The Infinite Echo

B. Thomas Cooper is a freelance journalist, photographer, blogger and historian. Topics include Political Commentary, Satire and History

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Monday, November 06, 2006

Searching For Sasquatch

The Infinite Echo
B. Thomas Cooper
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All stories are not created equal. Some stories are less believable. Some are simply not believable at all. This story falls into the latter category. Take my word for it.

Most stories start at the beginning, but in this instance, the beginning is yet unknown. Unlike the moth-man sightings near Clendenin, West Virginia in mid November of 1966, no one can really be certain when the first sighting of the Letchworth Sasquatch occurred.

The Seneca Indian was perhaps among the first inhabitants of the Letchworth region, a spectacular seventeen mile stretch of canyon in western New York State. The Seneca have many legends about the area. The elders still tell stories of loss and great suffering, of ghosts who scream from beneath the thunder of the great falls. Of voices that echo along the mighty canyon walls, carried by the wind, in search of absolution. Oddly, none of their stories ever mentions a Sasquatch.

This unexplainable omission should not be overlooked.

According to official reports provided by the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, Sasquatch have long been sighted throughout the US and Canada. The word ‘Sasquatch’ is itself of Indian origin. One can only wonder why these Indians would create a name for a creature they never encountered.

In fact, nearly every culture has their own version of the Sasquatch phenomenon. The Malaysian villagers of Endau-Rompin refer to the large, hairy biped as the 'snaggle-toothed ghost'. For many, the stealth and timid creature is known only as Bigfoot.

Could so many be wrong?

Probably not. The evidence seems to suggest that Bigfoot is real. A living, warm-blooded mammal, equipped with feet seventeen inches in length, and a multitude of hair. How could the Seneca not be aware of such an unusual creature in their presence? Certainly, the enormous footprints should have piqued their curiosity. I suspect a darker explanation.

Imagine if you will, the following scenario:

As my research progressed, this whole Letchworth-Seneca-Sasquatch-pseudo-persona non-grata story was making increasingly less sense. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Many tireless days and many sleepless nights were to follow, until I could no longer concentrate. When at last I was able to sleep, sleep came suddenly, and with little warning.

I am unsure of how long I lay slumped over my steering wheel before a traffic cop, a large man of, you guessed it, Native American descent, awakened me. Consciousness’ was approaching in waves. I was drifting in and out of a dream-like state, and for a moment, I thought I was being visited by that Indian ghost fellow from the Jim Morrison movie (No One Gets out Alive). I don’t remember actually asking the officer about his experiences with Sasquatch, but I knew he was hiding something big when he called for back up. I remember him saying something about me having a right to remain silent, but that proved not to be an issue, as I slept most of the way downtown.

I do recall having awakened at one point. I was on the floor of the back seat of the patrol car, but I’d swear I heard the officer warning me not to stick my nose where it didn’t belong. Perhaps he was referring to something entirely different. Perhaps I misunderstood him. I have reached a different conclusion.

I believe the Seneca Indian tribes of western New York State are hiding something. Presumedly, with really big feet. I don’t blame them. If your history was awash in stories and legends in which a Sasquatch featured predominantly, would you list it on your resume?


The Infinite Echo
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