International Cryptozoology Society Journal, Volume One, 2016
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The RELICT HOMINOID INQUIRY 7:12-15 (2018) Book Review International Cryptozoology Society Journal, Volume One, 2016. Edited by Loren Coleman and Jenny White Coleman. San Bernardino, California. ©2017. 112 pp. ISBN 978-1521837559. (paper). Loren Coleman is the goals of the museum, the society, and this founder of the Interna- journal. Although there has been mention of tional Cryptozoology plans for a scientific advisory board for the Museum located in Museum/Society, no confirmation of such a Portland, Maine, the body is mentioned. This is a critical element if first museum of its the ICS hopes to achieve, maintain, or better kind. In January 2016, yet, exceed the stature and level of recognition the Board of Directors and consideration by the scientific community of the museum towards the former ISC. announced the establishment of the The inaugural volume of the ICS Journal International Cryptozoology Society (ICS). Its bears on its cover a charming piece of artwork predecessor, The International Society of by Justin Mark, reminiscent of the new ICS Cryptozoology (ISC), founded in 1982, at a logo, which was inspired by the first special meeting hosted by the Department of photograph of a living okapi, a one-month-old Vertebrate Zoology of the U.S. National calf (see below). In turn, it echoes the logo of Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian the ISC that depicted an image of an adult Institution, Washington, D.C., provided a okapi, which has served as a “poster-child” of much needed platform for the dissemination sorts for cryptozoological species. of serious scientific research directed at The journal opens with a pair of cryptids, i.e. animals not recognized by introductory sections to the ICS, the nature of science. Marginalized and always struggling, cryptozoology, and the mission of the the ISC was ultimately disbanded upon the museum, written by Loren Coleman, its death of its operating secretary Richard director, while also acknowledging Paul Greenwell. Coleman states it is the objective LeBlond as its president. Conditions and of the newly formed ICS to carry on that benefits of membership, including receipt of legacy, while founded on a permanent the journal, are presented (although we note physical presence, i.e. the IC Museum, now at that volume one of the ICSJ is currently Thompson’s Point in Portland, Maine. The available from Amazon for $3.11). Observing successful realization of this effort will that cryptozoology often serves as a “gateway depend on achieving the cryptozoological science” for youth interested in the natural © RHI INTERNATIONAL CRYPTOZOOLOGY SOCIETY JOURNAL 13 sciences, educational outreach is commend- Creek, based on actual eyewitness reports, but ably identified as an important element of that that encounters with a large hair-covered mission. bipedal creature in the area of southern The remainder of the first volume of the Arkansas are still being reported today. ICS Journal is wholly comprised of the Barackman noted that reports of large human- proceedings of the “International Crypto- like footprints in remote areas of North zoology Museum Conference,” as that section America extend back to the early 1800’s. heading reads (although elsewhere the These reports are often corroborated with gathering is referred to as the first photographs and sometimes even with plaster International Cryptozoology Conference). The casts of the footprints. Clearly, something is conference was held in St. Augustine, Florida, making these footprints. He systematically near Anastasia Island, historically significant enumerates a number of inferences about as the site where the St. Augustine “monster” Sasquatch foot form and function. Robinson octopus was discovered in 1896. addressed Florida’s Bigfoot legend, the skunk Also of note – the ape, relating some of the earliest historical first Golden Yeti Award, accounts, as well as contemporary reports commemorating con- from the state. He raised the possibility of two tributions to the field of kinds of Bigfoot-like creatures, one cryptozoology and to the presumably responsible for rather dubious IC Museum itself, was four-toed footprints. Strain examined Bigfoot presented to philanthro- in Native American cultures, noting the pists and ICM board presence of the notion of a large hairy bipedal member Jeremy Efroymson, whose generosity creature in traditional native songs and dances, has made possible a number of crypto- stories, rock art, basketry, totem poles and oral zoological projects. traditions of contemporary elders. She The program was diverse, with four of the counters the notion that Bigfoot didn’t take ten presentations addressing matters of relict hold in tribal culture until after the publicity of hominoid inquiry. These included presenta- the 1958 Jerry Crew event at Bluff Creek, tions by Lyle Blackburn on the Boggy Creek California, or even the 1967 Patterson-Gimlin monster, Cliff Barackman on the study of film. footprints attributed to North America’s Other presentations reported in the journal unknown hominoid, Robert Robinson on the include: the fabled Florida giant octopus, by skunk ape, and Kathy Strain on Bigfoot in David Goudsward; aquatic cryptids and Native American cultures. Brief summaries of animals of discovery, by Jerome Hamlin; their presentations were provided in the discovering Cadbarasaurus, by Paul LeBlond; proceedings, sans illustrations. the Florida monster of 1896, by Michael Blackburn elaborated upon the continuing Raynal; campfire tales from the Beast Hunter, story of the Fouke monster, noting that not by Pat Spain; and bears and cryptozoology, by only were the events dramatized in the famous Matt Bille. 1972 Bigfoot movie, The Legend of Boggy Some technical criticisms of the volume JEFF MELDRUM 14 include a lack of biographical sketches for the of Karl Shuker’s Journal of Cryptozoology, individual contributors, even though space and the Relict Hominoid Inquiry. The later was certainly not an issue. There is glaring two strive to adhere to the same high inconsistency in the style and formatting of standards for publication as mainstream the individual speakers’ written contributions zoological and anthropological periodicals. in terms of length, illustrations, bibliographic We hopefully anticipate the same benchmarks formatting, voice, etc. The quality and for the ICSJ and look forward to Volume reproduction of conference photographs are Two, 2017, expecting peer-reviewed content unsatisfactory for a journal aspiring to be a of high professional quality. vehicle of scientific reporting. Nevertheless, it is encouraging to see Coleman and the ICS Jeff Meldrum produce a journal fostering serious discussion Idaho State University of crytozoological topics, that joins the ranks Pocatello, Idaho, USA INTERNATIONAL CRYPTOZOOLOGY SOCIETY JOURNAL 15 Speakers from L to R: Kathy Strain, Robert Robinson, Matt Bille, Pat Spain, Paul LeBlond, Loren Coleman, Jerome Hamlin, Cliff Barackman, Lyle Blackburn, (not pictured, David Goudsward and Michel Raynal). .