Comments on: Evolution of Yeti

By: Mnynames

Mnynames — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 05:55:48 +0000

Never underestimate the influence of Bugs and Daffy and their abominable snowman. I also think that perhaps The Empire Strikes Back’s Wampa (Which I see included amongst the Yeti toys) may have added an extra oomph to keep the image going throughout the 80’s and 90’s.

By: Point Radix

Point Radix — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:42:17 +0000

The shift from the dark (Bigfoot-type) Yeti to an (increasingly less Abominable) Snowman is kind of like the evolution from the lean stern St. Nicholas to the jolly fat Santa Claus.

Probably one of the worst pop-culture depictions is from that Felix the Cat clip (posted earlier on this site) - it shows a sort of “giant pot-bellied ice Santa” type of Yeti (of course, living at the North Pole).

Essentially, the Yeti (as Abominable Snowman) has become a sort of “Christmas Sasquatch” - much better sales pitch, by the way.

By: cryptidsrus

cryptidsrus — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:21:08 +0000

I had totally forgotten about the “Bumble.” Thanks for reminding me about my age, Loren!!!

AAARGHHH…

One redundant note:

One of the biggest, most obvious changes in popular culture regarding the image of the Yeti has to be the name itself. It is politically incorrect to call the creature “The Abominable Snowman” anymore. One must call it by its correct name, the Yeti.

Personally, I have to say the old name had a weird, somewhat larger-than-life charm. I’m not saying bring back the old name—just that, as with everything, it had its own positive charm.

By: kittenz

kittenz — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:14:34 +0000

I also think that the Bumble influenced the way that people think of Yeti. All of the old - “pre-Rudolph” - accounts that I have read about Yeti describe a brown or reddish creature.

On the other hand, there are some species of gibbon which are color-dimorphic by gender; possibly something similar is true of Yeti. Or maybe, being animals from a seasonally very snowy environment, they have adapted to that by evolving a snowy white winter pelt and a brown or reddish summer coat.

By: Saint Vitus

Saint Vitus — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:13:40 +0000

The 80’s heavy metal band Saint Vitus had a song called “Ice Monkey”, but the lyrics described it as a “purple primate”, not a white one. Come to think of it, that might be some sort of obscure drug reference, but when I first heard the title, I thought it was referring to the Yeti.

By: mrbf2007

mrbf2007 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:54:21 +0000

Very timely article, in light of tonight’s Destination Truth which will be about the Yeti. Also a very good look at the Yeti in popular culture. Excellent article, Loren.

By: Ceroill

Ceroill — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:50:01 +0000

Loren, I suspect you are probably right about the influence of the ‘Bumble’ on yeti imagery.