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The world has always been fascinated with creatures known as Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and the Yeti. Much of this began in the 1960s with the onslaught of Bigfoot hype that followed the release of the famous footage shot by Roger Patterson. The film seems to show a large, hairy mammal walking upright and disappearing into the forest. It is grainy and a little out of focus, but it captured imaginations back then.
This Bigfoot sensation has paranormal groups and media in a whirl. However, what modern society doesn't realize is that this creature is nothing new. Indigenous people across the globe have had relationships with these creatures for hundreds of years, and often associate them with natural or spiritual phenomena. Tribal beliefs base their "Bigfoot" stories either on actual encounters or mystical perceptions of natural spirits. This article will share some various descriptions of the creature, tribal beliefs of the Choctaws and Chickasaws, a surprising story written by a United States president, and a short description of the ideal Bigfoot habitat.
Various tribes describe Bigfoot as an enigma shrouded in power and magic. At times, he is perceived as violent and crude, and in other instances he is a helpful partner among tribes. General descriptions range from a hairy beast with gray, white, black, brown, or red hair; height ranging from 7 to 10 feet; weighing from 300 to 600 pounds of pure muscle; and a howl that can cause a person's hair to stand on end. He is often found in the deep woods near water, food, and areas of good natural shelter. Tribes name the beast according to his nature and physical descriptions. The following are some examples:
The Seminole - Ssti Capcaki/Esti Capcaki (tall man/ tall hairy man)
According to the book, Oklahoma Seminóles, Medicines, Magic and Religion, the creature is described as "resembling a human being but of immense stature, ten feet or more in height, and covered with gray hair. He customarily carries a great wooden club made from a branch broken from a tree. Tall man' is reported to have a penetrating odor, like the smell of a stagnant muddy pond" (Howard and Lena, 1984).
The Spokane - Sc 'wen 'ey 'ti (tall burnt hair)
"Scweneyti (pronounced "Chwah-knee-tee") is...