Most people have heard of Mexico's most famous cryptid, the infamous chupacabra, a spined and hairless bloodsucking canine (or lizard, depending on which version of the legend you listen to) accused of draining the blood from livestock. There is also a Mexican version of Bigfoot, the sisimite, which I included in my squatch around the world round-up a few months back. Here are a few other creatures from south of the border that haven't yet gotten quite that level of PR outside the country. 

Ahuitzotl

Aquatic mammals are a relatively rare category of cryptid, and this one is a particularly fun version. The Ahuitzotl is the size of a small dog, and has roughly the same build, though with small ears and a long tail that has a hand at the end of it. It lives in remote, swampy areas, where it submerges itself in a lake or river then makes a sound like a terrified woman or crying child. When somebody rushes in to help, it grabs them with its tail-hand, pulls them under, and strangles them. Then it eats their eyes, teeth, and fingernails and tosses the body on the shore. 

The Ahuitzotl was one of the first cryptids documented by Europeans in Mexico. Hernán Cortés' claimed one of his men was killed by this creature in an official report. There were similar creatures in both Maya and Aztec myths, as well as in the myths from people further north like the Hopi and Shasta, which has led some scientists to speculate the legends originated from encounters with a now-extinct species of otter. Another fun fact: the creature shares its name with the 8th Aztec ruler, who was in charge during the peak of the empire (1486-1502).

Alux/Chaneque

A lot of cultures around the world have a legendary creature that looks like a little human, and the Maya and Aztec had similar iterations of this theme. 

The Alux (plural Aluxes or Aluxob) is the Maya version, a knee-high person wearing traditional Maya garb that's usually invisible, though it can show itself to interact with people. Aluxob are protective spirits and guardians of the land, believed to be as old as the land itself, even older than the sun. Farmers can harness the powers of an Alux by building a shrine on their land, which either attracts one or creates one, depending on the legend. Once the Alux moves into the shrine, it spends the next seven years protecting the fields, bringing good weather, and otherwise helping the crops grow. After seven years, the farmer has to seal the Alux inside the shrine, or else it'll turn into a trickster, hiding the farmer's tools, spreading disease, or running off into the jungle to lead travelers astray. You can stop these tricks by leaving offerings to the Aluxob at the ancient sites where they live.

The Aztec version is called a Chaneque or Chanekeh, and looks like a child with an old face. Like Aluxob, they live in forests or near rivers, but they don't have the same farm helper reputation—they're just straight tricksters. Sometimes they just cause mild mischief, but they're also said to kidnap people and take them to the underworld through a dry kapok tree, or to attack people who intrude on their land with such intensity that their soul leaves their body. They can also communicate with animals or bring rain and thunder. They're also partially invisible, though it's usually said that children can see them but adults often can't.

Cihuateteo

In Aztec mythology, women who died in childbirth were said to become Cihuateteo, powerful spirits seen as equivalent to the spirits of warriors who died in battle. The Cihuateteo worked with warriors' spirits to get the sun through the sky, taking it west from noon to sunset (in some versions also carrying it through the underworld) after the warriors carried it across the morning. 

Usually the Cihuateteo live in a place called Cihuatlampa, the “place of women” that was west with the setting sun, but on certain days of the calendar they'd come to the mortal realm to mingle with humans. When they did, they'd take the form of crossroads demons and get up to the usual array of bad behavior like stealing children, causing madness, or luring men to commit adultery. When on Earth, they have claw-like hands and are usually shown wearing skirts fastened with snake belts.

Huay Chivo

This one comes primarily from the Yucatán peninsula, and is also found in adjacent countries like Belize and northern Guatemala. It's essentially the Maya iteration of a goatman, which is another common trope in folklore around the world, though Huay Chivo is distinct from creatures like satyrs or the Pope Lick Monster in that he's said to be a shape-shifting sorcerer, not a full-time goatman. The current legend is likely a melding of Maya and Spanish folklore, which is reflected in its name: Huay, from Waay, the Yucatec word for “sorecrer”, and Chivo, a Spanish word for goat. 

Huay Chivo can only turn into his goat for at night, and to do it he has to take off his head first and leave it at home. A goat's or bull's head grows in its place, and he also gets horse or goat legs, with a human torso in between, all of it covered in thick, black hair. He has glowing red eyes and anyone who stares into them is frozen with fear, then suffers delerium and fever that lasts for days. Some versions also bleed from the mouth whenever they talk. The only way to kill him is to carve a cross into a bullet and shoot it into the sorcerer's abandoned, disembodied head (though you can also keep it away by leaving a cross sprinkled with holy water by the door). 

There are a few origin legends for Huay Chivo. The core idea is usually that a young man loves a woman and wants to get closer to her. In one version, that woman tends his family's goat herd, and he asks the Maya death god Kisin (“the flatulent one”) to change him into a goat so he can always be near her, but the spell goes awry and he gains the ability to transform into a goat instead. In another version, the young man asks the devil to get him close to his crush and doesn't know he'll be turned into a goat until it happens, at which point he starts slaughtering livestock at night because he's so angry about it. The legend of the creature's existence persists to the modern day, and there have been sightings as recently as 2015.

Xtabay

Another one from the Yucatán peninsula, the Xtabay fits another well-represented archetype: beautiful women who are actually terrifying monsters. In this case, she's dressed all in white with black hair down to her ankles. Xtabay waits behind ceiba trees combing her hair with the spines of a tzacam cactus until an unsuspecting male traveler happens along (though in some versions of the legend she only attacks criminals and drunks). What happens at that point depends on the legend. In some versions she turns into a venomous snake and devours him. In others, she rips out his heart, eats it, then throws the body into a cenote. In a version written by ethnologist Antonio Mediz Bolio, she makes the men her slaves, keeping them in caverns around the ceiba tree's roots. 

Some scholars believe the legend of Xtabay started as a personified spirit of the ceiba tree, but was twisted into an evil being by the Spanish as part of their campaign to demonize indigenous beliefs. As far as her legendary origins, there are a few versions. In one, she starts as Xkeban, a beautiful woman who had many suitors but rejected all of them. They got jealous and started spreading rumors to ruin her reputation. When she was walking in the woods, a sorceress offered her the chance to escape the ridicule of her town by transforming into an immortal creature, the Xtabay. In another version, Xtabay is Xkeban's sister, Utz-Colel, who was chaste and proper in life but nonetheless had spiky tzacam cacti grow from her grave when she died, while her loose sister Xkeban's grave sprouted beautiful flowers. Utz-Colel comes back to life as Xtabay to punish the type of men her sister used to sleep with. 

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#Cryptids #Folklore #Mythology

Now, I know—reptiles can survive in northern Appalachia, which has plenty of snakes and turtles that call it home, along with amphibians like frogs and salamanders. But large reptilian predators tend to stick to warmer climates, especially the types of predators sometimes reported in northern Appalachia's lakes and rivers. Of course, that type of thing has never been a concern for mythological creatures. Norse mythology prominently features a serpent, after all, and that comes from another landscape where reptiles aren't exactly happy in the winter. Really, the prevalence of serpent-like monsters in Appalachia is refective of a much larger pattern. No matter the origin of the folklore or mythology, odds are, it has a snake.

Which naturally made me wonder just why snakes—specifically giant snakes—are so universal. I did a post on the prevalence of dragons a little while back, and I think some of those same explanations could probably apply here. Massive snakes could be attempts to explain discovered dinosaur bones or a record of encounters with now-exctinct species. While that could be the source of their appearance, though, the core role of snakes in many cultures' perceptions of the world, and the meaning assigned to them, goes well beyond this idea. 

The snakes that started everything

Many mythologies include one or more primordial creatures, beings that existed before humanity—and often even before the gods who created humanity. Their fate typically falls into two camps. One group are killed in process of creating the world (frequently so their body can be used to form the landscape), while the other continue to live on, either asleep underneath the earth or in some way supporting the earth or the universe. The legends of beasties in this latter group may include an prophecy that the beast will someday wake up and cause all kinds of havoc, potentially up to and including the end of the world as we know it. 

