New exhibit in Bend wants people to rethink their ideas of Bigfoot

(APRIL 4, 2024) The High Desert Museum in Bend. It has a new exhibit. The exhibit is called "Sensing Sasquatch." This exhibit looks at the Sasquatch legend from the perspective of Indigenous tribes. 

Sasquatch is also known as Bigfoot. According to Cambridge Learners Dictionary, Sasquatch is "a large creature like a human covered in hair that some people believe exists in the northwest of the U.S. and western Canada." It also has different names in various Indigenous languages. For example, the word for Sasquatch is Skúkum in Chinook and Lipáani among the Molala people. 

“Sasquatch has captivated people in the region and, indeed, throughout the world,” says Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. “However, what many people don’t know is that Native Americans have had deeper relationships with Sasquatch throughout time.”

The exhibit challenges the popular-culture image of Sasquatch as a monster. Instead, it presents Sasquatch as a significant figure in Indigenous traditions. The exhibit shares stories about Sasquatch that have been passed down through generations. These stories were often shared within Indigenous communities and were part of their cultural heritage. The artists in the exhibit draw from their own cultural backgrounds and experiences to present diverse interpretations of Sasquatch.

The exhibit features artwork by five Indigenous artists.  Visitors to the exhibit can see things like masks, sculptures, and films. Some works of art show Sasquatch as a protector of the environment. Others explore the creature's presence in nature. The exhibit wants to encourage visitors to think again about their views of Sasquatch. The museum wants people to appreciate the significance of Sasquatch in Indigenous cultures.