Myth and Mystery of Bigfoot

The figure was never conclusively found. There are only stories and photos of blurry still questionable authenticity. But why the myth of the great apes were present in different cultures?

Large, hairy creatures that walk like humans, which is said to hide in the forests or areas difficult to reach. In North America they are called Bigfoot or Sasquatch. In Asia, especially the Himalayan region, they called the Yeti or the terrible snowman. In South America, the Amazon region, there is the term Mapinguari, was his nickname is the Yowie in Australia.

Is it true that they exist in the real world? An old Sherpa in the Himalayas once said, "Yeti is exists behind all human minds, only those who are blessed are not haunted by it."

There or not, many cultures have stories about the hairy man. Their appearance in North America and Asia has been discussed since the early 1800's. Although already a lot of stories, photos, and their footprints, but so far there has never been scientific evidence that they exist. Never found droppings, bones, and it's body, alive or dead.

Reports of the first documented bigfoot is found traces of a Canadian trader in 1811. The name of bigfoot then widely known after the media reports about the large footprints found in Bluff Creek, California, 1959. While the most famous bigfoot photo taken in 1967 though still debated its authenticity.

Recently, the seeker bigfoot like getting a new hope when the bigfoot hair found in the Yukon Teslin residents. They claim to find the hair around a large traces left by the creature as high as 3 meters, like humans, are seen at their home page earlier this month.

 
Geneticists from the University of Alberta and hair DNA test to find out who the owner is. Researchers suspect the hair actually comes from a bear or bison which are common in the Yukon. However, when found it was something new, we may be closer to the disclosure of the mystery of bigfoot. The results of the study was announced last week.

Whatever the results of research the University of Alberta, the bigfoot myth, do not need scientific facts to always attract people's attention.
Myth or real?

Bigfoot is something tangible to those who claimed to have seen it. But opinion is divided. Some people believe in bigfoot as flesh blooded creatures, while others - including indigenous tribes in America - believe the spirits who manifest themselves to humans in times of distress.
Ralph Gray Wolf, a member of the Indians Athapaska of Alaska, said, Sasquatch appeared to help the groups that are having problems. They bring the message needs to be a change.

The same is also found in Britain, linked with the legend that has been heard for centuries. Two years ago some researchers on an expedition to the Bolam Lake, near Newcastle. They trace the appearance of being tall and dark, touted since the 18 months before. One day on the lush banks of the lake, six of the group finally saw what they called Beast of Bolam.

"What they see is not a bigfoot or Sasquatch. He is a hazy figure in the trees, and more like ghosts than fleshy creatures. Moreover, if the creature's fleshy, English is not a suitable place for them, "said Richard Freeman, of the Centre for Fortean Zoology, which one of his friends to witness the apparition.
It makes sure, the legends of bigfoot - also the Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui in Scotland and the Grey King in Wales - is actually a paranormal creatures. "They're not a ghost or spirit of a dead creature. I think they are more complex than that. "

In his journey as a professional monster hunter, Freeman has traveled all over the world collecting stories and clues about the mysterious creatures. He found in many cultures, there are types of creatures that always appear. He calls it as a general model of international monster, which include a giant dragon and other reptiles, creatures great apes such as Sasquatch and Yeti, tiny people like short people and dwarves, giant birds, as well as dog and cat imitation.

"Maybe these monsters similar to the creatures that our ancestors encountered. Perceptions about the creature's ancestors left in our minds. Well, under certain conditions, the creatures seem to appear in front of us. "
"Being in mind the fact that often arise. If we believe in the existence of something, then what we see is often manifest as what we believe, "Freeman said.

For example, in experiments in Loch Ness, the researchers a piece of wood floating in the lake known inhabited by monsters. Wood put the evening when a group of visiting tourists. The result, most visitors are sure you have seen Nessie, the inhabitants of the lake!

Those people seem to already have a conviction about the existence of monsters, making it easy for them to say, "I saw Nessie, or bigfoot, or the Yeti," when they see something.

Well, the last sighting of Sasquatch in the Yukon, the results of laboratory studies indicate that the feathers left behind the monster turns out to bison fur. But like the previous events, stories and bigfoot sightings expected to continue to emerge. The search will continue. And the truth of existence will remain in the eyes of those who've seen it.   

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History of Indonesian Wayang Kulit (shadow play)

PUPPET one of the nation's top arts and culture of Indonesia's most prominent among the many works of other cultures. Culture puppets include acting, sound art, music, art said, literary arts, painting, sculpture, and art is also symbolic. Puppet culture, evolving over time, also the lighting media, propaganda, education, entertainment, philosophical understanding, as well as entertainment.
According to research by historians of culture, culture is a culture of puppet native to Indonesia, particularly in Java. The presence of centuries-old puppet before the Hindu religion into the island of Java. Although a popular puppet story in today's society is an adaptation of the works of Indian literature, namely the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The second story in the puppet master undergone many changes and additions to adapt them to the original philosophy of Indonesia.

Adjustment of the concept of philosophy is also concerned at the philosophical views of the Java community to the position of the gods in the puppet. The gods in the puppet is no longer something that is free from wrong, but as God's other creatures, sometimes act wrongly, and can be a blunder. The presence of puppet characters in Punakawan deliberately created the humanists Indonesia (Javanese cultural precisely) to making  strengthen the concept of philosophy that the world is not a creature was really good, and truly evil. Each creature has always holds an element of good and evil.

