Wild Man of the Navidad
Encyclopedia
The Wild Man of the Navidad (or the Wild Woman of the Navidad) is believed to be one of the first sightings of Bigfoot
in Texas
.
bottoms, circa the modern-day town of Sublime, Texas, in Lavaca County. Slaves along the Navidad called it "The Thing that Comes," for, though no one saw it, there was always evidence that Something had come. On moonlit nights from as early as 1836, people would find food missing from their cabins, even though an intruder would have had to step over sleeping dogs to reach it. Families stopped fattening hogs, because a fat hog would inevitably be replaced by a scrawny one. Though valuables such as watches or money were never taken, sometimes tools would disappear only to reappear later, beautifully polished. Occasionally searchers would find a camp, but "The Thing" never returned while they waited.
The creature was most often described as covered in short brown hair and very nimble, which allowed for it to elude capture for many years. The Rev. Samuel C.A. Rogers, a circuit-riding minister in the area, first saw a total of three footprints in the spring of 1845 and continued to spot them for several years before all but the largest disappeared. Although some believe the creatures survived for many years, Rogers wrote that in 1850, the largest hunt for the wild man was organized, and the hunters did trap a man in a tree, surrounded by baying dogs, horses and men with guns.
This is where the legend diverges into varying versions - the most common being that the captured man was actually a solitary African who wore no clothes and spoke no English. In 1851, a sailor who spoke the man's African dialect reportedly came traveling through the area. It turned out that the "wild man" was a prince who'd been sold into slavery as a child. After reaching Texas, he and a companion had escaped, but the companion had died from exposure after a few years. It's said that the Wild Man of the Navidad was eventually sold into slavery in Victoria, Texas
and lived in Refugio and Victoria Counties until his death in 1884.
A collection of these early accounts were later published in their entirety in J. Frank Dobie
's book "Tales of Old-Time Texas" in 1928.
was made. It was written and directed by Duane Graves and Justin Meeks, and co-produced by their college filmmaking instructor Kim Henkel
- who just happened to be the co-writer/producer of Tobe Hooper
's seminal 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
. The Wild Man of the Navidad
premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
in New York City
and was later released by IFC Films
in 2009.
Although the film does have a loose connection to the original Wild Man story, the filmmakers based the bulk of it on a supposed "new story" from the real-life journals of one Dale S. Rogers, who claims to be a direct decedent of Samuel C.A. Rogers. In his writings, Mr. Rogers described a series of bizarre encounters he and his family had with the creature(s) as late as 1975. The part of Dale S. Rogers was played by co-director Justin Meeks.
The movie is set in the real-life town of Sublime, Texas, but it was actually shot on location in Whitsett, Texas
, and nearby Campbellton, Texas
, on a shoestring budget. Many of the supporting characters in the film were locals of that area, and the entire production was designed to be a deliberate stylistic echo of the 70's drive-in B-movies it pays close homage to.
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Bigfoot
Bigfoot, also known as sasquatch, is an ape-like cryptid that purportedly inhabits forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid...
in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
History
It was first widely reported in 1837 throughout the early settlements along the Navidad RiverNavidad River
The Navidad River is a 90 mile long coastal river in the U.S. state of Texas that runs roughly parallel to its sister river, the Lavaca River. It is not spring fed, and all of its volume is runoff which eventually provides for much of the water in Lake Texana.-Course:It begins in two primary...
bottoms, circa the modern-day town of Sublime, Texas, in Lavaca County. Slaves along the Navidad called it "The Thing that Comes," for, though no one saw it, there was always evidence that Something had come. On moonlit nights from as early as 1836, people would find food missing from their cabins, even though an intruder would have had to step over sleeping dogs to reach it. Families stopped fattening hogs, because a fat hog would inevitably be replaced by a scrawny one. Though valuables such as watches or money were never taken, sometimes tools would disappear only to reappear later, beautifully polished. Occasionally searchers would find a camp, but "The Thing" never returned while they waited.
