Likewise, many people may be able to see what sorts of emotions lie under highly mythologized oral narratives and written works. They understand when cultures start the task of articulating, and evolving into themselves, stories, folklore, and myth are created. Not coincidentally, many local legends draw on a wealth of manifestations of the now famous Bigfoot, Sasquatch, or Yeti. The American west nurtured such stories as if there really are Bigfoots populating the region. The Pacific Northwest seemed ready for a new beginning, and narrative performance for this type of phenomenon. These stories, and uncivilized representations of Bigfoots are compelling as they often depict hairy, bipedel creatures with wild eyes, and pursed, whistling lips. The indigenous population of the Pacific Northwest is found to have many Bigfoot stories. Their beliefs often contain a spiritual element, like the "skinwalker," who is responsible for protecting the forests from the damage humans would do.
For example, clansmen, and women of the Lummi share tales about Ts'emekwes, which is their tribal version of Bigfoot. Details about diet and behavior of Ts'emekwes differ between clan families, but the overall description are similar in all stories. Other regional versions seemed to be stories used to scare children. The Kwi-Kwiyai or Stiyaha are hairy monsters who would come at the mention of their names in the night, and carry off a person----sometimes to be killed. In 1847 Paul Kane, reported stories by the native people about Skoocooms: a race of cannibalistic wild men living on the peak of Mount St. Helens. Less menacing versions also exist, such as the one recorded by Reverend Elkanah Walker. In 1840, Walker, a Protestant missionary, "recorded stories of giant apes among the Native Americans living in Spokane, Washington. The Indians claimed these giants lived on, and around the peaks of nearby mountains and stole salmon from the fisherman's nets. These legends existed prior to a single name for Bigfoot, Yeti, or Sasquatch. For this reason, the name Bigfoot will suffice throughout the rest of this examination blog.
