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The Garos of
Meghalaya by culture have been nomadic in lifestyle. Much of the
cultural believes and folklore has passed on to generation
through word of mouth – in its oral form, like many other tribal
culture of North East India.
Interestingly, a popular folklore, which not only have attracted
locals enthusiast for years now, but also on several occasion
have invited researches to ascertain on the story of Bigfoot,
assumed to be an ape like mammal similar to the sighting of Yeti
(Abominable Snowman) sighted in Himalayan region of Nepal.
Some Cryptozoology websites mentioned that in USA
(Native Indians) it is called Bigfoot, Canada / Pacific North
West as Sasquatch, Brazil as Mapinguary, Indonesia as Sajarang Gigi
/ Orang Pendek and in Australia as Yowie. Those who have seen
this ape like mammal called Mande Burung in Garo dialect, have
interesting stories to reveal. It is reported by the villagers
that on one occasion, a man who was passing through a forest,
was captured by this mammal and breast feed forcible.
This was reported on January 18, 1999. His account said, "The
milk was sour with a mixture of bitterness".
On July 2005, a lady who was sleeping with her child heard of
peculiar scratching sounds, outside her thatched hut sometime at
night. Later, a big hairy creature entered her house. Terrified
but remained calm, she saw the creature in the full light of the
firewood which was kept burning at her house. The creature after
sometime just stamp out the fire and disappeared into darkness,
the lady was not harmed in any way, she revealed.
She accounted that the creature was bleeding, as bloodstains
were found on bamboo-thatched hut the next morning. General
Secretary of Achik Tourism Society (ATS), Dipu Marak said "The
blood sample was collected by one researcher Sembertush Sangma
then".
This is a tale or a reality?
Anyway, this kind of tale has been passed on from generation to
generation. But, again there is interesting observation made by
wildlife biologist who had made a study in this area of Garo
Hills in North East. Bruce G Marcot, who was curious to know
about this mammal, visited Garo Hills on two occasions in April
1998 and in December 2005. He concluded his say on this based
on reply made by villagers. This is an excerpt made available
from a website by Achik Tourism Society (ATS): "I queried my
Garo Hills tribal friends at length on this. Here's a little
composite of what they said according to stories they have been
told:
- the stride is up to 1/4 mile (nope, this isn't a misprint; one
field-going biologist there who strongly believes in the
creature said he found one track on a riverine beach, then
another 1/4 mile away, and concluded the stride from this ... an
example of needing to be a bit more circumspect in drawing
conclusions from limited evidence, perhaps)
- the creature is covered with long dark hair
- the creature is so tall that it has to sleep standing up,
leaning against a tree (I didn't understand the logic of this
either, and neither did one of my Wildlife Institute of India
colleagues, but it's part of the myth).
The legend
on this mammal was told to Marcot by other enthusiast like Ajai
Saxena, a research wildlife biologist with the prestigious
Wildlife Institute of India in Dehra Dun, Uttar Pradesh, India,
Ashish Kumar, a wildlife research assistant with the same
Institute, who has been doing wildlife studies in the Garo Hills
along with Saxena than, Tony Marak, then with the forest
department and Anup Srivastava, a wildlife biologist based with
the Forest Department in Meghalaya. In April this year again,
various reports of Bigfoot sightings came up from various places
in Garo Hills. There are few eyewitnesses claimed to have seen
four creatures, some field enthusiast conclude this to be a
family with two young ones.
According to information made available to Indigeneous Heraldby
Achik Tourism Society the creature was recently sighted in
Chokpot, who was in search for crabs in a nearby stream.
Some crab shell was also seen later. How far the story is true?
Again in Durabanda area, two adults with two young ones were
seen in the later month of April this year. The ATS believes
this to be the first ever sighting of Mande Burung family in
Garo Hills.
Another eyewitness said a female Mande Burung chased away a
human recently.
If we take into account this tales, it suggest "unidentified
giant creature". Does it really exist in the deep dark forest of
Garo Hills, a million dollar question perhaps!
Some also calls this in local Garo dialect as Matdngdng or the
rarely heard Ajaju. The Achik Tourism Society, who had been in
search for this, came out with some evidences on the survival of
this mammal, if it really exists at all.
They have collected some samples of hair recently, which is the
only biological evidence they have, other than some imprints,
footprints and scratch marks on tree trunks. The hair is being
now sent for DNA and other forensic test, which will throw some
light on this, if at all the hair is of that "Unidentified Giant
Creature".
A study and investigation is what this enthusiast from Achik
Tourism Society believes will throw light on this mystery.
As research are on in different countries and many websites,
portals and dedicated crypto zoology sites have reference of the
sighting of Mande Burung in Garo Hills, this demands a study,
President, ATS, Taseng K. Marak and General Secretary, ATS,
Dipu Marak stressed upon in an interaction with Indigenous
Herald.
June
2007
Mande Burung:
Argument
Human data:
Footprint = 11 inches
Heigth = 6.1 feet tall
Stride = 21 inches (1'9")
Conclusion:
Normal Stride = Approx 2 x Footprint
Bigfoot data :
Footprint = 16 inches
Heigth = 20 feet tall
Stride = 1/4 Mile (> 250 meters)
Conclusion: Unbelievable!!!
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