The creature was most often described as covered in short brown hair and very nimble, which allowed for it to elude capture for many years. The Rev. Samuel C.A. Rogers, a circuit-riding minister in the area, first saw a total of three footprints in the spring of 1845 and continued to spot them for several years before all but the largest disappeared. Although some believe the creatures survived for many years, Rogers wrote that in 1850, the largest hunt for the wild man was organized, and the hunters did trap a man in a tree, surrounded by baying dogs, horses and men with guns.
This is where the legend diverges into varying versions - the most common being that the captured man was actually a solitary African who wore no clothes and spoke no English. In 1851, a sailor who spoke the man's African dialect reportedly came traveling through the area. It turned out that the "wild man" was a prince who'd been sold into slavery as a child. After reaching Texas, he and a companion had escaped, but the companion had died from exposure after a few years. It's said that the Wild Man of the Navidad was eventually sold into slavery in Victoria, Texas
Victoria, Texas
Victoria is a city in and the seat of Victoria County, Texas, United States. The population was 60,603 at the 2000 census. The three counties of the Victoria Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 111,163 at the 2000 census,...
and lived in Refugio and Victoria Counties until his death in 1884.
A collection of these early accounts were later published in their entirety in J. Frank Dobie
J. Frank Dobie
James Frank Dobie was an American folklorist, writer, and newspaper columnist best known for many books depicting the richness and traditions of life in rural Texas during the days of the open range...
's book "Tales of Old-Time Texas" in 1928.
Films
In 2008, the 86-minute horror feature The Wild Man of the NavidadThe Wild Man of the Navidad
The Wild Man of the Navidad is a 2008 horror film picked up by IFC Films shortly after its world premiere at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. - Plot :This movie is allegedly based on the real-life journals of Dale S...
was made. It was written and directed by Duane Graves and Justin Meeks, and co-produced by their college filmmaking instructor Kim Henkel
Kim Henkel
Kim Henkel is an American screenwriter, director and producer.Henkel was born in Virginia and grew up in several small towns in South Texas. He started at the University of Texas at Austin in 1964 majoring in English and graduated in 1969...
- who just happened to be the co-writer/producer of Tobe Hooper
Tobe Hooper
Tobe Hooper is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in the horror film genre. His works include the cult classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , along with its first sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ; the three-time Emmy-nominated Stephen King film adaptation...
's seminal 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who respectively portray Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, the...
. The Wild Man of the Navidad
The Wild Man of the Navidad
The Wild Man of the Navidad is a 2008 horror film picked up by IFC Films shortly after its world premiere at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. - Plot :This movie is allegedly based on the real-life journals of Dale S...
premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and was later released by IFC Films
IFC Films
IFC Films is an American film distribution company based in New York, owned by AMC Networks. It distributes independent films and documentaries under the IFC Films, Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight. It operates the IFC Center....
in 2009.
Although the film does have a loose connection to the original Wild Man story, the filmmakers based the bulk of it on a supposed "new story" from the real-life journals of one Dale S. Rogers, who claims to be a direct decedent of Samuel C.A. Rogers. In his writings, Mr. Rogers described a series of bizarre encounters he and his family had with the creature(s) as late as 1975. The part of Dale S. Rogers was played by co-director Justin Meeks.
The movie is set in the real-life town of Sublime, Texas, but it was actually shot on location in Whitsett, Texas
Whitsett, Texas
Whitsett is an unincorporated community in northwestern Live Oak County, Texas, United States. It lies at the intersection of U.S. Route 281 and FM 99, along the Union Pacific Railroad and fifteen miles north of Three Rivers. Whitsett is best known as being the setting for the 2008 horror film The...
, and nearby Campbellton, Texas
Campbellton, Texas
Campbellton is an unincorporated community in Atascosa County, Texas, United States. An Irish immigrant, John F. Campbell, began the community in the 1860's by promoting settlement in the area. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 350 in 2000.It is...
, on a shoestring budget. Many of the supporting characters in the film were locals of that area, and the entire production was designed to be a deliberate stylistic echo of the 70's drive-in B-movies it pays close homage to.
Further reading
- "The Robertsons, the Sutherlands, and the Making of Texas," Anne H. Sutherland, Texas A&M University Press, 2006, ISBN 978-1585445202
External links
- Texas Bigfoot Conservancy
- The Wild Man of the Navidad Official Website
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