A giant, hairy hominid that lives in the woods, according to Basque legend, is known as Basajaun (plural: basajaunak). It was believed that they were responsible for the construction of megaliths, the protection of flocks of cattle, and the transmission of skills like as agriculture and iron working to humans.
Basajaun, or “The Lord of the Forest,” is one of the figures that we show on our Total Basque Mountain Culture Walking Holidays, which take place in the Basque Country. Human-like creature who dwells in tunnels in the Pyrenee Mountains, a mountain range that runs from Spain to France and is known as the “Lord of the Forest.” He is characterised as a massive, hairy, and human-like monster with a human appearance.
The tale of the Basajaun seems to have existed for at least a thousand years, if not thousands of years, with some comparing him to the Himalayan “Yeti” figure, according to certain sources.
What we now call myth was initially the religion of early animist Basque population, as shown by the large shaggy appearance of the Basajaun, which includes facial and body hair, as well as a knotted mane that extends to his knees.
But even in spite of this, many Basque legends portray him as a friendly giant who serves as a guardian of woodlands and flocks of sheep as well as an ally of the local Basque shepherds.
Basajauns are known to have frightened away wolves that used to wander the area and feed on sheep, and it’s reasonable to assume that the mere sight of a Basajaun in the neighbourhood would have done the trick.
The Basajaun’s positive image has been enhanced only as a result of this. According to some versions, he would cry out warnings to the farmers when a storm was approaching, helping them to bring their animals down from their highland meadows in time. These and other mythological individuals will be discussed in depth throughout your Total Basque Mountain Experience Holiday.
To be honest, I don’t believe it’s feasible that the Basajaun story is almost as old as the Basques themselves. Although there is some debate as to when the fabled first Basajaun of Basque mythology was formed, it is generally agreed that it occurred during ancient times. Is it possible that the Basajaun was a Neanderthal who lived in the Pyrenees with its Homo sapiens cousins in the woods? It is possible to learn more about Basque Mythology and pagan rites while on one of our Total Basque Mountain Experience Holidays in Spain.
