In 1958 a bulldozer operator named
Jerry Crew found huge human like foot prints. The story was published
in the Humboldt Times with a photo of Jerry Crew holding one of the
large casts. The people in the area had been calling the mysterious
track-maker "Big Foot", which columnist Andrew Genzoli
shortened to "Bigfoot" when he published his article.
For most this was the first time they
had ever heard of the large, hair covered, bi-ped and this was the
unofficial date the the “Bigfoot” was “discovered” in modern
times. Even many scientist mistakenly think that this is the first
mention of such a entity in print, that before 1958 nothing matching
the description of a Bigfoot had been mentioned or written about.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
When historians would record Native
American history the routinely categorized stories about a “hair
covered” tribe of giants as legends and myths. Native American
Tribes from New York to Alaska have stories of encounters with the
Bigfoot. Many tribes routinely dealt with them and even traded goods
with them. The Bigfoot were given “tribe” status in many
cultures. Myths and legends do not get “tribe” status. Only a
real peoples would be given this status in Native American culture.
Below is a list of just a few of the
tribes and names that were given to what we know as Bigfoot.
The below list was compiled by: Kyle
Mizokami, Henry Franzoni, and Jeff Glickman
Bigfoot Name
|
Tribe
|
Translation
|
"Not Available" |
Tshimshian Indians
|
"Cannibal"
|
A hoo la huk
|
Yup'ik Indian
|
Not Available
|
Atahsaia
|
Zuni Indian
|
"The Cannibal Demon"
|
At'at'ahila
|
Chinookan Indian
|
Not Available
|
Boqs
|
Bella Coola Indian
|
"Bush Man"
|
Bukwas
|
Kwakwaka'wakw Indian
|
"Wildman of the Woods"
|
Chiha tanka
|
Dakota (East)/Sioux Indian
|
"Big Elder Brother"
|
Chiye tanka
|
Lakota (West)/Sioux Indian
|
"Big Elder Brother"
|
Choanito
|
Wenatchee Indian
|
"Night People"
|
El-Ish-kas
|
Makah Indians
|
"Not Available"
|
Esti Capcaki
|
Seminole Indian
|
"Tall Man"
|
Ge no sqwa
|
Iroquois/Seneca Indian
|
"Stone Giants"
|
Ge no'sgwa
|
Seneca Indian
|
"Stone Coats"
|
Get'qun
|
Lake Lliamna Indian
|
Not Available
|
Gilyuk
|
Nelchina Plateau Indian
|
"Big Man with little
hat"
|
Gogit
|
Haida Indians
|
"Not Available"
|
Goo tee khl
|
Chilkat Indian
|
Not Available
|
Hecaitomixw
|
Quinault Indians
|
"Dangerous Being"
|
Iktomi
|
Plains Indians
|
"The Trickster "
|
Kala'litabiqw
|
Skagit Valley Indian
|
Not Available
|
Kecleh-Kudleh
|
Cherokee Indian
|
"Hairy Savage"
|
Kushtaka
|
Tlingit Indian
|
"Otter Man"
|
lariyin
|
Hare Indian
|
"Bushman"
|
Loo poo oi'yes
|
Miwuk Indian
|
Not Available
|
Madukarahat
|
Karok Indian
|