And you've probably guessed by now the reason I'm bringing this up: a lot of these creatures are snakes. To give a non-exhaustive list of examples, some of these include:

• Ayida-Weddo – the “Rainbow Serpent” of the Fon people of Benin that was also adopted into Vodou, which  helped creator goddess Mawu-Lisa shape the world and now coils under the world to keep it from collapsing. Earthquakes are caused by its movements, and it's said that someday it will eat its own tail, causing the Earth to sink into the abyss
• Andndayin oj – the Armenian “Abyssal Serpent” that lives in the black waters around the world tree
• Antaboga – The first being that existed in the mythology of Java in Indonesia. It created the world turtle that all other life sprang from, along with Dewi Sri, the rice goddess
• Bobbi-Bobbi – a sea serpent Dreamtime ancestor for the Binbinga people of Australia, who created bats for them to hunt and gave them boomerangs to hunt with
• Naga Padoha – giant serpent from the mythology of the Batak of Sumatra who guards the underworld. The goddess Sideak Parujar created the world on his back, and earthquakes happen when he struggles
• Pakhangba – powerful serpentine god of the Meitei in India, considered the ultimate ancestor as the father of the seven dragon ancestors of the Meitei clans
• Shesha – or Ananta, the king of the nagas in Hindu mythology, who holds the entire universe on the hoods of his many heads
• Ungud – snake god from the Wunambal people of Australia, who lived underground at the start of the world and helped the sky deity Wallanganda to create life through their dreams
• Unhcegila – Lakota and Dakota horned serpent who flooded the land when she emerged from the primordial waters, the proceeded to terrorize early humans until a warrior finally slays her, leaving her body to form the rocks of the Badlands

...and there are more that follow in a similar vein, often in the Rainbow Serpent archetype in Australia and the Horned Serpent model in American myths. To be fair, snakes certainly aren't the only animals to be given this status; turtles and birds are other recurring figures in this role. But snakes were commonly seen as embodying a kind of primordial force, even beyond the examples given here. The ancient Greeks, for instance, saw snakes as symbolizing an energy that can both create and destroy, and used snakes broadly in their mythology even though, as one scholar put it, snakes played “no meaningful practical role in the lives of the anicent Greeks.”

Scholars often cite some of a snake's unique attributes as the reason behind this. Shedding its skin is a big one. This makes it a logical symbol of renewal, rebirth, and transformation, things that are often heavy themes in mythologies. There's also the fact that snakes slither on the ground. They're connected to the earth, and through it to the ancestors and the underworld. Other snakes can transcend boundaries, moving both in water and on land or climbing trees, giving them a natural place as intermediaries between humans and the sky, water, and earth that are seen as realms of the divine. 

Snakes as creators

Another sizeable sub-set of mythological snake figures are those that are portrayed as creators or culture heroes. In part because they seem to contradict some of the prevailing wisdom about where snake monsters in folklore come from. One theory that came up a lot in my research was that giant snakes in folklore represented early humans' fear about encountering poisonous or dangerous snakes in the wild. That makes sense when the snakes are framed as monsters, but doesn't track quite as well to them teaching humans, or even creating them in the first place.

Some examples of mythical creatures in this category include: 

• Amaru – double-headed serpent said by the Inca to live at the bottoms of lakes and rivers. Its ability to transcend worlds makes it a conduit for spiritual knowledge
• Awanyu – horned serpent of the Tewa Pueblo who taught humans rituals related to rainfall, which he is said to control
• Degei – the creator god of Fijian mythology, who hatched an egg that produced the first humans
• Fuxi – culture hero with a serpent body in Chinese mythology, seen as the first emperor of China who invented music, cooking, hunting, fishing, and writing
• Kukulkan- the feathered serpent of Maya myth (later reprized by the Aztec as Quetzalcoatl) seen as a mediator between the heavens and earth, and representative of cyclical time
• Nuwa – mother goddess from Chinese mythology who molded humans out of yellow clay. She has the head of a woman with the body of a snake

...and there are certainly more. The snake is also associated as a familiar or symbolic animal with an array of helpful deities, like Wadjet from Egyptian mythology or the Rod of Asclepius from ancient Greece, which is the image of a snake circling a staff that's associated with medicine and healing. That seems particularly counterintuitive, but it again gets back to that idea of snakes as symbols for renewing life. Some alchemists even thought they knew the secret to immortality. 

It's also worth noting that even helpful snakes in folklore and mythology often have a dangerous side. Serpent deities are often connected to weather, meaning they can bring helpful rains but also devastating floods. Primordial beings that created the world can also ruin cities with earthquakes just by shifting a coil, or even destroy the earth entirely. The source of that snake around staff imagery used by the Greeks was an older Sumerian god, Ningizzida, who was often depicted as a horned serpent and took a seasonal descent into the underworld to represent the changing seasons. This is another example of the serpent in mythology linked to the earth, which makes it a source of both sustenance and fear. 

Snakes as monsters and destroyers

This is the role most modern folk tales cast snakes into, and it's a common one across mythology, too. It's also the one that makes the most logical sense, like I alluded to in the last section. Most humans have an instant fear and/or ick reaction to snakes. Stories about encounters with dangerous snakes are just as prone to the fish-story effect as anything else, with the offending animal getting just a bit bigger with every telling, or the snake's dangerous attributes might get intentionally exaggerated to turn the story into a cautionary tale for kids about why not to mess with the colorful thing making the rattly noise with its tail. 

The question of why snakes persist in cold-weather places is probably another one that has two answers. Some could stem from encounters or stories brought back by travelers in warmer landscapes. These kinds of stories would seem particularly fantastic and noteworthy to someone who's used to the more reasonably sized snakes found in temperate climates. The other answer, I think, is that the implausibility of a giant snake in a place like Pennsylvania is part of its appeal. It adds to a being's mystique if it's living somewhere it's not supposed to be. When animals do this, it breaks the rules you know for them, and that makes them seem even more powerful and terrifying. 

I suppose, when you stop to think about it, it isn't so strange that snakes are so common in myths and folklore. They live on every continent except antarctica, meaning humans have been living alongside snakes from their earliest days. I suppose it's no wonder they'd work their ways into our stories. 

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#Mythology #Cryptids #Folklore

Even moreso than other well-known cryptids like Nessie or Mothman, Bigfoot exists in the liminal space between folklore and reality. The sheer number of reported encounters with Sasquatch/Yeti type creatures over the years is its own fascinating phenomenon, even for those who don't personally believe the creature could exist. It's also the cryptid that people are most likely to believe in. A 2022 poll from Civic Science showed that 13% of U.S. adults believe Sasquatch is a real, living creature, which is lower than the percentage who believe aliens have visited Earth (31%) but higher than those who believe in Nessie (9%). A poll from the Association of Religion Data Archives has slightly higher figures, with 13% responding that Bigfoot probably exists, and an additional 3% responding that it absolutely exists.

And these statistics are just within the United States. There are iterations of this creature archetype that go by various names in pretty much every corner of the world. In some places, it's seen as a purely fictional folklore monster, while in others it's accepted broadly as a real creature that lives in the more wild parts of the landscape.

I find it fascinating to compare different versions of the same cryptid archetype, especially if you run with the thought experiment that this is a real genus of primates that has split into several species and subspecies in different isolated environments. In that spirit, here are some of the many hairy hominids found around the world. I certainly don't assume that this is a comprehensive list, but it's a good starter set of Bigfoot-like creatures.

Bigfoot in the Americas

The terms Bigfoot and Sasquatch are essentially interchangeable by this point across the United States. Both refer to a bipedal humanoid covered in brown or black hair. They're typically larger and taller than the average human, reported in the range of 6-10 feet tall, and are often reported to have a foul, wet-dog-like odor, sometimes with glowing red, orange, or yellow eyes.

