Apemean (Hairy Hominoids): Shadow of Humanity

All over the world, myths and sightings about mysterious Apemen abound. The most famous of these hairy hominoids are Yeti (the Abominable Snowman) of Asia and Bigfoot (Sasquatch) of North America, both of whom have captured the public imagination. Meanwhile, Australia has Yowie, Europe Wudewasa (Woodwose), Southeast Asia Orang-Pendek, South America Mapinguary, and Africa Ngoko. Many stories about these various Apemen speak of their wild nature, hairiness, and strength. Today, sightings of these hairy hominoids come from the world’s wild places – the jungles, swamps, forests, and mountains. However, people still see these wild “men” even in settled areas from time to time.

What makes Apemen different from other myths about fantastic animals is that They are believed to exist. In fact, Apemen dwell on the knife’s edge between myth and reality. Throughout the centuries, ordinary people have reported their encounters with these hominoids. Sir Edmund Hillary of Mt. Everest fame reported seeing giant foot prints of a Yeti in Nepal in the 1950s. In 2004, an elderly woman in Florida encountered a Skunk Ape in her backyard. Meanwhile, The Cryptozoic and Rare Animal Research Center of Vietnam is searching for Nguoi Rung. However Apemen continue to remain elusive as to what or who they are.

Although stories about hairy hominoids have been told for thousands of years, They only recently came into the consciousness of modern Western people. “Abominable Snowman” which referred to Yeti, was coined by Henry Newman writing in a Calcutta newspaper in 1921. He was reporting on several sightings by British officers in Tibet. His article about what their Sherpas had described, prompted the Abominable Snowman craze. More Europeans wanted to travel to Asia to see this mysterious inhabitant of the mountains.

Meanwhile, Bigfoot (Sasquatch) came into public consciousness in the 1950s with articles in men’s adventure magazines. Added to these reports were the films of Roger Patterson in 1960s depicting a walking hairy “man.” That spurred the public to think that Apemen lived amongst them, and perhaps had observed their comings and goings. Afterwards reports flooded in about people’s encounters with various man-like mammals.

Since that time, many people have speculated as to what Apemen are. Are they humans, apes, or something else altogether. Theories have ranged from small apes to surviving Gigantopithecus, a prehistoric primate. Could these Apemen be relic populations of other human species such as the Neanderthals?

Cryptozoologists (scientists who study unknown animals) have grouped Apemen into several species ranging from relatives of humans to unknown apes. “Neo-giants” such as Bigfoot (Sasquatch) are considered human. “True Giants” such as Grendel (of “Beowulf”) are believed to be relatives of Gigantopithecus. “Marked Hominids,” who have two-toned hair and other markings, are thought to be Homo heidelbergensis, predecessors of modern humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans. Enkidu (of “Gilgamesh Epic”) is considered a Neanderthaloid, from a relic population of Neanderthals. Almas and Yeren of Asia are believed to be Erectus Hominids, descendants of Homo erectus of the Pleistocene. “Proto-pygmies” are considered human with the discovery in Indonesia of Homo floresiensis, “the Hobbit.” Meanwhile, “Undiscovered Primates” such as Skunk Ape, Ngoloko, and Mapinguary are considered to be unknown apes.

Other scientists have expressed opinions about Apemen as well. Noted primatologist Jane Goodall keeps an open mind saying that “there is a lot more evidence that they do exist than not.” Furthermore, she surmises that they could possibly be a link between humans and gorillas. Meanwhile, zoologist Morris Goodman notes that “genetically humans are only slightly remodeled apes.” Perhaps the hairy hominoids do fill the breach between apes and humans.

Cloaked in mystery, Apemen exist just outside sensible human perceptions. As “wildmen,” They are beyond the fringes of ordinary life. In European folklore, They were the people who left the towns to wander in the wilderness, becoming less human each day. In their efforts to shed their worldliness and become closer to God, desert saints became hairy anchorites, a type of Apemen.

Noted cryptozoologist Loren Coleman said that seeking Bigfoot (and other Apemen) is important, and when They are found, “we shall never look at humans in the same way again.” Understanding Bigfoot will govern how humans think of themselves. Apemen therefore are the Shadow for humankind. Apemen are the “other,” that we are both fearful of and curious about. Perhaps They are our cousins, reminding us that we too are a part of nature. Hairy hominoids urge people to come to a new understanding of their place on the Earth.
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Science Notes:

1. The founder of the science of cryptozoology, Bernard Heulvelmans defined a cryptid as “a hidden animal which by definition is very incompletely known.” Nessie of Loch Ness is considered a cryptid, whereas the Tengu of Japan is a mythological animal.

2. Hominid refers to the family of humans, the Hominidae. Bigfoot and Yeti are considered hominids. Hominoids include apes and humans. Orang-Pendek and Skunk Ape are hominoids.

3. Bigfoot and Sasquatch refer to the same hominid. The American name is Bigfoot, and the Canadian, Sasquatch.

MORE RECENT HOMO FAMILY: Embrace Tolerance

bone needles

Recent discoveries have uncovered three more-recent Families of Homo who lived at the same time – Cro-Magnon, Neanderthal, and Denisovan – thereby making our view of ourselves more complex.  The mystery that these Families present to us is how they interacted with each other.  Did They ignore each other, make war with each other, or intermarry?  Did They even regard each other as Human?

