Origins of The Term
The origin of the term "yowie" in the context of unidentified hominids is unclear. Some nineteenth century writers suggested that it simply arose through the aforementioned Aboriginal legends. Robert Holden recounts several stories that support this from the nineteenth century, including this European account from 1842;
| “ | The natives of Australia ... believe in ... Yahoo ... This being they describe as resembling a man ... of nearly the same height, ... with long white hair hanging down from the head over the features ... the arms as extraordinarily long, furnished at the extremities with great talons, and the feet turned backwards, so that, on flying from man, the imprint of the foot appears as if the being had travelled in the opposite direction. Altogether, they describe it as a hideous monster of an unearthy character and ape-like appearance. | ” |
Another story, collected from an Aboriginal source, seems to confirm the creature as a part of the Dreamtime.
| “ | Old Bungaree a Gunedah aboriginal ... said at one time there were tribes of them and they were the original inhabitants of the country - he said they were the old race of blacks ... and the blacks used to fight and the blacks always beat them but the yahoo always made away ... being ... faster runners. | ” |
On the other hand, Jonathan Swift's yahoos from Gulliver's Travels, and European traditions of hairy wild men, are also cited as a possible source.
Read more about this topic: Yowie (cryptid)
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