"Giant"
|
Manabai'wok
|
Menomini Indian
|
"The Giants"
|
Matlose
|
Nootka Indian
|
Not Available
|
Mesingw
|
Lenni Lenape Indian
|
"The Mask Being"
|
Miitiipi
|
Kawaiisu Indian
|
"Bad luck or disaster"
|
Misinghalikun
|
Lenni Lenape Indian
|
"Living Solid Face"
|
Na'in
|
Gwich'in Indians
|
"Brushman"
|
Nantiinaq
|
Kenai Peninsula Indian
|
Not Available
|
Nant'ina
|
Dena'ina Indian
|
Not Available
|
Neginla eh
|
Alutiiq/Yukon Indian
|
"Wood Man"
|
Not Available
|
Oglala Lakota Sioux Indian
|
"The Big Man"
|
Not Available
|
Twana Indians
|
"Stick Indians"
|
Not Available
|
Coeur d'Alene/Spokane
Indian
|
"The Tree Men"
|
Nun Yunu Wi
|
Cherokee Indian
|
"The Stone Man"
|
Nu'numic
|
Owens Valley Paiute
|
"The Giant"
|
Oh Mah
|
Hoopa Indian
|
"Boss of the Woods"
|
Omah
|
Yurok Indian
|
Not Available
|
Ot ne yar heh
|
Iroquois Indian
|
"Stonish Giant"
|
Qah lin me
|
Yakama/Klickitat Indian
|
Not Available
|
Qui yihahs
|
Yakama/Klickitat Indian
|
"The Five Brothers"
|
Rugaru
|
Turtle Mt Ojibway
|
Not Available
|
Sasahevas |
Halkomelem Language
|
"Sasquatch"
|
Salish Indian
|
"Wild Man of the
Woods"
|
|
Saskets
|
Salishan/Sahaptin Indian
|
"The Giant"
|
Sc'wen'ey'ti
|
Spokane Indian
|
"Tall Burnt Hair""
|
Seat ka
|
Yakama Indian
|
Not Available
|
Seatco
|
Yakama/Klickitat/Puyallup
|
"Stick Indian"
|
Seeahtkch
|
Clallam Indian
|
Not Available
|
See'atco
|
Coast Salish Indian
|
"One who runs and
hides"
|
Skanicum
|
Colville Indians
|
"Stick Indians"
|
Skookum
|
Chinook Indian
|
"Evil God of the
Woods"
|
Skukum
|
Quinault Indians
|
"Devil of the Forest"
|
Slalakums
|
Upper Stalo Indians
|
"The Unknown"
|
Sne nah
|
Okanogan Indian
|
"Owl Woman"
|
So'yoko
|
Hopi Indian
|
Not Available
|
Ste ye mah
|
Yakama Indian
|
"Spirit hidden by
woods"
|
Steta'l
|
Puyallup/Nisqually Indian
|
"Spirt Spear"
|
Tah tah kle' ah
|
Yakama/Shasta Indian
|
"Owl Woman Monster"
|
Toylona
|
Taos Indian
|
"Big Person"
|
Tsadjatko
|
Quinault Indians
|
"Giants"
|
Tse'nahaha
|
Mono Lake Paiute
|
"Giant"
|
Tsiatko
|
Puyallup/Nisqually Indian
|
"Wild Indians"
|
Tso apittse
|
Shoshone Indian
|
"Cannibal Giant"
|
Tsonaqua
|
Kwakwaka'wakw Indian
|
"Wild Woman of the
Woods"
|
Urayuli
|
SW Alaskan Eskimo
|
Not Available
|
Wetiko
|
Cree Indian
|
Not Available
|
Windago
|
Eastern Athabascan Indian
|
"Wicked Cannibal"
|
Wsinkhoalican
|
Lenni Lenape Indian
|
"The Game Keeper"
|
Xi'lgo
|
Nehalem/Tillamook Indian
|
"Wild Woman"
|
Yahyahaas
|
Modoc Indian
|
Not Available
|
Yayaya-ash
|
Klamath Indian
|
"The Frightener"
|
Yé'iitsoh
|
Navajo Indians
|
"Big God "
|
Yi' dyi'tay
|
Nehalem/Tillamook Indian
|
"Wild Man"
|
The below list may have duplicates but
it illustrates how many tribes recognized the Bigfoot.
