much different they might appear to be magical. Stories around a campfire and general fear of the unknown. You tend to come up with some dandies.

Maybe these fears of Sasquatch come from some long stemming feud between modern man and some other genetic offshoot of man or ape. Maybe we killed these things out of fear of the unknown or may we actually competed for food sources at some point in time. What ever the case, man tends to fear what it doesn't understand. And what ever we don't understand we ultimately have some hand in its demise. Take coyotes and wolves in NA. We almost hunted them to extinction out of misunderstanding and fears carried over from old world views.

From what we know about these things or what we think we know are that they are non-aggressive and shy. Much like grizzly bear. But grizzly still at times actively tracks down and kills man. Lets not forget that that we think they are omnivores. Which means any type of food source that is an easy target is fair game. I am not saying they are man eaters but like i said legends are most times based in some type of fact .



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[Gerry]

Hi jamesr! Welcome to the forum and West Coast Sasquatch!
Many good points. By the way..Kathy Moskowitz-Strain has a book coming out in November published by Hanccock House directed towards this very subject. About how hairy giants play a role in tribal lore. It has accounts from many tribes in North America, with many splendid pictures of Indian artwork on the subject.

As for fear of the unknown? Well it has been mankind's 'cure all' to kill something first, then ask questions later. The only reason that the hairy body count is not stacking up, is that they are darn hard to find.

Again. Welcome!