This over-arching archetype of the hairy hominid is widespread across The United States and Canada. The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization has logged sightings in every state except Hawaii (Washington, California, Florida, Ohio, and Illinois have the most reports), as well as 9 of the 10 Canadian provices (all except Prince Edward Island).

Different regions also have their own versions of the archetype:

Albatwitch - also the Apple Snitch or Apple Devil, this is one of the little bigfoot (smallfoot?) variants. These little guys are about 4 feet tall, covered in dark brown or black fur. They're lanky rather than bulky, with long arms and slender torsos. Sometimes reported with glowing orange or red eyes.

• Reported in southeast Pennsylvania, especially the Chickies Rock area along the Susquehanna River
• Likes to sit in trees
• Especially fond of apples, and in early reports from the 1800s they were said to have stolen apples from picnic baskets and throw the cores at people

Bardin Booger - Descriptions of this one vary, but it's always tall, sometimes as tall as 10 feet, and covered in hair. In some reports it looks very human-like while others make it very ape-like, and it has even been reported to wear clothes.

• First reported in 1947 outside of Bardin, Florida
• Sometimes makes a mumbling noise
• Gives off a rotten smell

Big Muddy Monster - also the Murphysboro Mud Monster. Around 7-8 feet tall with light-colored or white hair that's consistently reported as covered in mud and having the usual foul stench associated with Bigfeet. It's also reported with glowing red eyes, though in this case it's been suggested its eyes are actually pink and this is an albino bigfoot.

• First reported in 1973 in Murphysboro, Illinois
• Makes an ear-piercing noise that a witness described as “an eagle shrieking into a microphone”

Dewey Lake Monster - Also the Sister Lakes Sasquatch. One of the taller variants (10 feet tall) but slender rather than broad, reported to weigh around 500 pounds. Also features glowing eyes and pronounced fangs.

• First reported in 1964 around Dewey Lake and Sister Lakes in Michigan
• Lives in the swampland of the lakeshore
• Aggressive, reported to attack several people in teh summer of 1964

Fouke Monster - also called the Boggy Creek Monster or the Swamp Stalker. Reports range from 7-10 feet tall with a broad chest, glowing red eyes the size of silver dollars, and covered in long dark hair.

• First reported in Fouke (a small town in southwest Arkansas) in 1971
• Aggressive, initial encounter was an attack on a human
• Runs quickly and swings its arms like a monkey
• Smells like a mix between a skunk and a wet dog

Grassman - also the Ohio Grassman, Kenmore Grassman, Orange Eyes. Described as massive (up to 1,000 pounds) with long arms, a pointed head, no neck, and monstrously wide shoulders. They also have deep-set glowing red or orange eyes and are covered in black or very dark brown fur, making them one of the more horror movie ready Bigfoot variants.

• Reported in the woods of Ohio (most famous sighting was in Minerva, Ohio in 1978)
• More aggressive than most Bigfoot-like creatures, are known to attack people and kill dogs
• Smells of rot and the odor lingers for days in the areas where it's spotted
• Makes noises including growls, barks, and a cry that sounds like a baby
• More communal than other variants, spotted in groups of up to 5 including mothers with babies

Honey Island Swamp Monster - also the Cajun Sasquatch or La Bete Noire. This one has gray hair, with yellow or red eyes. Its footprints also typically have four toes, which is unusual for a primate.

• Reported in the Honey Island Swamp in Louisiana
• First report dates to 1963
• Local lore says they're actually a community of chimpanzees that escaped from a train carrying a circus

Kushtaka - Also called the Water Devil or Land Otter Man, this monkey-like cryptid has long, coarse hair and claw-like fingers, with traits of both monkeys and humans (and, of course, they stink). It also features in the folklore of the Tlingit, where they're portrayed as shape-shifters that can take the form of a human or an otter.

• First reported around 1900 in Thomas Bay, southeast Alaska
• In folklore, they can be either helpful and benevolent or tricksters who lure travelers to their deaths
• As comfortable in water as on land, which is different from most squatches

Mapinguari - Called the Brazilian Bigfoot, accounts from folklore depict this creature with a single eye and two mouths: one on its face, and one in the middle of its stomach. It's otherwise similar to other bigfeet, covered in brown fur and with a very bad smell.

• Said to live in the forests of Para Amazonas, and Acre
• Violent, often eating humans by shoving them head-first into their stomach mouths
• Sometimes said to have donkey hooves instead of feet, or feet that point backwards
• Has been suggested it's actually a surviving giant ground sloth

Momo - also called the Missouri Monster or Momo the Monster. Momo is especially furry even for a Bigfoot, with hair even covering its eyes and an oversized, pumpkin-shaped head

• First reported near Louisiana, Missouri in 1971, has since been spotted up and down the Mississippi River
• Very aggressive, known to eat dogs and cats
• Puts off a terrible odor

Mogollon Monster - also the Arizona Bigfoot. Its fur is reddish brown or black, though it lacks fur on much of its face, with a human-like beard. The eyes are deep-set and red and it's inhumanly strong.

• Reported along the Mongollon Rim in eastern and central Arizona
• Earliest documented sighting was in 1903
• Odor is reported more colorfully than most, described as “dead fish, a skunk with bad body odor, decaying peat moss, and the musk of a snapping turtle”
• Nocturnal and violent
• Makes sounds including screaming and whistling

Nantinaq - Also called Alaska's killer bigfoot. Very large (over 8 feet) and covered in dark fur with sharp claws.

• Reported in Alaska, most famously around the village of Portlock, where the creature was said to have caused the abandonment of the town in 1950
• Earliest sightings date back to expedition logs from the 1700s
• Attributed with supernatural abilities, including causing illnesses and catastrophes

Sheepsquatch – Hairy hominid that looks like a cross between a sheep and a bear, but standing upright on two legs. Other features include shaggy white fur, sharp teeth, the horns of a ram or goat, and glowing red eyes.

• Reported mostly in the TNT Area of West Virginia, with occasional reports in Kentucky and Virginia
• First sightings were in the 1990s
• Was initially reported to run from people but its behavior has become more aggressive over time

Sisimite - or Sisimito, it's also called the Mexican bigfoot, though it's also reported in other Central American countries like Nicaragua and Guatemala. It has black or brown fur and is taller than a human. Its most distinctive feature is that its feet face backwards and it has no knees. It also has just four fingers on each hand with no thumbs.

• Said to live high in the mountains
• Reported to eat humans, also to kidnap women to mate with

Skunk Ape - Large bipedal creature covered in black fur with glowing red eyes

• Reported in southern Florida, especially around Everglades National Park
• Name comes from its terrible odor
• First reported in the 1960s, with a surge of sightings around Dade County in 1974

Stone Giant - also Stone Coat, Genoskwa, or Ot ne yar heh. Hair-covered giant with rock-hard skin spoken of in Iroquois legends. They're 9-11 feet tall and can weigh over 1,000 pounds

• Aggressive and territorial, with the habit of twisting the heads off their victims
• Reported to eat humans they capture
• Armpits exude an odor that's a mix between a skunk and a dead animal

Ucu - also the Ucumar or Ukumar-zupai, it's a smaller creature, about the size of a large dog though walking upright. It's sometimes described as a bear-like humanoid, with small eyes and large arms.

• Reported in the Andes Mountains, especially Chile and Argentina
• Earliest documented sighting was in 1958 outside of Santiago
• Enjoys eating payo (a cabbage like plant)
• Makes a sound described as uhu uhu

White Bigfoot - also the Pennsylvania White Bigfoot, this is a hairy hominid that's (you guessed it) completely white. It has been hypothesized that this is an elderly bigfoot, and other suggest it could be related to the Sheepsquatch. Sometimes have red eyes.

• Concentrated in Pennsylvania, often in wooded areas
• Move very fast but are typically not aggressive

Woodbooger – or Wood Booger, a name earned from its purported habit of carrying off young children boogeyman style. Its appearance is like an upright ape, often depicted with fangs and a broad, muscled chest.

