Comments on: Pugwis

By: Jeremy_Wells

Jeremy_Wells — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 22:04:45 +0000

#9 Dark Obsesser
I think the similarities are supposed to be in the bipedal stance and the “spikes” on the head (imagine, if you will, porcupine quills or even popular images of the chupacabras, with the spikes extending from the crown down the back of the head) The masks, though, are highly stylized (as art often is) and so that is why we see the differences in the spikes between the two masks and why they are more subdued in an attempt at a more ‘realistic’ treatment, wuch as we see in the drawings.

By: Munnin

Munnin — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 00:54:25 +0000

Regarding the Otter suggestion by oldbutnotstupid: I lived on the “Central Coast” of California for over twenty years, and have observed the subspecies of Pacific Sea Otter, also known as the California Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis), countless times along the ocean between San Luis Obispo, CA and Santa Cruz, CA during that period. I can’t imagine mistaking the size of one of these creatures to be similar to that of a human. Also, I have never seen one of these guys stand upright. Do the more Northerly occuring individuals do this? My understanding is that there was a time in the past when E. lutris nereis did routinely “haul out” of the water in large groups (prior to being nearly killed off in the 18th century), but the remnant population of this subspecies, likely all descended from the few individuals discovered in near Bixby Creek in Big Sur in the late 1930s does not do this, to my knowledge.

I think that a Sea Otter is no more promising as the origin of the Pugwis legend than the beaver would be, despite the sea urchin/seaweed features attributed to the head of the Pugwis.

By: Toirtis

Toirtis — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 21:01:13 +0000

Correct, Darrent…it is…and the ‘hair’ often being described as seaweed.

By: Darrent

Darrent — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 17:45:00 +0000

I think the spiked ball on the paquis’s head is supposed to be a sea urchin

By: crypto_randz

crypto_randz — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 14:00:35 +0000

That creature looks like combination of beaver and porcupine. That face is truly hideous someone try to get a videotape of it to see if it really exists.

By: Dark-Obsessor

Dark-Obsessor — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 13:39:30 +0000

Also, could someone point the similarities out for me? I do not see many. The mask, I agree, does resemble a beaver most strikingly. Neither of the drawings have ‘bucked teeth’. The drawings are similar, but, to me, the mask looks like an entirely different ’species’.

By: Dark-Obsessor

Dark-Obsessor — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 13:36:56 +0000

I agree with oldbutnotstupid. There could be a logical explanation.

By: oldbutnotstupid

oldbutnotstupid — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 11:19:35 +0000

A sea creature that likes to stand up straight and has big teeth. Has anyone considered a pacific sea otter. they do stand straight when curious, and they hang out in seaweed areas which might explain the spike like appearence of the head. I think this is a more likely model for these masks than a beaver.

By: crypto_randz

crypto_randz — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 02:33:20 +0000

This is the first time i heard of this creature, obviously to think that kind of creature may walk among us is a shocking thought, that animal is truly hideous. It would be truly amazing if someome could either capture one or video tape one. Loren, once again you found another great topic here. Merbeings i never really read much about these creatures, they are really human like. Like i say oceans and lakes have many mysteries and the thetis lake creature is no different.

By: stonelk

stonelk — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 01:19:13 +0000

Years ago I went to a first salmon ceremony where the tribe was honoring the salmon and the teachings of the salmon people. Although the Salmon People were tall and human in appearance the pugwis story reminded me of them. I have heard native women tell their kids not to play near the water or the salmon people will take them. If some one drowns and their body is not recovered it is said they were taken by the salmon people. It would be interesting to know if there is a relationship between the pugwis and the salmon people.