“Bigfoot,” is a controversial creature, known scientifically as a sasquatch, that is tied deeply within both American and Indigenous culture and media. The geographical origins of Bigfoot can be traced to Pacific northwestern Indigenous tribes, due to the prevalence of this creature across ancient forms of media found there. Having held many different names, to many different cultures, it is hard to find a true single origin story for this creature.
From a generational tale with virtually no media coverage to a majorly debated online phenomenon, the proven existence of this creature has always been questionable. To this day, there is no “real” proof of Bigfoot, so why did one ever believe? Human culture around the origins of Bigfoot existed before modern media, meaning the population was not exposed to the nature of sensationalist journalists trying to deceive the nation. As media evolved, this desire to believe in the unknown was ultimately replaced with a desire to seek out deceivers. In this digital essay, we will explore how media coverage of the elusive creature has evolved, and how increasing media coverage, combined with advancements in technology and news culture, ultimately led many to no longer believe in this once beloved creature.
"The inclination to believe in the fantastic may strike some as a failure in logic, or gullibility, but it’s really a gift. A world that might have Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster is clearly superior to one that definitely does not."
Explore the categories on this website to deepen your understanding of Bigfoot historically in media, how Bigfoot is portrayed in the media today, the stark contrasts between the two, and ultimately how advancements in digital media caused the disillusionment of an entire nation.