• Reported in Southwest Virginia near the towns of Norton and Saltville
• Earliest potential sighting was reported in a newspaper article in November 1892

Yeti and his Friends: Europe and (Most of) Asia

The legend of the Yeti is known about as widely as Bigfoot, and it's the same basic model: a large creature that walks on two legs and is covered in fur, although in this case said fur is usually white, or occasionally brown or gray. Tibetan lore establishes three varieties of Yeti:

• Nyalmo – black-furred and fierce, standing up to 15 feet tall
• Chuti – about 8-10 feet tall
• Rang Shim Bombo – 3-5 feet tall, with reddish-brown fur

There are also several other variants of the creature across the Eurasian continent, including:

Almas - plural Almasty, also called Bnahua, Almaslar, or Ochokochi. Looks more human than the typical bigfoot, with brown or reddish fur over its whole body but no hair on its face. It has a prominent brow and jaw but a flat nose. They're also said to craft tools and wear clothes, pushing them even more into that prehistoric human type of camp.

• First recorded in the 1400s in Mongolia, with reports and artifacts found around the Caucasus Mountains and Pamir Mountains
• In the 1880s a Russian nobleman named Edgi Genaba was said to have a captive Alma, named Zana, who worked for him and bore several hybrid children
• Live in family groups in underground dens

Barmanou - This creature appears in several cultures' folklores across the north of Pakistan, and the exact appearance can vary between tellings. Usually they have a blend of human and ape-like characteristics, and sometimes they wear animal skins, though rarely as full garments.

• Reported in mountainous regions of Afghanistan in Pakistan
• Said to abduct women as mates

Basajaun – the name of this hairy hominid from Basque folklore translates to “lord of the forest” in Euskera. In folklore he's a kind of culture hero, responsible for teaching humans blacksmithing and agriculture. As a cryptid, it's a strong and agile creature about the height of a man with shaggy fur.

• Lives in northern Spain (Andalucia)
• Reported as recently as 1993 in the Catalan Pyrenees Mountain Range
• Makes noises “resembling those of an enraged cat”

Chuchuna - also Mulen, Tjutjuna, or Siberian Snowman. Described in the folklore of the Tungus and Yakut people as Neanderthal-like but with extra white fur on its forearms. In other accounts it's a 6-7 foot tall creature covered in dark hair. Unlike most Bigfoot types, they're reported as sometimes wearing clothes, which has led to speculation it's a remnant population of a different hominid.

• Lives in Siberia, typically reported in rural, remote areas
• Documentation of sightings started in 1928
• Known for making raids on barns and farms at night in southeast Siberia
• Said to consume human flesh

Greyman - also Am Fear Liath Mor or the Big Gray Man of Ben MacDhui, this creature is extremely tall with short hair covering its entire body.

• Reported on Ben MacDhui, the highest peak of Scotland's Cairngorms
• Notable report was from climber John Norman Collie in the 1890s who heard someone climbing behind him
• Sometimes seen as a supernatural being, said to cause uneasy feelings in people climbing the mountain

Hibagon – This ape-like creature is about 5 feet tall, covered mostly in black fur but with white hands and feet. It has a face shaped like an inverted triangle, a snub nose, and large, deep-set eyes

• Reported around Mount Hiba in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
• Lives in forested, mountainous areas
• Seems to be peaceful, and has fled rather than fighting in encounters with armed humans
• Smells like decaying flesh

Mande Burung - a large ape-like creature that has been called the Indian Yeti. Size estimates are around 7-9 feet tall and it has incredible strength, though it's a gentle giant, primarily an herbivore. Its hair is blackish brown and it emits the usual foul odor.

• Reported in the Garo Hills in Meghalaya
• Shy and harmless
• Encounters unique to this creature mention being abducted and forced to breastfeed from a female creature. The most recent report of this type was from 1999, and the abductee reported the milk was “sour with a mixture of bitterness.”

Yeren – also Man-Monkey, Man-Bear, or Wildman of Shennongjia. They stand over 6 feet tall and have tawny or reddish-black fur covering their whole body, with a face that has both ape-like and human traits. Their most distincitve trait are their long arms, which hang down nearly to their knees.

• Accounts go back about 3,000 years in western China
• Sightings in 1977 prompted a government-funded investigation
• Lives in caves in remote, mountains regions, particularly the Shennongjia District in Hubei Province

Apemen in Southeast Asia and Oceania

I'm lumping these together because there is often a lot of influence and overlap in the folklore of various cultures from this region. One intriguing detail is that many of the cryptids found in island nations tend to be shorter on average than those reported elsewhere in the world. Here are a smattering of the squatches found here:

Amomongo - This one's a bit shorter, about 5-6 feet, covered in white fur with long, sharp claws. It features in Philippine folklore, especially of the Negros Occidental province.

• Reported as recently as 2008 when it was said to have attacked two residents of La Castellana
• Lives in caves near the foot of Mount Kanlaon

Batutut - Small creature (4-5 feet tall) covered in dark fur all over with long hair on its head.

• Reported in the Kalimantan region of Borneo
• Prints were found in 1969 that looked human-like but with the big toe on the other side of the foot
• Flees when it encounters human, usually along the ground instead of through the trees
• Most active at dawn and dusk
• Likes to eat snails which it's been seen breaking open with stones

Gin-Sung - also called Dzu-Tehy in Tibet, or Kung-Lu in China. Giant creature covered in shaggy black or gray hair. Its head is flat with a pronounced brow, and though its hands and feet are human-like it has very long arms.

• Reported in the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan
• Folklore dates back to 2,000 BC, has been spotted sporadically throughout the 20th century
• Often seen crossing from valley to valley over the mountains
• Are said to be omnivorous but harmless to humans
• Make nests out of leaves and branches

Hantu Jarang - also called Gigi, these are tall beings, about 9-10 feet tall, with dark brown hair over their entire body. It's part of the folklore of the Orang Asli people, who say there are only three individuals (a mating couple and their child), not an entire species.

• Reported in the Endau-Rompin Park along Malaysia's east coast, especially the Sungai Kencin area
• Reclusive and harmless
• Lives in forest caves

Kapre - also called the Agta or Tree Demon, this 7-9 foot hairy hominid is known for more human traits than most. This includes a taste for smoking cigars and a habit for wearing loincloths. They also have features similar to other Squatches, like red eyes, dark fur, and a strong body odor.

• Reported in the area of Malitbog in the Philippines
• Live in mangroves, santol trees, and swampy places
• Are often friendly to humans but can become violent if people cut down their trees
• Some legends say they wear a belt that makes them invisible to people

Kayadi - known to the Siawi and Amto people, this creature is man-sized and strong enough to throw a person. Their fur isn't as long or shaggy as other iterations.

• First reported in 2002 by American cryptozoologist Todd Jurasek
• Are reports of humans being kidnapped by Kayadi
• Can climb trees very quickly

Mawas - this word is also an Indonesian word for orangutan, though it's alternatively used to refer to a cryptid. It's 5-6 feet tall with black or brown hair and seems to enjoy eating fruit.

• Reported in southern Malaysia, most recently in Negeri Sembilan province
• Give off a “strong animal scent”

Moehau - hailing from Maori folklore, this is New Zealand's version of Bigfoot. It's distinctive features include yellow or gray hair and large tusks.

• Reported in the early 1900s by a farmer in the Corramandel Peninsula
• Is apparently an herbivore, has been spotted stealing from farmers' vegetable patches
• Said to carry off women and children

Nguoi Rung - translating to Forest Man, this Vietnamese cryptid is about 6 feet tall with gray, brown, or black hair everywhere except its face, hands, and the soles of its feet.

• Two were reportedly captured in Dak Lak Province in 1971
• Omnivorous, often spotted foraging for food
• Cryptozoologist Loren Colemen has posited they're surviving members of Homo erectus

Orang Pendek - Another of the little guys, this one is about 2-5 feet tall. They're strong for their size, though, able to uproot trees. They're covered entirely in short, dark fur with especially long hair on their heads, and have a human-like face, though their legs are shorter than a typical person's.