In his dissertation entitled Bijdrage tot de Kennis van het Javaansche Tooneel (1897), the Dutch cultural historian Dr. GA.J. Hazeau demonstrate his belief that the puppet is a native Java performance. Understanding the puppet in the dissertation of Dr.. Hazeau it is walulang inukir (skin-carved) and seen its shadow on the screen. Thus, the puppet in question certainly is a "Wayang Kulit" as we know it today.

Puppet Origin

Regarding the origin of this puppet, in the world there are two opinions. First, the opinion that the puppet was first originated and was born on the island of Java, precisely in East Java. This opinion is in addition to adopted and raised by researchers and experts in the nation of Indonesia, also the result of research of Western scholars. Among Western scholars belonging to this group, is Hazeau, Brandes, Kats, Rentse, and Kruyt.

The reason they are quite strong. Among other things, that the art of puppet is still very closely related to sociocultural and religious nation state of Indonesia, especially the Javanese. Panakawan, the most important figures in the puppet, which Semar, Gareng, Petruk, Bagong, there are only puppets in Indonesia, and not in other countries. In addition, names and technical terms puppet shows, it all comes from the Javanese (Kuna), and not other languages.

Meanwhile, a second opinion suspected puppets from India, who brought along with Hinduism to Indonesia. They include Pischel, Hidding, Krom, Poensen, Goslings, and Rassers. Most of this second group is a British scholar, the European country which had colonized India.

However, since the 1950's, the books seemed to have agreed that the puppet did come from Java, and not imported from other countries.

Puppet culture in Indonesia is estimated to have been born at least during the reign of King Airlangga, king Kahuripan (976 -1012), ie when the kingdom in East Java that was prosperous, prosperity. Literary works are the subject of puppet stories have been written by poets Indonesia, since the X century Among other things, the script-language literature Kakimpoi Book of Old Javanese Ramayana written in the reign of Dyah Balitung (989-910), which is a recomposition of the Book of the Ramayana written by Indian poet, Valmiki. Furthermore, the poets of Java is no longer simply translating the Ramayana and the Mahabharata into Old Javanese language, but it is composed and retelling by incorporating into it the philosophy of Java. For example, works of professor Kanwa Arjunawiwaha Kakimpoi, which is a composition which on the Book of Mahabharata. Another spin is more real difference derigan Indian version of the original story, is a master work of Baratayuda Kakimpoi Panuluh Sedah and professor. Great work was done during the reign of King Jayabaya, king of Kediri (1130-1160).

Puppet as a performance and spectacle had been started there since the reign of King Airlangga. Some inscriptions are made at the time, among others already mentioned the words "mawayang ' (puppet play) and` aringgit' which means that the puppet show.

About the birth culture of puppets, Ir. Sri Mulyono in his Symbolism and Mysticism in the Puppet (1979), estimate the puppet has existed since the time of Neolithikum, which is approximately 1,500 years before Christ. His opinion was based on the writings Robert von Heine-Geldern Ph. D, Prehistoric Research in the Netherlands Indies (1945) and Prof. writing. K.A.H. Hidding in Indonesia Encyclopedia page 987.

The word `puppet 'probably derived from the word` wewayangan', which means shadow. This assumption is in accordance with the reality on the Wayang Kulit performances are using a screen, a piece of cloth, as a barrier between the puppeteer who plays the puppet, and the audience behind the curtain. Viewers only saw puppet movements through the shadows falling on the screen. At that time the puppet accompanied only by a simple set of gamelan consist of saron, Todung (a type of flute), and kemanak. Other types of gamelan and singer at the time was allegedly not yet exist.

For more making Javanese puppet culture, since the early days of the Majapahit Kingdom introduced another puppet story that does not on the Book of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Since then stories Bannerman; the story of the ancestors of the kings of Majapahit, was introduced as one of the other puppet forms. Panji stories are then used more for show puppet Beber. making Javanese puppet tradition also forwarded by some Islamic clerics, among them by the Wali Songo. They began puppet play story of the kings of Majapahit, in between stories Damarwulan.

Introduction of Islam to Indonesia since the 15th century also gave a major influence on the culture of puppets, especially the religious concept of the puppet's philosophy. At the beginning of the 15th century, namely the time of the Kingdom of Demak, began to use specially-shaped oil lamps called blencong on Wayang Kulit performances.

Since the days Kartasura, composing stories puppet in Ramayana and Mahabharata farther away from the original. Since the days that people know the genealogy enthusiast puppet puppet characters, including characters god, who started from Prophet Adam. Origin it continues to come to the kings of Java. And furthermore, also known as the story began to grip puppet. the standard story, and story line of the fake puppet beyond the standard. In addition there is another offshoot called the play, which was too far out of the story grip.

Indeed, because so strong puppet art is rooted in the culture of Indonesia, so there was some confusion between the puppet stories, legends, and history. If the Indians think that the story of Mahabharata and Ramayana actually happened in his country, a Javanese puppet story even consider actually happened on the island of Java.

And in the Kulonprogo own puppet is still very desirable by all people. Not only by the parents alone, but also teenagers and even young children have also not unusual to see puppet shows. Besides, the puppet is also commonly used in certain events in the area Kulonprogo, both in urban areas or in rural areas Wates in Kulonprogo.

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