This cave man-like creature is said to haunt the wilds of Eastern Afghanistan and Pakistan’s Shishi Kuh Valley.
Thought to be related to early humanoids, such as the Neanderthal, Barmanu are said to dwell in the Hindukush and Karakoram ranges, between the Pamirs and the Himalaya as well as Shishi Kuh valley, which is located in the Chitral region of Northern Pakistan. This region places the Barmanu squarely in between the ranges of two more famous cryptids, the Himalayan YETI and the ALMAS of central Asia, with whom it is said to share Neanderthal-like traits.
In fact, the Neanderthal connection runs so deep that the Barmanu is often described as a cross between a man and an ape, and is allegedly fond of abducting young women with the intention of mating with them. It is also reported to wear animal skins on its back and skull.
Accounts of this creature are often accompanied by tales of its horrific stench. A trait which has led some investigators to surmise that this may be a man-beast may be less like a Neanderthal than other mystery primates, such as the North American BIGFOOT and SKUNK APE.
Although the legends surrounding these creatures have been around in northern Pakistan for centuries, these mystery beasts were first brought to international attention by noted Spanish zoologist, JORDI MAGRANER. A student of the father of cryptozoology himself, BERNARD HEUVELMANS, Magraner sought to expose this enigma and made it his life’s work.
Between 1992 and 1994, Magraner pursued the evidence along with Dr. Anne Mallasseand. During an expedition through the Shishi Kuh valley, the investigators chronicled not only eyewitness accounts, but discovered primate-like footprints. The European team also heard what has been described as guttural sounds which only could have been made by a “primitive primate voice box.”
When members of the expedition asked eyewitnesses to choose among various images of HAIRY HOMINIDS which most resembled the Barmanu, the image most often selected was that of the legendary MINNESOTA ICEMAN. This entity was also said to be much more human-like than the typical mystery ape or relic hominid.
Tragically Magraner was assassinated by one of is Pakistani guides on August 2, 2002, less than a month before his planned return to his home in France. One can only hope that the Barmanu themselves will not suffer the same fate in that war torn region.
© Copyright Rob Morphy 2002 — 2011