• Reported on Sumatra, especially in the Kerinci Regency
• Documented by Dutch colonists as early as 1923
• Live on the ground in remote, mountainous forests

Yowie - also Yahoo or Hairy Man, this is basically Australia's version of the bigfoot. It's not always large, with reports ranging from 5-12 feet tall, but it's violent and has talon-like claws and large fangs in a red mouth. Its fur is reddish or brown and its eyes are red or yellow. Some speculate it's a marsupial, but that's not consistent across accounts.

• Stories were first documented in the 1820s but date back much further
• Sightings reported as recently as 2021 in the state of Queensland
• Aggressive, reported to tear the heads off of kangaroos
• Name comes from yuwi, meaning “dream spirit”

Hairy Hominids in Africa

Mysterious ape creatures were reported in Africa by early explorers in the 1800s, including a creature somewhat equivalent to a bigfoot known as the koolookamba. That term today is applied to a different type of cryptid, a purported hybrid between a chimpanzee and a gorilla. As far as bigfoot analogs, I found a few in my research:

Agogwe - also Kakundakari or Kilomba, this is a jungle-dweller that's on the smaller side, around 2-5 feet tall. Its features are largely human, though it has longer arms and its body is covered in rusty-colored hair. Its skin color is another unique feature, said to be copper-colored

• Found in east Africa, especially Zimbabwe and Congo
• First reported in 1900 by English historian William Hichens
• Speculated to be a surviving species of australopithecine

Otang – this creature looks like a primitive hominid, and is comparable in height to a human, though covered in reddish or brown hair.

• First reported in the Knysna Forest of South Africa by biologist Gareth Patterson but have been known to local people for much longer
• Speculated to be a remnant population of a relic homonid

Waterbobbejaan - the name translates literally to “water baboon” and is applied to creatures with a range of descriptions. Some are small, others 7 feet tall, and fur color ranges from red to black. It's typically described with long arms, supporting theories it's a large baboon. It's also called fudu and the South African Bigfoot.

• Has been spotted in a range of places and terrains across South Africa, including a notable sighting in 1965 in Northwest Province
• Aggressive, has been accused of killing humans and livestock

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#Cryptids #Folklore #Mythology

I recently went to the Albatwitch Day festival in Columbia, PA for the first time, which gave me a whole slew of new ideas for cryptid-adjacent stories (and at a very good time, too, considering I’m about to delve into writing a cryptid-heavy novel that’s been bouncing around my head for the past few months). 

In that spirit—and since we’re now officially in Spooky Season—I thought some cryptid-themed writing prompts might be a fun source of inspiration.

#1: Local legends.

Living in Appalachia means I’m spoiled for choice when it comes to regional legends. Along with critters like the Albatwitch and squonk I’ve written about on the blog before, I’m not far from Kecksburg (with its famous UFO), Point Pleasant (home of the mothman), Loveland (and its frogmen), or Flatwoods (and its monster)—and that’s definitely not a complete list. 

The thing is, I don’t think Appalachia is unique in this regard. The density of strange things varies place to place, but I’ll bet there’s at least one legend to be found somewhere close no matter where you live. To start this prompt, dig into one of these local legends. If you don’t know of any, you can start with a simple Google search along the lines of “monster legends near TOWN NAME” or “cryptids from REGION”. Local libraries often also have books of local folktales and legends that can be helpful.

Once you find one that interests you, do some basic research into its whole deal—what it looks like, where it came from, and how it came to the attention of humans. Also take notes on how it engages with humans when they come across it. Is it threatening? Elusive? What are the signs one might be nearby? 

Finally, create a character who doesn’t know what this creature is. Write a scene or poem where this character has a close encounter with this local legend—without naming what it is, since that’s something the character doesn’t know. Instead, convey the creature’s essence so that a reader who is familiar with the legend would recognize it in the course of the character’s encounter.

#2: In their own words.

Now that we’ve explored the human perspective of a local legend, let’s flip over to the other side. Sticking with that same creature you used in prompt 1, take a second to brainstorm what their day-to-day existence might be like. Some of this info might be part of the legend but you can use your imagination to fill in the rest (or change the details from the legend, if you want to).

Once you’ve spent some time figuring out these details, write a story or poem where your cryptid of choice is going about their everyday life—only to be interrupted by the arrival of a pesky human. How do they react? What’s their feeling on humans in general? Any things they’d do that a human might misinterpret? Answer whichever of those questions seems to make sense in the scene. 

#3: My very own monster.

One of the categories of cryptid story I’m most amused by are the ones that are obvious, proven hoaxes—but that people just go ahead and keep retelling anyway. The Veggie Man is a good example. It’s utterly ridiculous, and its creator has publicly said he made it up, but there’s still a whole day devoted to it every year in Fairmont, WV.

So let’s tell our own hoax story. Start this prompt by coming up with your own monster. You can have it live in your town or somewhere completely different. It can be similar to something that’s already in stories, but give it some kind of tweak that makes it unique. 

Now, imagine how someone might create a hoax that this creature exists. Would they stage a photo? Create footprints? What kind of signs is the creature supposed to leave behind? Don’t just think about visual clues but also sounds or smells.

For the final step, create a character who perpetrates this hoax. What is their motivation for creating the monster? Who are they hoping to fool with it? Do they succeed? Once you’ve brainstormed those details, write a scene that starts with them in the act of pulling off (or not pulling off) their hoax. 

#4: Cryptid fight!

I love a good versus monster movie. Godzilla vs. Kong, Alien vs. Predator, Megashark vs. Crocosaurus—there’s just something satisfying about watching two big bads going to town on each other.

This prompt starts with the question: “Who would win in a fight between…?” Pick any two cryptids (or more, if you’re feeling ambitious) to pit against each other. Take a second to think about each one’s strengths and weaknesses. Which one would probably be the most aggressive? The craftiest? How would each one attack?

Finally, figure out why these two creatures are fighting. Is it over something animalistic like territory or prey—or do they have beef of a more emotional or intellectual nature? Once you have this last detail in place, write a scene or poem that starts on their first moment of overt conflict.

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#WritingExercises #WritingAdvice #Cryptids

I was doing some wandering this past week and ended up in Portland, Maine, a delightful town that, among its other attractions, is home to the International Cryptozoology Museum. While there are plenty of smaller museums dedicated to specific monsters and critters, the ICM is the only all-purpose cryptid museum in the world, so I knew I needed to make a point of stopping in while I was in town.

And I’ll tell you: I wasn’t disappointed. The museum is relatively small but jam-packed with very neat displays and artifacts. Even as an avid student of cryptids, there were a few creatures featured in the museum’s exhibits that were new to me. I also picked up a new reference book with even more new finds, Loren Coleman & Jerome Clark’s Cryptozoology A to Z:

I will also say that the staff of the museum knows their stuff! I was wearing a squonk t-shirt I picked up at last month’s Squonkapalooza and was impressed that the attendant recognized it instantly. Awesome to see some love for squonk outside of PA! 

In any case, here were some new-to-me finds that I was particularly tickled by.

The Beast of Busco

Comes from: Fulk Lake (Indiana, USA) General creature type: Snapping turtle

The most famous sightings of this beastie come from 1949, when several people reported seeing a snapping turtle that was at least 4 feet across in Fulk Lake, nera Churubusco, Indiana. This wasn’t the only local sighting of a giant turtle, either. The farmer who owned the land, Oscar Fulk, reported seeing a giant turtle in the lake as early as 1898. 

The legend of the Beast of Busco lives on in Curubusco, which to this day holds a Turtle Days festival each June. Honestly, this is one of those cryptids that sounds completely plausible to me—they’ve caught sea turtles that weigh over 2,000 pounds, and there are unverified reports of 400+ pound alligator snapping turtles being caught as close as Kansas.

Emela-ntouka

Comes from: The Congo General creature type: Neodinosaur and/or rhinocerous Also known as: aseka-moke, ngamb-namae, Water-Elephant, Killer of Elephants, chipekwe (in Zambia)

The emela-ntouka is a large, four-legged, semi-aquatic cryptid hailing from the Likouala swamp region. They’re hairless with brown or gry hides and a single long horn on their nose. While they’re generally reported to be leaf eaters, they’re known to turn violent, with accounts of them killing elephants (hence the nickname, presumably). 

