While searching for information on Bigfoot sightings I ran across an interesting article written by Joan Tall Tree, Ph.D., of Ontario Canada, (reported on www.bigfootencounters.com) in which she alludes to the bible story of Esau. A special note here: I was unable to find anything further about Ms Tall Tree or any other papers or articles written by her.
It was especially interesting to me since it was a biblical reference rather than a scientific reference or anecdotal report. It was also surprising in that she listed similar stories from not just the Christian bible, but also from the Koran, the Jewish scriptures and from The Book of Mormon.
Please Note: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as LDS and Mormon, are true Christians. They believe in and regularly refer to the Bible and New Testament in their teachings. The Book of Mormon is a third book brought forth by Joseph Smith, their founder and first profit, from plates of gold discovered at Hill Cumorah in New York state and then translated into the Book of Mormon as directed by God as guided by an angel of the Lord. I believe Ms Tall Tree is confused about her LDS reference books. The King James Version of the Bible is the book with the Genesis references, not the Book of Mormon. Ms Tall Tree refers to the “First Book of Moses called Genesis...” as being taken from the Book of Mormon. The book of Moses is a re-translation of the Bible text of Genesis for the purpose of clarity. This translation of Genesis is found in a book called the Pearl of Great Price. It is one of the volumes of scripture included in the standard works of the LDS Church. The Pearl of Great Price includes extracts from Joseph Smith’s Translation (inspired version) of the Bible as well as a translation of some Egyptian papyri containing the writings of the prophet Abraham, excerpts from Joseph Smith’s testimony and history, and the Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Book of Mormon is simply a history of a people who came to the Americas and lived here--the descendents of the Indian people here on this continent at the time Christ was upon the earth.
The basic story referenced here is one of a power struggle between two brothers, Jacob and Esau. They were twins born of Isaac and Rebekah. It is said that when Esau, the first, was born, Jacob was holding on to Esau's heel. Many believe that it was a sign that even in the womb, Jacob was competing against Esau. Many believe that Jacob did not want Esau to be born first. Thus the rivalry started before birth and continued after birth. Back then the first born received the birthright. Each was the favorite of one of the parents, fostering the jealousy.
When the two boys were born it is said in Genesis that Jacob was born smooth skinned while Esau was born with red hair all over his body, even his hands. In researching this genetic anomaly, I ran across the genetic mutation called Hypertrichosis.
This is a picture of a Spanish boy with the mutation.
The scripture also mentions that Esau was a giant of a man. There have always been giants in biblical history such as Goliath in the battle with David. So, we have a giant--a hairy one, at that. It would be easy to jump to the early assumption that there is a connection between today's Bigfoot and this biblical reference.
Let me explain a bit about Hypertrichosis. According to Hairweb.org, “Hypertrichosis is the growth of hair on any part of the body, in excess of the amount usually present in persons of the same age, sex and race. The changes are more visible with dark haired people - also due to the fact that darker hairs are more visible.
The excess growth of hair can be variable on different parts of the body. Sometimes this disease can be caused by hormonal changes and can disappear suddenly. Nowadays, if one suffers lightly it is possible to get rid of excessive hair by new, painless hair removal treatments. This phenomenon manifests itself in extreme growth of hair all over the body and it is one of the worlds rarest hereditary diseases due to a gene defect.” If one parent carries the gene, there is a 50% chance a child will be born with it. Thus, with twins, it is credible that one of the two could have the mutation.
On Medical Incredibles, re-broadcast on cable TV March 1, 2010, they highlighted this congenital disorder. They mentioned that there are only 40 people in the world today with this disorder. It explained further that the hair follicles are supposed to limit hair growth. Hair growth goes through two distinct phases, active and dormant. With this disorder the dormant phase never happens. Many scientists believe that for us this atavistic gene, has been turned off. However, for sufferers it is turned on, producing a throwback to our distant ancestors. Because of how they look, many have been forced into seclusion to avoid the stares and unkind words and treatment from those in their villages. Many accuse them of being spawn of the devil. So, for some, isolation is their choice. If this is the case today, what would happen over generations to those choosing to secret themselves away from society? Would adaptation take place, creating a much different kind of close-knit society? For one young man in Mexico, this disorder has been passed on to many other members of his own family, including cousins uncles, aunts, and even his own daughter.
