Listen: Dennis Waller In Search Of The Kushtaka: Alaska’s Other Bigfoot

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Jeffery Pritchett. He is the host of The Church of Mabus radio show-- Bringing you unique personalities in the paranormal and high strange always and forever til death do us part. You can join his Facebook group, The Church Of Mabus Radio Show.

What are the Kushtaka? There are incredible stories of the sinister Kushtaka or “land otter man” as it is known by the Tlingit’s all throughout Southeastern Alaska.

Whether these stories are the stuff of legend and myth remains to be seen. However a legend that endures over time, endures for a reason, leaving us with the question. Is the legend and myth of the Kushtaka something that really exists? Is it based on actual events or the byproduct of a vivid imagination of a people unable to explain the unexplainable? The purpose of this book is to explore this amazing mystery, to see if we can unlock the door to the Kushtaka and discover the truth. Joseph Campbell said myths are clues to the spiritual potentialities of the human life, that a myth helps you to put your mind in touch with the experience of being alive. In this case, in order to experience being alive, we might have to experience being scared to death. The Kushtaka are mystical shape shifting creatures with supernatural powers. They are masters at waging psychological warfare with the ability to twist time and space creating anomalies that defy the laws of physics. It is said they possess telepathic abilities. Their ability to move freely from one place to another in an instant is legendary. Appearing as someone the victim knows is commonplace in the stories of the encounters with the Kushtaka. From deceased relatives, to being a friend, to appearing as a ghostly creature, there are no limits to what and who the Kushtaka can transform into. Encounters have told of the unsuspecting victim having their worst nightmares brought to life, as if the Kushtaka were able to draw on the fears of their intended targets. In the worst of reports, the Kushtaka will possess the person and as a malevolent trickster, bring harm to them and those around them, tormenting them to the point of driving them insane to the point of death. The Kushtaka seem to have a special hatred for those who do not take them seriously and laugh at the Kushtaka as if it they are a joke. For those folks who fall into this category and venture in the land of the Kushtaka will soon find that the Kushtaka has an agenda for them. The Kushtaka are considered evil and treated with a level of trepidation among the Tlingit. It is believed that the Kushtaka deprived their victims of everlasting life thus not allowing for the victims soul to be reincarnated. These creatures appear to the victims as in the form of relatives or friends to confuse the victim. Their primary purpose is to lure the unsuspecting target away from their homes in order to turn them into Kushtaka. On the seas, the Kushtaka are feared for taking advantage of the Tlingit’s in their canoes. They prey on the drowning by expediting the Tlingit’s demise by creating these disastrous events. Adding to the mystery is the location of their habitat. The Kushtaka are said to live along the southeastern coast of Alaska hidden away in the deep rugged rainforest that even today remains mostly uncharted and unknown to man. Protected by rough seas to the west and insurmountable mountains to the east and north, these creatures are literally cut off from the world you and I know. If someone or something wanted to drop off the face of the earth, this is one place where you could do it. With names like the “Bay of Death,” it’s easy to see how someone could disappear in this lonely vastness, never to be seen again. Some consider the Kushtaka to be a cousin to Bigfoot while others believe the Kushtaka are multi-dimensional beings. There are no photos or videos, no cast of their footprint. There have been no reports of the Kushtaka named Harry having dining with the Henderson’s. Nor has anyone claimed to have a Kushtaka stuffed and mounted. These creatures are much more mysterious, almost as if Stephen King himself created them.

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Biography

Dennis Waller, best selling author, film maker and speaker, is recognized as an authority on Buddhism, Zen and the Tao Te Ching. His translation of the Tao has been a long standing best seller and is used throughout the academic world. He is only the second person to translate Nagarjuna’s Tree of Wisdom into English since WL Campbell’s translation in 1919.

He also is known for his series of “Texas Jack’s Famous Recipe books, a collection of southern recipes that have been #1 best sellers on Amazon. From pralines, caramels, to making your own hard apple cider, the Texas Jack series has built up a strong and loyal following.

His current project, “In Search of The Kushtaka” released in April 2014 is a book offering different points of view from supporters and critics of the mythical creature, the Kushtaka, of the Tlingit People of Alaska. Covering the Tlingit and comparative mythologies along with thoughts from the science community and first hand accounts of encounters with the Kushtaka, this book gives an enlightening look into the phenomena known as the Kushtaka.

In addition to the Kushtaka book, he has followed up with two more books on the myths of the Tlingit called, “Raven Tales” and “Otter Tales.” Working with the legendary artist of Native American Art, Bob Patterson, Waller will be bringing out an illustrated guide to the world of the myths and legends of the Tlingit in late 2014.
His other books, “The Tao of Kenny Loggins” and “Are You an Indigo” show that this is one writer that refuses to be place into anyone category, truly a renaissance man. Waller is a man that can serve up a wicked drink along with a great steak while debating the esoteric meaning of the song, “Watching the River Run.”