Game inspector Lucien Blncou was the first to describe the emela-ntouka in a 1954 article, describing reports that one had been killed at Dongou in the 1930s, though that specimen was never scientifically described. In 1981 three full-grown elephant corpses were found, all with punctured abdomens and their tusks intact (indicating their deaths were not caused by poachers or hunters), which was suspected to be evidence of a emela-ntouka kill. There have been few other sightings, though three-toed tracks found in the region have been attributed to the beast.

Origin theories fom the emela-ntouka vary. Some think it’s a kind of hold-over dinosaur, pointing to details like the crocodile-like tail. Others believe it’s an undescribed species of semiaquatic rhinocerous based on its horn and tracks. A third theory threads the needle between these two, which is that it’s a living arsinoitherium, a distant relative of elephants that looked like a rhino whose fossils have been found from North Africa as far south as Namibia. The only issue with this theory is that the most recent records recovered date to the Late Oligocene (roughly 28-23 million years ago).

Mapinguari

Comes from: Brazil, Suriname, Guyana General creature type: Primates Also known as: Didi

Interactions with these large, red-haired primates have been reported by indigenous people of the Amazon for hundreds of years. They first came onto western radar in the late 16th century when Sir Walter Raleigh was exploring the region. Sightings have continued to be reported through the 20th century. 

The Mapinguari is generally described as ape-like and bipedal with long arms. Its most unique feature are its footprints, which have a curved toe. In some legends, its feet are turned backwards. One version of the folklore says they’re human shamans who turn into hairy cyclopes, sometimes growing a gaping mouth on their stomachs. In others, they’re spirits that protect the rainforest—aggressively, apparently, since some legends say they twist people’s heads off when they’re mad.

While most ccounts call the mapinguari a primate, biologist David Oren proposed another theory in a 1994 article. He suggested they could be a surviving population of giant ground sloths, which were known to inhabit the area as recently as 12,000 years ago, after the arrival of humans to South America.

Shunka warak’in

Comes from: Midwestern US General creature type: Wolf or hyena Also known as: Ringdocus

The name for this creature translates to “carrying-off dogs” and was given to a mysterious unknown canine known to the Ioway and other indigenous people from the American Midwest. Westerners first encountered it in the 1880s, when ranchers described several sightings of a dark-colored beast with a sloping back and high shoulders. One of them shot the creature in 1886 and it was taxidermied and mounted, put on display in a store in Henry Lake, Idaho, whose owner gave it the name Ringdocus. 

Possible explanations for this creature include mis-identified wolves, a wolf/dog hybrid, an African hyena that escaped from a zoo or circus, a small cave hyena, or a surviving Borophagus, a hyena-like canid from the Pleistocene era.

Fun fact: the mounted specimen shot in 1886 went missing for several decades but was rediscovered in the Idaho Museum of Natural History in Pocatello in 2007. It has not yet been tested to figure out what it actually is—the current owner, grandson of the man who shot it, says he’s not sure he wants to put and end to the mystery, which I can grudgingly respect.  

Sinkhole Sam

Comes from: Kansas General creature type: Lake monster Also known as: Foopengerkle 

In the 1920s, two men fishing at Inman Lake in Kansas reported seeing a worm-like creature, roughly 15 feet long and completely round. There were more sightings a few decades later, in the 1950s, at which point a person with the definitely real sounding name of Dr. Erasmus P. Quattlebaum apparently declared it a “Foopengerkle”. As far as what that is, the internet gives me nothing beyond alternate takes on this same legend, so your guess is as good as mine.

Those attempting to actually explain the sightings suggested it could have been a cave species that was brought to the surface by human modifications to the landscape. Several waterways were being blocked or drained around the time of the first sightings, which could have altered the habitats and patterns of subterrnean or semi-aquatic species.  

Snallygaster

Comes from: Maryland, US General creature type: Bird/reptile

The folklore of the snallygaster arrived in the US with German immigrants in the 1700s, when the first accounts of the creature began around Frederick County, Maryland. Its name is derived from schneller geist, which means “quick ghost”, and it was described as having a metallic beak with razor-sharp teeth. While generally described with a mix of reptilian and avian features, some versions also give it tentacles, which is a fun twist. 

The legend was revived in 1909, when numerous residents reported seeing the creature or hearing it screeching “like a locomotive whistle”. These reports were later revealed to be a hoax, but they cemented the legend enough into local folklore that there’s now an American Snallygaster Museum in Libertytown, Maryland.

Tatzelwurm

Comes from: Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, European Alps) General creature type: Lizard Also known as: Stollenwurm, Bergstutzen, Springwurm, Daazelwurm, Praatzelwurm, arassas

 The tatzelwurm is a lizard roughly 2-7 feet in length that’s usually described similarly to a small dragon. It has a cat-like face and a serpentine body, though the number of legs varies between accounts (either 4, 2, or none, depending on the telling).

The first recorded sighting dates back to 1779, when two of the creatures suddenly appeared in front of Hans Fuchs, who promptly had a heart attack from the fright. He eventually died, though not before telling his family of his encounter. Other eyewitness accounts through the 19th century give the creature  forked tongue, wide head, and two stubby legs. A 1934 photograph of the creature is now believed to be a hoax by most, but there have continued to be sightings as recently as the 1970s.

According to legend, the tatzelwurm is most likely to appear when the weather is changing rapidly, or after periods of particularly high heat and humidity. It’s also said to suck milk from cows out to pasture, and farmers would place white roosters near the cow to prevent this (intriguing reptile/rooster connection that reminds me of critters like the basilisk or cockatrice).

Those who believe the Tatzelwurm does exist think it could be related to species like the Giant Salamander or Gila Monster, though both of those come from very different areas of the world (China and the Southwest US, respectively).

Tsuchinoko

Comes from: Japan General creature type: Snake Also known as: Bachi hebi

Physically, the tsuchinoko looks like a chubby snake, with a slender head and tail and a chonky body in between. It is also venomous, with fangs like a viper, and is capable of doing video game style double-jumps in mid-air. In some legends it also swallows its own tail and rolls around like a wheel. 

A rash of tsuchinoko sightings in Nara Prefecture in the late ‘80s prompted the 1988 tsuchinoko Expedition, with a 1 million yen reward for anyone who captured a live specimen. The following year was the first Tsuchinoko Festival, an annual event where people gather to hunt for the cryptid. The festival resumed in May 2023 after a Covid hiatus and takes place in Nakagawara waterside park, a “tsuchinoko hotspot” where there have been roughly 20 sightings of the creature since 1926.

See similar posts: #Cryptids #Folklore

One of the things I went to at Squonkapalooza was a talk by Ronald L. Murphy, Jr. on the meaning of the squonk. During the talk he mentioned some of the animals that used to live in Pennsylvania and are now extinct, like the woodland bison and wolverine. There are others that are officially extinct in PA but are still occasionally sighted, like the mountain lion and wolf. As he said it, if you see a wolf in Pennsylvania in 2024, then you’ve seen a cryptid: a creature that shouldn’t exist in a given place, time, or understanding of reality, and whose existence has not officially been proven.

This resonated in my mind with what the panelists said at a Confluence panel on the topic of monsters and cryptids. The question came up there of what exactly makes something a cryptid, and while the panelists agreed on many points, there are also some gray areas and squiggly boundaries for the category. For instance, is a cryptid by definition naturally occurring, or does it still count if the creature was genetically engineered or created completely in a lab? What about unusual hybrids?

I don’t know that I have clear answers in my head to some of these questions, either—and I also fully believe, with a question like this, there’s no one right answer. But I thought I’d share my musings on what I see qualifying a creature for the cryptid club.

