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What about bunyips and yowies and so on? And drop bears, or drop bear totems…?

Alec Hyde: ‘Ang on… *leafs through “The Big Book of Antipodean Cryptids”* yowies are bugbears… drop bears – gotta be bugbears… bunyips… I’m gurna say bugbears, again. 8-}

Everyone else: *tries to ignore him*

>:=)>

I think the question is, why would there not be totem animals anywhere else than the Americas? Cryptids exist all over, so what is it that the Americas have (or not have..?) that would make the Americas tht uch more conducive to totem animals than the rest of the world?

I know it’s not the case, but talking of Totems brings to mind the spirit/totem/ect of the various indigenous native cultures across the world. It might even where the name Totems came from, natives interacting with the various magic shapeshifting spirit beings who look and are spiritually bound their respective animal species.

Would even explain their respect of the native fauna. Its one thing to hunt, harvest, and eat various critters, another to just butcher for giggles, and then get an extremely stern talking to from a HUGE bipedal spirit being who is not amused with your bullshit.

Imagine a huge kangaroo totem bitching and flexing at you.

I think you’d listen intently and carefully.

I haven’t seen any characters wear leather jackets or pants. Is there a stigma of wearing animal product clothes?

If I had to guess, I would say it has more to do with leather being more expensive than cloth. Jim eats eggs. On the other hand, everybody is entitled to their own opinion.

Drop Bear: I’m a vegetarian not because I love animals, but because I hate plants!

Sure, totem can be found all over the world. Mostly with animistic religions. Here is something about human history. Besides archaeologic finds, a group lately published a paper about storytelling. They found different kinds.
1. fairy tales.
The oldest they followed back to its origin in the near east. It undergo many changes but it is clearly from an agricultural civilisation. Cinderella. At least 4.000 years old, maybe 6.000.
2. Storys from dreamtime.
Famous in Australia but not only there. They describe the surrounding environment very exact. All animals, plants, waterholes, topographic points. They have to memorize it exactly so every tribe member is able to survive alone. Some details in some stories identified their age as at least 10.000 years old, maybe more than 20.000.
3. Myths and legends.
Archetypical storys. The oldest one they found is the one we know as Orion, the hunter who ended up as group of stars. It changed details much in history, when groups were devided. But it is known all over the world. People brought it from Beringia to Amerika more than 20.000 Years ago. The australians know it and they are in Australia for more than 50.000 years. It is pretty sure, that this myth left Africa with the first groups of homo sapiens minimum 70.000 years ago, maybe 120.000.

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