A Sasquatch by Any Other Name

Blog by Heather Siems

            We’ve all heard the stories.  A person out in the woods, camping, often alone.  They hear a twig snap, hear the sounds of wood clapping against wood, and then a low whistle.  Finally, a strong musky smell invades the camper’s nostrils.  They know they aren’t alone, but they can’t see anything or anyone.  Bigfoot must be around. 

            Researching Bigfoot is the rabbit hole of cryptids.  There are so many types of Bigfoot-like creatures all over the world, from the Sasquatch of the Pacific Northwest to the Yowie of Australia.  There are many types of Bigfoot, and they each have their own cultures, behaviors, and attitudes.

            See the Sasquatch or Sasquits were a type of wild man in the legends of the Salish Tribes in the Eastern Washington/ Western Idaho area (mil.wa.gov).  These creatures were tall, smelly, territorial, but could also be kind.  This means there is no clear map for what a Sasquatch has to be.  This has been great for shows like “Mountain Monsters” and “Expedition Bigfoot”.  Networks have made a lot of money by digging into the human fascination with such cryptids.

            Yet, none of the names from indigenous tribes mean “Bigfoot”, so why did we add this term to our vocabulary?   Turns out the term didn’t get used until 1958 by some highway workers in California (Newton 60).  Though there are many other names for similar creatures, Bigfoot is typically connected to Sasquatch, which lives between British Columbia and California. 

Every Sasquatch researcher and most of the general public are familiar with this image from the Patterson-Gimlin film.  While questions of its authenticity still swirl around the picture, one thing always struck me.  If this is really a Sasquatch, and it wanted to hurt the men filming it, they would be toast.  Yet, there are countless stories of violent encounters with these cryptids.

            This is when inspiration struck.  I don’t have to pigeonhole myself into one type of Bigfoot-style creature.  Like humans, there can be different races and cultures inside the Fae Realm.  I went back to the idea that they can be a hero, a villain, or neither.  This meant I had a wide open field to work with.  It also meant I could use some stereotypes from where I live to include in my story. 

            I usually tell my students to avoid most stereotypes.  Many can be offensive and hurtful.  Yet, some are fun or silly, so it is important to use them correctly.  Insert Sam the Sasquatch.  Sam was born in Washington State, and with that comes a coffee addiction that will not quit.  Sam’s family is in charge of security for the Fae Realm, but Sam just wants to open his own café.  This is where you first get introduced to Sam.  He is also a side character in the Beautifully Made Series.  Creating this character was one of the best joys of my life.  His short story will launch before the first book in the series, and he will get another short story between each book release.  I hope you enjoy reading all about Sam.  Please let me know in the comments section which creature from the Fae Realm you want me to write about next.

(Image By: Dani Martin)

Works Cited

https://mil.wa.gov/the-legend-of-bigfoot. n.d. 14 February 2026.

Newton, Michael. Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc.., Publishers, 2005.