norseman,
I'm Native...I consider sasquatch to be a real animal. I've also talked to quite a few Natives who believe they are real, an I've talked to Natives who claimed to have seen one, as well as talking to a few Natives who told me of other Natives who have seen them.
I spoke with one Native guy who didn't like talkin' about his sightin', it simply bothered him. He was out huntin' one mornin', heard somethin' movin' on the hill parallel to him, in the mornin' mist he found himself lookin' at a sasquatch carrying a large stick. He seen it clear as, no mistakes, he froze, it froze, he stepped, it stepped, it scared the s out of him so he turned an left, not lookin' back. Only reason he told me was because of my sister-in-law knowin' him well, she told him I was honest in my interest in the subject.
I know a Native Elder, a Chief, who told me of knowing Charlie Mack an his brothers, he told me of a sightin' in a creek where the elders were campin' durin' a huntin' trip.
Talked to another Native who told me of his friend or relative(it's been a bit), who was countin' salmon, they float down the rivers, he saw one on all fours on the shore, it was lookin at him as he looked at it while he floated downstream. The guy showed me how the guy showed him how it was movin', which was like bein' in the middle of a push up, an then you start walkin away on all fours kinda low, arse up, hands an toes.
Talked to another Native, a carver, asked him if he'd heard stories, said he had a friend seen one jump out of a tree, wasn't much to the story, besides his friend bein' freaked out.
Reckon there's a few more I could recall. An for the record...I've talked to a few white folks who also consider them to be real animals. I always smile thinkin' of a elderly couple near Whiskey Creek if I recall, one of the local store owners had mentioned they had claimed a sightin'. So I went an said hi, the gentleman said he an his wife were drivin' home, seen a grey or brown big upright somethin' walk across the highway. I recall the wife slappin' his arm, said it was the other colour(brown or grey) as her husband was colour blind. I can't recall the colour she'd confirmed, one or the other. I asked her if she recalled what she saw, she said, big, upright, hairy, said it all happened quick. They mentioned it like you'd mention a neighbours dog barkin' all night, like it just happened is all.
I can't confirm their sightin's...but I can state I know Natives who consider these animals to be real based on their own sightin's.
An...like I said...this Native considers sasquatch/bigfoot a real thing...a as yet unclassified primate.
Pat...