            What modern scientists have uncovered in their DNA studies of modern humans was astonishing.  Many people of European ancestry have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA in their genetic make-up.  Because the Neanderthals grew up in the cold climates of Europe, They were stocky and heavy-boned.  Migrating from Africa, Cro-Magnons were smaller and slighter.  Interbreeding with Neanderthals helped the Cro-Magnons to withstand the freezing cold.

            Meanwhile, the Denisovans left Africa about a million years after H. erectus did and half-million years before the Neanderthals appeared in Europe.  Living in Siberia, Denisovans used advanced tools such as bone needles.  However, what fossils remains of Them that we have were their very large teeth, which were similar to Australopithecus.  Migrating to South Asia and nearby Asian Islands, Denisovans also interbred with Cro-Magnons there.  Today, people in New Guinea and other islands carry Denisovan DNA in their genetic make-up.

            The picture that emerges is that though the majority of these Familes did not interact, some did, and regarded each other as Human. (Scientists claim that the ratio of inbreeding was about fifty Denisovans to every thousand Humans.) As we move forward in time, we see the grove of Humankind dwindling down one by one.  We modern humans may be all that is left, but we carry the Others inside of ourselves.  We can celebrate our ancient Ancestors by acknowledging their contribution to our well-being.  Since They chose to become a part of us, let us be true to our heritage and be tolerant of each other.

EARLY HOMO FAMILY: Discover Your Inner Fire

The next Family to come after these Earliest Humans, was the Homo family (of which H. sapiens (Modern Humans) is a later member), about 2.4 million years ago (mya) Meanwhile, the Families of the Earliest Humans - Australopithecus and Paranthropus lived near the Homo family.  However, these earlier Families had little interaction with the Homo Family.  About two mya, several distinctive members (who had larger brains than the previous Early Humans) of the Homo Family appeared – H. gautengensis, H. habilis, and H. rudolfensis.  With his larger teeth, H. guatengensis specialized in eating plants.  Slimmer H. habilis (“Handy Man”) could make simple stone tools, while stocker and heavier H. rudolfensis ate grass roots.  

            About 1.8 mya, H. ergaster and H. erectus of the Homo Family appeared.  These Early Humans developed a complex tool making culture, such as using hammer stones to break open nuts.  Furthermore because of the hot African climate, their bigger brains needed more cooling.  Therefore these Humans possessed more sweat glands and was less hairy.         

Then H. erectus did something remarkable:  She migrated out of Africa to Eurasia,   adapting to the new places with strange plants and animals.  Since the seasons in Eurasia were more pronounced and cooler, H. erectus was forced to become more inventive: She discovered fire.  From the evidence found in the campfires of Peking Man of Asia, H. erectus built and used fire about 1.8 mya.  This gave Her a means to cook food and keep warm, which meant that She could master the environment.

            The Early Homo Family urges us to leave the safety of our homes and venture out in the unknown.  They will show us how to meet the challenges of new ways of living.  With their help, we can discover our own inner fires, thereby changing our own lives.

Suffering and the Human Condition: Ending the Suffering

For me, suffering occurs when people are alienated from their selves and everything around them. Suffering people have inside of them, an empty hole that aches with pain. People react to this pain in different ways. Some people fall into such despair, that they kill themselves to end the pain. Others are perpetually busy darting about, in hopes of being distracted from the pain. Still others do things to smother the pain, such as taking excess drugs.

The loss of hope lives at the root of human pain. I had my season in hell where I reached that place of no hope. In fact, I just wanted to lie down and die. To me, the world was bleak and gray. After seeking professional help, I was diagnosed with acute depression. The doctors told me that my brain was not producing the right chemicals. Now, I take medications to help my brain. What I had experienced was the secret strength of depression.

From my experiences of reaching out and receiving help, I know that the world can be kind and loving. In my opinion, people asking for help need to be sustained with hope and love. For me, when I was the most vulnerable, I experienced the Spirit (Divine), which came to me. Now, I carry that small spark inside me, never wanting to extinguish it.

To have a good day, there are three things I do daily. First, I get out of bed. I demonstrate to myself that there is something to get up for. I just don’t what it is yet. Second, I make my bed, which tells me that I can make order out of chaos. Third, I make myself a cup of tea. This shows that I care enough about myself to feed myself. If I do nothing else, I will have demonstrated to myself that I am worthy of love and that I am loved.

For me, the solution to suffering is in the struggle for wholeness. Conflict is an inevitable part of life, since it shows people what is worth fighting for. In avoiding conflict, a person may sacrifice their integrity. Resolution, the end of conflict, is a joining together. In order to be complete, the person needs to resolve their conflicts. The disunion of conflict and the unity of the resolution break the self apart, and then reforms it into a healthy whole.

To understand this further, consider the predator/prey dynamic of animals. When you ponder the animals’ interactions, you realize that they are more than the sum of their parts. For example, Elephant Seal and Great White Shark move from a position of strength. They use their strength and intelligence in different ways. Great White Shark is an apex predator of the oceans, while Elephant Seal rules his icy territory with an iron flipper. The shark preys on the seal, who escapes death by moving onto the land. The two animals dance in a synergy to form a new wholeness. The shark is yin to the seal’s yang.

The predator/prey relationship represents the primal forces of procreation and death, which is filled with a dynamic tension. From the struggle of opposing forces, a new life emerges. The new life is whole and in balance.

Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
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