It is said in Genesis that Esau was an outdoors-man. Here is yet another coincidence adding to the circumstantial evidence. Esau hunted while Jacob stayed close to home. The one thing that seems to upset everyone is the verse that describes Esau possibly giving away his birthright. He had just come in from hunting. He had not caught anything. He mentions that he is starving, (what teen isn't?), and asks Jacob for some of the lentils Jacob was cooking. Jacob tells him that he has to give up his birthright in order to have some. Esau agrees. Most historians would put their age at around fifteen at the time. Regardless of how this scene took place, Jacob created a situation where he could gain from the encounter. I do not believe Esau saw it as anything more as teenage bantering. I don't think Esau was as shrewd at his younger brother and was just saying...”whatever”, without thinking about the implications. I think it never crossed his mind that Jacob was serious. And, I feel that Jacob was always thinking of ways to outdo his brother. Esau was flippant and simply told his brother what he wanted to hear to be able to eat the lentils. It says that once he had eaten and drank he was off doing what ever it was he liked to do. It sounds like Esau was just thankful he didn't have to cook it himself. Giving up his birthright was of no consequence because he did not really believe he was actually doing that. That is why he was so shocked later.
So, as the story is related, Jacob and his mother Rebekah scheme to deceive Isaac on his death bed. She provides Jacob with the skin of an animal. Isaac was blind. So, when he questioned the authenticity of who the boy really was, all he had to go by was the hair. Since Jacob had disguised himself with a hairy animal skin, Isaac thought he was Esau and gave him the birthright meant for Esau.
When Esau came in from hunting and found the deception he came to his father and begged him to give him a blessing as well. Isaac tells him that he will be under Jacob's rule, but at some time he will come out from under him to stand on his own. He says that “away from the fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling, and away from the dew of heaven from above. By your sword you shall live and your brother you shall serve. But it shall come about when you become restless that you will break his yoke from your neck.” It sounds as if Isaac is telling him that his life from this time forth shall be a hard one.
Jacob is forced to flee for his life because Esau is so angry. Eventually, Esau becomes wealthy. At some time in the future Esau forgives Jacob and they go about their lives separately. Eventually Esau strikes out to live elsewhere. His people become known as Edonites, (Genesis 36:43). It is reported in Ms Tall Tree's paper that this particular people spoke a group of languages belonging to the Afro-Asiatic family that was spoken in North Africa and Southwestern Asia. They were hunters. And, because of the genetic propensity to pass on this gene, it is not far fetched to assume that there would be born, children who manifested the hairy characteristics as well as the gigantism ones as well.
Because of their land being in the Southwestern Asian area, one can take a leap and suggest that they eventually followed the game across Asia to the land bridge and into the Americas just like their human cousins the Clovis People who settled near Clovis, New Mexico and also lived in and around the Texas area. I Have no scientific facts here, however, if we are simply delving into possibilities, it IS possible. (note here that scientific time frames and biblical ones seldom agree).
In doing our Darlington Project, I was taken by the description of the Bigfoot's behavior. In deciphering its behavior I came to the conclusion that Bigfoot was more animal-like than human in that it displayed typical animal behavior. I estimated that Bigfoot, (like the large apes), like Koko, who were being taught sign language, most certainly had the intelligence of perhaps a three year old. They could recognize objects, ask for them, and even show emotion. They most certainly had retained the animal instincts that we had discarded as we chose to become more societal. Therefore, their natural senses were much more acute than ours.
So, how do we get from Esau and the people of Edonite to the wild nature of a Bigfoot? This was the one stumbling block I have with this possible theory. Then, I watched a TV program on Discovery about Prehistoric Dallas. In this documentary it talked about a particular lizard who had gone from land animal to fish instead of the reverse that we are used to hearing about. They explained that evolution can go both ways. And then I thought of the expedition to find the giant elephants with Peter Byrne and his team of scientist who discovered that the elephants they sought were not the mammoth they had theorized, but a throwback to an earlier ancestor of the mammoth. I realized that perhaps it was possible for a group of Edonites, who held the defective gene that produced Hypertrichosis, and who decided to live apart from society, could have because of their isolation and inbreeding, potentially reversed their journey and become the more animal-like species that is now called Bigfoot.
I know this is a long shot and I have no scientific proof to
back this theory up, but it does cause one to stop and think and wonder about
the possibility. It certainly will be an interesting topic for discussion.
I am just putting this possibility out there and will be interested in seeing
what comes of it.