Join Mel Skahan on Friday, Nov. 10 for “Sasquatch and Spirituality: A Native American Perspective,” at Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum, 5000 Discovery Drive, The Dalles. Skahan will be joined by the Bigfoot Beast Mode Show crew from KYNR Yakama Nation radio, and special guest Bob Gimlin. A pre-program dinner will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the 7 p.m. program.
Skahan is the go-to person on the Yakama Reservation when someone wants to report a Bigfoot sighting, according to a press release. His job as a forestry tech inventory specialist for the Yakama Nation takes him into the upper mountain wilderness of the Mount Adams area on the Yakama Reservation.
By the end of 2013, Skahan had received reports from enrolled members of over 400 Bigfoot sightings on the Yakama Reservation. As of November 2017, he says that number is around 860.
Skahan will walk through the evolution of his personal journey from a skeptic to a believer. From stories told to him as a child, through first contact and research, Skahan will reveal how he eventually formed a relationship and found a spirit connection to this enigmatic icon of Pacific Northwest culture.
Joining Skahan will be the hosts of the “Bigfoot Beast Mode Show,” Ryan Craig, Terry Wolfsburger, and Reggie George. The KYNR Yakama Nation radio crew will talk about their experiences and hold a panel discussion open for audience questions.
Gimlin will be on hand for a meet and greet prior to the dinner, from 5:15-6 p.m. The Bluff Creek video footage shot in 1967 by Gimlin and his partner Roger Patterson of a female Sasquatch referred to as “Patty” has become an iconic part of American folklore about Bigfoot.
Skahan participated in the Bigfoot episode of “Strange Days with Bob Saget.” He has been interviewed by ESPN, the Robb Report, Native American Calling and mentioned in many newspaper articles.
Tickets for the dinner and program are $19, or program only for $5. The dinner menu includes lasagna, salad, garlic bread and dessert. Purchase tickets before Wednesday, Nov. 8.
Commented