Bukwas - Kwakwaka'wakw Indian |
So'yoko - Hopi Indian
|
Tsonaqua - Kwakwaka'wakw
Indian
|
Miitiipi - Kawaiisu Indian
|
Tornit - Inuit Indian
|
Tso apittse - Shoshone
Indian
|
Nun Yunu Wi - Cherokee
Indian
|
Boqs - Bella Coola Indian
|
Kecleh-kudleh - Cherokee
Indian
|
Loo poo oi'yes - Miwuk
Indian
|
Gougou - Micmac Indian
|
Yi'dy'tay - Nehalem /
Tillamook Indian
|
Kokotshe - Tete-de-Boule
Indian
|
Sasahevas - Halkomelem
Indian
|
Witiko - Tete-de-Boule
Indian
|
Sc'wen'ey'ti - Spokane
Indian
|
Atshen - Tete-de-Boule
Indian
|
Seatco - Yakama / Klickitat
/ Puyallup Indian
|
Misinghalikun - Lenni
Lenape Indian
|
Ste ye mah - Yakama Indian
|
Wsinkhoalican - Lenni
Lenape Indian
|
Seat ka - Yakama Indian
|
Nu'numic - Owens Valley
Paiute Indian
|
Skookum - Chinook Indian
|
Tse'nahaha - Mono Lake
Paiute Indian
|
See'atco - Salish Indian
|
Slalakums - Upper Stalo
Indian
|
Xi'lgo -Nehalem / Tillamook
Indian
|
Iktomi - Plains Indian
|
Rugaru - Ojibway Indian
|
Kashehotapalo - Choctaw
Indian
|
Skanicum - Colville Indian
|
Nalusa Falaya - Choctaw
Indian
|
Seeahtkch - Clallam Indian
|
Windago - Athabascan Indian
|
Omah - Yurok Indian
|
Wetiko - Cree Indian
|
El-lsh-kas - Makah Indian
|
Sasquatch - Salish Indian
|
Saskets - Salishan /
Sahaptin Indian
|
Choanito - Wenatchee Indian
|
Manabai'wok - Menomini
Indian
|
Tsiatko - Puyallup /
Nisqually Indian
|
Yayaya-ash - Klamath Indian
|
Steta'l - Puyallup /
Nisqually Indian
|
Matlose - Nootka Indian
|
Atahsaia - Zuni Indian
|
Iariyin - Hare Indian
|
Madukarahat - Karok Indian
|
Goo tee khi - Chilkat
Indian
|
Chiye tanka - Lakota Sioux
Indian
|
Kala'litabiqw - Skagit
Indian
|
Chiha tanka - Dakota Sioux
Indian
|
Yahyahaas - Modoc Indian
|
Kushtaka - Tlingit Indian
|
Toylona - Taos Indian
|
A hoo la hul - Yup'ik
Indian
|
Get'qun - Lake Lliamna
Indian
|
Esti Capcaki - Seminole
Indian
|
Nant'ina - Dema'ina Indian
|
Gogit - Haida Indian
|
Neginla eh - Alutiiq /
Yukon Indian
|
Hecaitomixw - Quinault
Indian
|
Oh Mah - Hoopa Indian
|
Skukum - Quinault Indian
|
Sne nah - Okanogan Indian
|
Tsadjatko - Quinault Indian
|
Qah lin me - Yakama /
Klickitat Indian
|
Mesingw - Leni Lenape
Indian
|
Ge no'sgwa - Seneca Indian
|
Na'in - Gwich'in Indian
|
Ge no sqwa - Iroquois /
Seneca Indian
|
Ye'iitsoh - Navajo Indian
|
Ot ne yar heh - Iroquois
Indian
|
Nantiinaq - Kenai Peninsula
Indian
|
Tah tah kle' ah - Yakama /
Shasta Indian
|
Urayuli - SW Alaskan Eskimo
|
At'at'ahila - Chinookan
Indian
|
Gilyuk - Nelchina Plateau
Indian
|
Qui yihahs - Yakama /
Klickitat Indian
|
Just as the Native American's had
different names for what we now call Bigfoot, so did our early
American society. Before 1958 the Bigfoot was known by the name “Wild
Man”. One of the earliest accounts of a Bigfoot by European
explorers was from a Spanard named Jose
Mariano Mozino. He wrote about Bigfoot” in his book Noticia de
Nutka published in Spanish in 1792. Below is his description of the
Bigfoot:
“I do not know what to say about the matlox (Sasquatch), inhabitant of the mountainous districts, of whom all have an unbelievable fear. They imagine his body as very monstrous, all covered with stiff black bristle; a head similar to a human one but with much greater, sharper and stronger fangs than those of the bear; extremely long arms; and toes and fingers armed with long curved claws. His shouts alone (they say) force those who hear them to the ground, and any unfortunate body he slaps is broken in to a thousand pieces “.
