The truth is out there…but where?
This question has intrigued Danny Stewart since childhood. Danny is a Utah County folklorist and cryptozoologist. Many know him from the Provo Ghost Tour. He has been collecting journal entries, diaries and interviews for 20 years to construct this nighttime walk through Provo. “It has gotten a lot bigger than I ever thought it would,” he says.
Danny believes that folklore, myth, and science should be more linked together instead of staying at odds with each other. In his passion for cryptozoology, they, in fact, are complimentary.
“Technically we are looking for animals that don’t exist. But the giant panda, mountain gorilla, aardvark, platypus, and giraffe now do exist for science. At first, they were thought to be just folklore. We are trying to validate and invalidate it at the same time. Most accounts are first-person testimonies, and in the oral tradition, they tend to get bigger over time. Stories also change for dramatic purposes.”
So how does one always know what is legit? “You don’t,” Danny says.
This brings up Sasquatch – the Holy Grail for cryptozoologists. Danny even believes he had an encounter when he was a child. “Yes, there is something that is causing these sightings around the world. But people are often caught in the snare of myth. They will spot something and fill in the holes with myths and legends.”
The search then continues. But you can begin this fascinating journey into the etheric world of fairies, gnomes, nature spirits and creatures of the night by listening to Danny Stewart on the Utah Stories podcast.
