THE “LOST TRIBE” THEORY
Does Bigfoot share a common ancestor with homo sapiens?
From the aboriginal tribes in Australia to the Native Americans of North America, and almost every culture in between, there is an inherited belief in Bigfoot. Passed down through the generations, Bigfoot stories and encounters have been depicted in cave drawings dating back thousands of years with reported sightings on the record going back as far as 1789.
With so many people seeing and believing in Bigfoot, the fabled creature must exist, right?
Going by several names such as Yeti, Sasquatch, Yowie, and the most renowned, Bigfoot, this creature has mystified and terrified people for centuries, yet the scientific community to this day disagrees not only on the existence of Bigfoot but also its origin.
One theory suggests that the elusive Bigfoot is not a hairy ape as some suggest, but rather a form of Homosapien or Humanoid that has been living as a tribe throughout the world for thousands of years without discovery. The ‘Lost Tribe’ theory may seem far fetched to some, however, new species are being discovered every day with one such example being the discovery of the Bili Ape in the Congo.
Going on reported sightings and footprints alone, anthropologists descended into the Congo in 2003 to hunt for what was described as a massive ape-like creature that walked upright and was larger than any known ape in the area. Armed with the latest technology at the time, months passed before the discovery of what is now known as the Bili Ape. A massive chimpanzee that had developed intriguing characteristics and a culture all its own based on its isolated environment.
This discovery was not only fascinating due to the fact that no large apes lived anywhere near the area, as the nearest gorillas were thousands of miles away, but also due to the fact that these chimps lived in secret for generations without human interference or discovery.
A large ape living without discovery until 2003! This leaves hope for many Bigfoot enthusiasts that the elusive animal not only exists but lives its life secluded in the dense forests and mountain tops throughout the world!
Jane Goodall, the renowned English primatologist and anthropologist whose discoveries associated with primate life and culture have changed the way we view all apes, is a believer in Bigfoot. Throughout the years she has heard several intriguing stories on sightings and encounters that have led her to keep an open mind, even without ever witnessing the creature herself.
“It’s bizarre that we’ve never found any remains, maybe it’s a spiritual creature. The closest I come when I think about ‘what could it be’ is like the remnant of Neanderthals.” – Jane Goodall
The Kuku Yalanji Tribe of Tropical North Queensland, Australia, has depicted Bigfoot (known as the Yowie in Australia) through cave drawings of a large hairy creature standing next to the much smaller aboriginal people. Their belief is that the Yowie is an ancient species of hominid that has avoided extinction throughout the years due to its intelligence and avoidance of mankind by living in remote locations.
Tule River Indian Reservation, above Porterville, in the Sierra Nevada foothills of central California, is home to what is known as Painted Rock. Cave paintings here date back thousands of years and not only do they include drawings of an individual Bigfoot but also drawings of an entire family of Bigfeet, depicting a tribal, social culture within the species.
These, along with several other cultures throughout the world, have a strong belief that Bigfoot is not just a hairy, upright ape, but a humanoid creature that has evolved separately from the rest of the human race. This belief would classify Bigfoot as a ‘Lost Tribe’.
In areas such as the Amazon, the topography is so thick and dense that there are human tribes existing today that have never had outside contact from other humans. In fact, it is possible that there are still human tribes that have been undiscovered due to the vast expanse of our planet.
Could BigFoot be one of these tribes?
The Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History along with the University of Tübingen in Germany and a team of highly trained scientists recently studied a Neanderthal femur that had been discovered in a cave in Germany. To their surprise, this bone’s DNA gave evidence that this particular Neanderthal was part of a small population of humans who left Africa and then subsequently vanished. This alone may not sound exciting, but pair it with the fact that this Neanderthal’s mitochondria did not match any other previously analyzed bones, this discovery shows that the humanoid species is much more vast and complicated than previously thought. Perhaps there are other humanoids throughout history, such as Bigfoot, who have evolved separately from their ancestors creating unique, individual tribes of their own.
“The inclination to believe in the fantastic may strike some as a failure in logic, or gullibility, but it’s really a gift. A world that might have Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster is clearly superior to one that definitely does not.” – Chris Van Allsburg American Writer & Illustrator
Scientist Jeffrey Meldrum, Ph.D., a Professor of Anatomy and Anthropology, has been studying Bigfoot samples and evidence for several years and has written several papers and books on the subject. His theory is that Bigfoot is a descendant of the Asian Gigantopithecus, an extinct ape that existed as recently as one hundred thousand years ago. This, along with several other theories of how Bigfoot came to be, has puzzled scientists and the general public for centuries, however, with some scientists no longer looking at Bigfoot as a fairy tale, perhaps the origin and reality of this creature will soon come to light.
Whether known as Sasquatch, Yeti, Yowie, or another name, the Bigfoot has long eluded capture and still intrigues people of all ages. Stories from across the globe of encounters with this elusive creature have captured the imagination of generations with no sign of slowing down.
Perhaps in our lifetime, we may discover the ‘truth’ about Bigfoot as new discoveries are made daily and perhaps this elusive creature will turn out to be one of the many ‘Lost Tribes’.
“Either this is the greatest hoax ever pulled off, or there really is a bigfoot.” – Larry Battson