So not only did the Bigfoot exist prior to 1958, the Native Americans had a long history of interaction with them.
When the continent was being settled in the expansion that followed American Revolution people began to encounter these “hair covered giants” on a regular basis. Some of these encounters would be retold and published in the news papers of the day. Instead of calling these creatures Bigfoot, they were commonly known as “Wild Men”. In my research it became apparent that these “Wild Men” were common place in from the late 1700s until the late 1930's. They were seen occasionally in and around rural and mountain communities. Some infants and adults were even captured from time to time. They were so common place that it was not that unusual to see one or encounter one. Like other wild life in the forest the “Wild Man” was accepted as just another creature of the wild.
Some time during or right after World War II people in our society had a “collective bout of amnesia”. It corresponded with the baby boom and the continued urbanization of American right after the war. Our society became more urbanized. Only farmers and out door enthusiast were spending a majority of their time in or near wilderness areas. The only wild animals most Americans encountered were in the zoo or on TV.
Now when a hunter or hiker reported seeing a “Wild Man” they were scoffed and laughed at, called crazy, accused of misidentifying another animal such as a bear. This belittlement lead to the people living in the rural areas of America keeping these encounters with the “Wild Men” to themselves. What was once common place had now become taboo to talk about. No one wanted to be branded crazy or a liar.
In 1958 the “Wild Man” was given his modern name, Bigfoot, by Andrew Genzoli. What is interesting is almost immediately the major news services picked up the story and almost as quickly the scientific community declared that such creatures were just legend and myth. Science was and is revered in our society. If a scientist says it, we as a people tend to believe it. The wisdom of the day was “Scientist can't be wrong, their motives are pure, they are in pursuit of the truth.”. The common belief of the day by a majority of the public was “If Bigfoot existed then modern science would have discovered it by now”. So in our collective public consciousness Bigfoot became a myth, a legend, a figment of our imaginations. No person in their right mind would believe in such foolishness. So the transformation was complete. The Bigfoot went from a common resident of wild to myth and legend in the span of one generation.
From the early 1800s to through the 1940s you see story after story on the “Wild Man”. One of the more interesting facts is how similar and consistent the description of the Wild Man is from decade to decade. You can take a news paper article from the 1820's and compare it to a modern day BFRO report and the similarities are astonishing.
The “Wild Man” never left the forest, he did not go into hiding, he is not as rare and elusive as many believe. No, the truth is we left the “Wild Man”, we “matured” and “grew up, we moved to the cities and the suburbs and in the process we forgot that the “Wild Man” even existed.
Maybe it is time we refresh our collective memory and once again the “Wild Man” will be remembered.
This is a seriously excellent overview! Thank you for starting off the year with it. grammy
ReplyDeleteAnother great article, Scott. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into your "hobby" and your willingness to share what you learn.
ReplyDeleteI think that there may have been more sightings way back, not only because people were not yet "urbanized", but because bigfoot had no fear; the land and woods was his to roam freely. But when the white men came with their "fire sticks", as the native Americans called them, the bigfoot may have also learned to become more elusive, sticking to the forests for cover. That's my opinion, anyway.
Because there are so many tribes who considered bigfoot to be cannibals, I wonder if there is any merit to that? That's a little unsettling.
Wow....just reviewing all the different names really gives you a personality profile . Like people some are good/bad , gentle/violent, etc.
ReplyDeleteAll the the description names could equally describe humans all over the world including cannibalism , big brother type nations and violent nations. We are closer to sasquatches than most would like to admit aren't we !?
Thanks for sharing Scott.
Scott,,that's a lot o names for one cool entity. Lol. Amazing article!
ReplyDeleteVery good explanation of the quick change to the mythological Bigfoot. I would call this The Bigfoot Memoir. Keep it up Scott, were lovin it!
ReplyDelete