By this time in the field of Cryptozoology, with all the hoaxes and mistakes that have been made in search for Bigfoot, and the often well meaning if misguided assistance of amateurs, and despite what some believe about proof without a body, what it will take to prove the existence of this creature is a “smoking gun.” Most hope a figurative one in place of a literal one. Unfortunately the waters of this research are so muddied by this time that too few respectable researchers are willing to step into the stream and get the mud on themselves.
Dr. Jeff Meldrum is out there beating the drum for the cause. Not with impassioned pleas for belief but by building a sound foundation for the potential existence of an unknown primate to exist in the world. An intelligent creature who has a place in the primate family. He combines an analysis of references to the creature through human history with comparative biology and archaeological evidence to create a basis for there to be a creature that matches the largely anecdotal descriptions from around the world.
I would like to thank Dr. Meldrum for his permission to use this footage of his presentation and since he is far better at making his case than I, I will let you see it for yourself with minimal interference from me.
Dr. Meldrum began his presentation with the mythology of the “Wildman.” A creature whose stories derive from regions that coincide with the environment associated with Bigfoot, even to the extent that it is possible the existence of Bigfoot has entered into medieval myth of the Greenman. Greenman is a nature spirit, sometimes referred to as a consort to mother nature, an anthropomorphic figure sometimes glimpsed in the deep forests. Early representations are of a face peering from the foliage, typically hairy and bearded.
Unfortunately the hotel set up the podium directly in front of some windows and we were having nice sunny weather in Richland that weekend. So I apologize for that effect on the quality of the video as well as my sometimes shaky camera work. At one point I moved to try and reduce the glare from the windows. Also I was holding the video with one hand and my still camera with the other. I have included some of the relevant pictures that appear in the video. If there are any pictures from the video you would like to see, feel free to ask and if I have them I will include them.
Over the centuries artistic license altered these representations into a more familiar face made of foliage.
So where does Bigfoot fall in the realm of Hominid species?
Where do we draw the line? If Bigfoot exists there is debate among some whether we consider it human or ape. What are the criteria for making a distinction?
Beginning the debate about what the origins of Bigfoot might be within the family of primates.
Gigantopithecus or Robust Australopithecus?
What we believe we know about primates is changing all the time, and the more it changes the more it would seem to support what has been observed of the behavior of Bigfoot. In my opinion, the fact that these behaviors have been observed in Bigfoot before the were associated with other primates does a good deal to support the case for Bigfoot and the stories related.
Mentioned in the above video, here is a link to the Relict Hominoid Inquiry