Defining traits of a cryptid

The official Merriam-Webster definition of a cryptid is “an animal that has been claimed to exist but never proven to exist.” This is similar to other official definitions like:

• A creature that is found in stories and that some people believe exists or say they have seen, but that has never been proven to exist. (Cambridge English Dictionary)
• An animal whose existence or survival to the present day is disputed or unsubstantiated; any animal of interest to a cryptozoologist. (Oxford English Dictionary)
• Animals that cryptozoologists believe may exist somewhere in the wild, but whose present existence is disputed or unsubstantiated by science. (Wikipedia)

While there are intriguing and subtle differences between those definitions, they all boil down to a few core points. For something to be a cryptid, there must be belief in, but no proof of, its existence. The fact that it’s referred to as “a creature” or “an animal” also, in my mind, implies corporeality. In other words, a cryptid is something that physically exists and could be theoretically touched (or trapped).

The supernatural-ness of a cryptid is also left open-ended by this definition. Some cryptids are described as having abilities, powers, or other supernatural qualities, but many don’t. They behave and look like animals; the only speculative thing about them is whether or not they exist. This is especially true of the cryptid subgroup comprised of animals sighted after they were officially said to have gone extinct, like the thylacine, Malagasy hippopotamus, Zanzibar leopard, or eastern cougar.

Intriguingly, none of the definitions I’ve seen specify that a cryptid must be non-sentient, only that it is an animal. Many prominent cryptids like the mothman and bigfoot exhibit self-awareness, intelligence, and other marks of sentience. To my mind, this would mean that the term cryptid could also be applied to creatures that originate as humans, like vampires or werewolves. There is precedence of established cryptids that come from humans, like the Jersey Devil, so this isn’t a stretch of the term, in my view (though some may disagree).

Cryptids vs. monsters

To me, these are similar terms, and there are many creatures that both words would apply to. Many cryptids even have monster right in the name—the Grafton Monster, the Boggy Creek Monster, or the Loch Ness Monster are examples that come to mind.

In my mind, there are two key differences between these terms:

1. Monsters can be entirely fictional. Some people might believe they exist, but that’s not a requirement for the label.

2. Monsters are inherently frightening, dangerous, or violent. There can be gentle monsters, but they are still typically large, scary-looking, and could cause some damage if they had a mind to. Cryptids can be monstrous, but they can also be small, cute, and/or harmless, like the squonk or the Loveland Frog.

In other words, some monsters are cryptids, and many cryptids are monsters, but other creatures are just one or the other.

Are aliens cryptids?

Most reports of encounters with alien creatures meet all of those qulifications established for cryptids above. Some people believe they exist but there is no definitive evidence. They are also, as far as we know, corporeal animals, so that’s another box checked.

Another argument in favor of “yes” is that some people theorize many well-known cryptids originated as aliens. This is one theory behind bigfoot, for example, and some cryptids like West Virginia’s Vegetable Man are alien visitors in their primary lore. Given this, it’s not a stretch in my mind to include grays or little green men in the cryptid category.

Are ghosts and spirits cryptids?

Ghosts and similar paranormal activity meet the “belief and lack of proof” qualifications of a cryptid, but they don’t check the other key box in my mind: the creature or animal part. Ghosts are typically described as non-corporeal, and are therefore not cryptids in my view of the term.

Taking the question a bit further, this would then also potentially apply to other folklore creatures, like the will o’ the wisp, which is usually described as looking like a ball of light. Where the question gets trickier is when we’re talking about creatures that can disappear, turn invisible, or shift between planes. This capability is attributed in some way to many well-loved cryptids. Even our dear squonk, for instance, is said to be able to “hide behind itself”, essentially disappearing into thin air (if it doesn’t instead cry itself into a puddle of tears).

I suppose the line could be drawn based on what percentage of their time the creature spends in a physical form in our human plane. Fairies are generally not said to be cryptids, for instance, despite passing the “belief and lack of proof” test, I think largely because they’re seen as more intangible spirits than physical beings. Many people would say beings like brownies and djinn aren’t cryptids for the same reason.

Are gods cryptids?

Some of you immediately scoffed, but hear me out. People across history have genuinely believed in the existence of their gods, but there is no proof of any deity’s existence. Now, some deities are eliminated from contention on the basis of non-corporeality—but not all. In some mythologies, the gods were described walking among humans, even interbreeding with them to create hybrids or demi-gods.

And there are other beings described in religious mythologies that could arguably be grouped under the cryptid label, too. Angels and demons, for instance, were often described as having physical forms and regularly engaging with humanity. Most importantly, there are people to this day who believe they’ve seen or interacted with an angel or demon, so even if you’re skeptical on the idea of gods being cryptids, it seems their minions should at least count.

So…what are cryptids, then?

The most accurate answer is: it depends on who you ask. It’s one of those interesting cases where the one-sentence definition you’ll get will likely be the same across the board, but how people interpret it, and which creatures they include under the label, will vary widely.

For fiction writers, I think the answer is really: cryptid means whatever you need it to in that moment. When I was writing Cryptid Bits, for instance, it served my purposes to use the broadest possible definition of the term, which to me was “any creature some people believe in but whose existence has not been proven.” I even threw some wights and revenants in there because why not?

A cryptozoologist or folklorist taking a more research-based, academic angle on the question is going to define cryptid through a more specific lens. Even so, I think you’ll find some variety between individuals—and, to me, that’s exactly the way it should be. Part of the fun of talking about cryptids is engaging in that type of debate and speculation. They are hard to define by definition, with no absolute rules to follow when it comes to their identity. This is both a key aspect of the fascination with them and what makes them so fun to play with as a fiction writer.

See similar posts: #Mythology #Folklore #Cryptids

Using these familiar creatures in your fiction has advantages. Your readers have likely already heard of them, in some form, so they come into the story with some background and details already in mind and you don’t have to provide as much description or explanation in the text.

That pre-knowledge can also be a kind of baggage, though, and could limit your creative freedom to use the beings the way that best suits the story. They can also run the danger of reading as cliché or referential.

And the truth is—these European-derived critters are just the tip of the iceberg. There are tons of other mythical and supernatural beings from all corners of the world and all eras of history.

I’m currently in the beginning stages of a large project that will utilize a smattering of cryptids from across the Americas. Because of this, I’ve spent some time lately sifting through my notes and research on world mythologies, and came across plenty of other creatures that have lots of potential for storytellers. Here are 27 American cryptids to spark speculative fiction writers’ imaginations.

Ahkiyyini

People of origin: Inuit

The Ahkiyyini is the ghost of Alaska, a living skeleton spirit that causes earthquakes and tidal waves by the movements of his arms. He liked to dance and play music when he was alive, and continues that in death by using his arm bone to play his scapula like a drum.

Ahuitzotl

People of origin: Aztec

This creature was described in the Florentine Codex as a guardian of lakes and the fish living in them. It’s like an otter but with dexterous hands and a prehensile tail. Its tricks included crying like a baby to lure victims or making all the fish rise to the surface to lure fishermen out on the water. Once it catches someone, it drags them to their deaths, and their bodies would later be found without their nails, teeth, or eyes.

Ao Ao

People of origin: Guarani

Sometimes described as a carnivorous peccary, the ao ao is named for the sound it makes while it chases its victims. It’s a sheep with giant fangs whose diet consists solely of humans, though it’ll also eat their clothing. It stalks its prey over any distance—the only way to escape it is to climb up a palm tree. They’re said to protect hills and mountains, and are also a spirit of fertility, said to reproduce in great numbers.

Aunyaina

People of origin: Tupari

The Aunyaina is a demon with boar tusks that (continuing the theme) eats people, although in its case, specifically children. The most fun detail about this one is that, when you kill one, lizards run from its corpse.

Bokwus

People of origin: Kwakwaka’waka

This is a forest spirit that lures travelers into rivers, after which they’re never seen again. You know there’s one coming up behind you because you’ll hear the sound of running water.

Camahueto

People of origin: Chilote

El Camahueto is basically a unicorn cow. The single horn on its forehead is its most valuable part, said to cure sexual dysfunctions. It can also be planted to grow new camahuetos. When one’s full-grown, it bursts from the earth and drags itself toward the sea, leaving a massive hole and a path of destruction in its wake.

