The Story of SasquatchNatives of what is now the northwestern U.S. and western Canada have long told tales of giant hairy human-like creatures lurking in the forests. In the 1920s, Canadian writer J.W. Burns coined the term "Sasquatch", from a local native dialect's term for "wild man". In more recent times, many explorers have reported footprints, movies, or personal sightings of Sasquatch (also known as Bigfoot or Yeti). Investigators have revealed some of these stories to be hoaxes, such as people in gorilla costumes. The truth of other sightings is still debated; for instance, grainy videos may actually show bears. Nobody has yet produced any widely accepted evidence of the Sasquatch's existence. Some people believe Sasquatch is a descendant of a giant prehistoric ape called Gigantopithecus. However, scientists believe that if this race still lived, then sightings would be more common. Sasquatch on the Screen. Many films have featured creatures identified as Sasquatch or Bigfoot. Perhaps best known is a 1987 movie called Harry and the Hendersons, in which an American family runs over a Sasquatch with their car and then brings it home. The same title was used for a TV series that stemmed from the movie. Another prominent appearance of this shaggy yet lovable beast was in the classic 1964 animated TV special "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer". The roaring "Abominable Snowmonster" strikes fear into the other characters, but — just as in Harry and the Hendersons — it turns out to be gentle. All of this mass-media exposure has made Sasquatch a beloved worldwide icon. You can make this "cool factor"
work for you by wearing a
Sasquatch costume (Note: here is something not to do in a Sasquatch costume. This fellow tried to create a "Bigfoot sighting" but was struck by cars and killed while in costume at the side of a road. Play it safe!) |
to your next fun event!