I am a Carrier (Lheitl T’enneh) and I can tell you that there are a lot of stories in the old language about Sasquatch (Oma), but none about Bigfoot. Nobody who has seen a Sasquatch describes a Bigfoot, either. In private discussion, band members speculate that the Sasquatch people were isolated (during the long winter or ice age) and became inbred. No one says they are a type of ape or a relic hominid. In the old days, the Sasquatch people did some trading, using a few words of Skookum (a kind of pidgin used in the northwest). Did Biggies ever do that?

I understand your reluctance to classify these elusive creatures into groups without further evidence. However, Loren’s extensive research led him to do just that in his book, “The field guide to bigfoot, and other mystery primates”. In fact if you look beyond North America the global differences between the hairy human-like creatures being reported are even more extreme, from true giants, to tiny little hairy hominids. These classifications aren’t willy nilly…and I think they are necessary in the pursuit of understanding. Of course I’m sure Loren will adjust his classification system as more evidence comes to light, but for now I think it works. Either way, if you haven’t read the book I mentioned, then you should.