Carbunclo

People of origin: Chilote

The exact form of the carbunclo (or carbuncle) varies from one myth to the next. Sometimes it’s some kind of oyster or similar bivalve, which contains a precious stone that will bring its owner great fortune. Sometimes it’s said to be a small fluffy animal with a mirror on its head, or clutching a gem. Whatever its form, it glows with a light that can be seen from a great distance, but also has excellent hearing, and clams up to protect its treasure whenever someone gets close. Most legends include an elaborate series of steps that must be undertaken to claim the carbunclo’s treasure.

Colo colo

People of origin: Mapuche

The appearance of this one varies depending on the area. Sometimes it’s a snake with rat paws or feathers. Other places, it’s a mouse with a head like a rooster. Either way, it’s born from a snake’s egg that was incubated by a rooster. It lives in the corners of homes, or under the floorboards, eating the saliva of the inhabitants while they sleep, weakening them over time and eventually killing them.

Cuero del Agua

People of origin: Mapuche

Here’s one with lots of potential for the cli-fi and environmental sci-fi writers out there. Also known as cuero vivo (living leather) or manta del diablo (the devil’s blanket), it’s animal hide that’s been transformed into a flat, snake-like creature, with spines or claws along the edges of its body. It hypnotizes its victims then kills them by suffocation, and is said to live in the lakes, lagoons, and rivers of Chile and Argentina.

Ew’ah

People of origin: Cherokee

This nightmarish demon of insanity is said to feed on the dreams of children. It’s so hideous that just looking at him causes madness.

Flying Head

People of origin: Multiple cultures, including the Inuit, Iroquois, and Seneca

Also called Dagwanoeient, Big Head, or the Great Head, this cannibalistic spirit appears as a disembodied head the height of a man, sometimes with a pair of bat wings on its cheeks, or with bird-like talons under the chin. They’re usually said to be created after a violent murder, and are cursed with insatiable hunger.

Guirivilo

People of origin: Mapuche

The guirivilo is an aquatic fox that lives in rivers and boggy waters, where it creates whirlwinds to drag people and animals down to the bottom so it can feed on them. Its main weapon is its tail, which looks like that of a fox but with nails at the end.

El Huallepen

People of origin: Mapuche

This is an amphibian creature with the body of a sheep and the head of a calf. It’s calm if you find it on the river bank, but once it’s in the water it’s ferocious, attacking any animal or human it finds. Mothers fear it especially because it’s said to make women sterile, or cause deformities in their future children.

Kee-wakw

People of origin: Abenaki

A variety of beings were said to walk the earth during the Ancient Age of Abenaki legend. Among them are the Kee-Wakw, a forest-dwelling cannibal giant that’s half-human and half-animal in appearance. In most legends, they were once human but became Kee-Wakw after committing a terrible crime, or during possession by an evil spirit, and they now feel only hunger.

Maski-mon-gwe-zo-os

People of origin: Abenaki

Here’s one from the Abenaki present age, a toad creature that wears the guise of either a partridge or a woman dressed in moss. It seduces men and lures in children then (as many of these creatures are wont to do) kills them.

Nagi

People of origin: Lakota

Nagi are spirits that never had a mortal tether. They can appear in many forms, including as an incomplete or monstrous human, or as an anthropomorphic animal. Their most fun detail is that they feed on human emotions, and can be either benevolent or malevolent depending on which emotions they eat. The good ones are attracted to love, joy, and peace, while the bad ones are drawn to sadness, anger, and vengeance.

Nun’yunu’wi

People of origin: Cherokee

Translating to “Dressed in stone”, these are monsters with impenetrable stone skin that can control people’s minds and have other powerful magical abilities. Oh, and they also eat people (natch). They carry a magical cane to point out their victims, and if you manage to kill one, their remains contain a great jewel. One fun fact of the Nun’yunu’wi legend is that they hate the sight of menstruating women. In one story, a village protects itself by making a ring of all the women on their period, which weakened the Nun’yunu’wi enough for their medicine man to kill it. If that’s not a ready-made analogy for toxic masculinity, I don’t know what is.

Opiyelguarbirán

People of origin: Taino

These are dog gods, described in one text as the “Cerberus of the mystic Taino world.” They served as psychopomps, guiding spirits of the dead or shamans on drug-aided journeys. They look basically like dogs, but with legs made of wood.

Peuchen

People of origin: Chilote

Mythical snakes exist in just about every world culture, but the Peuchen is a particularly fun one. It’s a giant, flying serpent that can shapeshift instantly into any animal form. Its gaze paralyzes victims, allowing them to suck their blood or eat their heart, without leaving a mark. You can tell one’s coming from the strange whistling noise they make.

Qallupilluit

People of origin: Inuit

Inuit parents who wanted to stop their kids from wandering toward the shore would tell them tales of Qallupilluit, humanoid creatures with green skin and long hair and fingernails who live in the sea. They kidnap children wandering alone, adopting them and carrying them underwater to live. Similar to the Peuchen, you can tell they’re near from their distinctive humming sound.

Sisiutl

People of origin: Many, including the Nuu-chah-nulth and the Nuxalk

Here’s another snake creature, though this one lives in the water. It has three heads, two reptilian and one human, along with skin that’s impervious to weapons. In some legends, it’s the pet of the god Qamaits and lives in a pool behind her home until it’s summoned to earth, where it can bring people either death or good fortune. Stepping on the slime trail they leave behind can make someone get sick or die, too, so they’re best to steer clear of, although its flesh has healing properties for anyone who manages to kill one. Salmon is said to be one of its forms, while Thunderbirds are its main natural predators, and it rides orcas, because why not.

Teju Jagua

People of origin: Guarani

Known as the Lord of Caverns, the Teju Jagua is a huge creature with the body of a lizard and seven dog heads. It’s fearsome, with eyes that shoot fire and clawed digits. Despite this, it’s a calm, mostly harmless critter who eats fruit and honey. Finding one is good news, in fact, because it protects buried treasure, and its skin is shiny from rolling around in the precious stones and gold it hoards.

Tlaltecuhtli

People of origin: Aztec

This is technically a goddess, not just a cryptid, called the Queen of the Earth among the Aztec. She’s also a demoness toad monster with mouths all over her body who is always hungry and demanding flesh, a fun enough detail I felt I needed to throw her on the list.

Unktehi

People of origin: Lakota

The unktehi look like giant ruminants (e.g. cows or goats) with long tails. Where you’ll find them depends on the gender—females live on land, and males in the water (how they reproduce, given those divisions, I didn’t dig deep enough to learn). They’re credited with contaminating water sources and causing floods, though they can also share knowledge, teaching humans the proper methods of ceremonial body painting.

Water Baby

People of origin: Yokuts

These mysterious spirits live in natural springs and ponds. Their cry sounds like a human baby and is seen as an omen of death. Responding to the cry by picking up the baby is bad, too. In some legends they have non-baby-like characteristics, like fish tails or scaled skin.

Wendigo

People of origin: Grand Medicine Society

Another one for the “cannibal monster” category, the Wendigo is a tall but gaunt creature that has a never-ending hunger for flesh. It brings winter with it, prompting icy blizzards and snow clouds, and the trees crack from cold when it passes. Its victims are ripped apart and the flesh stripped down to the bones. The Mi’kmaq have a similar creature known as the Chenoo that’s created from a human whose terrible crimes turned their heart to ice.

Xtabay

People of origin: Maya

The Xtabay is a dragon who takes the appearance of a beautiful woman wearing a white dress. She’ll wait behind a ceiba tree, combing her long black hair with spines of Tzacam cactus. Once she’s caught a victim, they have sex then she turns into a poisonous serpent and eats them (or in other versions rips their heart out then throws them over a cliff). In the version from Quintana Roo she’s a bit more justice-oriented, and specifically targets thieves, drunks, and violent criminals.

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