J.W. Burns John W. Burns (1888–1962), was a Canadian schoolteacher and Indian Agent who worked with First Nations communities in British Columbia.
In the 1920s, while teaching at the Chehalis Indian Reserve east of Vancouver, Burns became fascinated by local Indigenous legends of “wild hairy giants” said to roam the forests.
He earned the trust of Chehalis elders and collected their accounts of these creatures. Rather than keep these stories within the community, Burns wrote them up for a wider audience.
His most famous contribution was bringing the Sasquatch legend to mainstream attention through articles and stories published in Canadian media. This work effectively introduced an obscure Indigenous oral tradition to non-Indigenous readers, making Burns a seminal figure in Sasquatch lore.
In the 1920s, while teaching at the Chehalis Indian Reserve east of Vancouver, Burns became fascinated by local Indigenous legends of “wild hairy giants” said to roam the forests.
He earned the trust of Chehalis elders and collected their accounts of these creatures. Rather than keep these stories within the community, Burns wrote them up for a wider audience.
His most famous contribution was bringing the Sasquatch legend to mainstream attention through articles and stories published in Canadian media. This work effectively introduced an obscure Indigenous oral tradition to non-Indigenous readers, making Burns a seminal figure in Sasquatch lore.
Coining the Term “Sasquatch”
Burns is widely credited as the first to popularize the term “Sasquatch.” In fact, he effectively coined the word by anglicizing an Indigenous term. The word Sasquatch derives from “sasq’ets,” a word in the local Halkomelem (Coast Salish) language referring to a wild man or hairy giant. Burns heard various Indigenous names for the creature and decided to use a single term for his articles.
In 1929, he introduced this new term to the public in Maclean’s magazine, in an article titled “Introducing B.C.’s Hairy Giants,” thereby putting “Sasquatch” into print. By compiling First Nations stories and giving the creature a memorable name, Burns ensured that the legend would stick in popular imagination.
His 1929 article was the first modern account of the Sasquatch and is considered the origin point for all later “Bigfoot” lore in pop culture. Every subsequent mention of Sasquatch or Bigfoot can be traced back to Burns’s storytelling in that era.
Burns is widely credited as the first to popularize the term “Sasquatch.” In fact, he effectively coined the word by anglicizing an Indigenous term. The word Sasquatch derives from “sasq’ets,” a word in the local Halkomelem (Coast Salish) language referring to a wild man or hairy giant. Burns heard various Indigenous names for the creature and decided to use a single term for his articles.
In 1929, he introduced this new term to the public in Maclean’s magazine, in an article titled “Introducing B.C.’s Hairy Giants,” thereby putting “Sasquatch” into print. By compiling First Nations stories and giving the creature a memorable name, Burns ensured that the legend would stick in popular imagination.
His 1929 article was the first modern account of the Sasquatch and is considered the origin point for all later “Bigfoot” lore in pop culture. Every subsequent mention of Sasquatch or Bigfoot can be traced back to Burns’s storytelling in that era.
Cultural Appropriation and Modern Critiques
While Burns helped preserve and popularize Indigenous stories, modern perspectives often criticize his work as an example of cultural appropriation. Burns was a non-Native “Indian Agent” retelling sacred First Nations legends at a time when Indigenous peoples were oppressed and even legally barred from practicing elements of their culture.
Critics note that Burns took Coast Salish stories and put his own name on them, repackaging communal oral traditions as his own discovery. According to one analysis, “J.W. Burns took the Sasquatch story from the Coast Salish people, put his name on it, and submitted it to Maclean’s.”
Indigenous writers argue that Burns’s retelling distorted and commodified their traditions, presenting them as entertaining curiosities for non-Native readers. Over time, Burns became “obsessed” with the Sasquatch, embellishing the legends with each retelling. As a result, the authentic legend eventually became unrecognizable. This has been cited as a classic case of cultural misappropriation—an example of how Indigenous knowledge was taken and transformed by outsiders.
At the same time, there is a nuanced view that the Sasquatch story has since been reclaimed by Indigenous communities. The Sts’ailes First Nation, for example, openly celebrate Sasquatch Days and share the Sasq’ets legend on their own terms, something that might not have been possible in the 1930s without Burns’s initial exposure of the legend. Nonetheless, the prevailing modern critique is that Burns’s role in Sasquatch lore came at the expense of Indigenous ownership of their own stories.
While Burns helped preserve and popularize Indigenous stories, modern perspectives often criticize his work as an example of cultural appropriation. Burns was a non-Native “Indian Agent” retelling sacred First Nations legends at a time when Indigenous peoples were oppressed and even legally barred from practicing elements of their culture.
Critics note that Burns took Coast Salish stories and put his own name on them, repackaging communal oral traditions as his own discovery. According to one analysis, “J.W. Burns took the Sasquatch story from the Coast Salish people, put his name on it, and submitted it to Maclean’s.”
Indigenous writers argue that Burns’s retelling distorted and commodified their traditions, presenting them as entertaining curiosities for non-Native readers. Over time, Burns became “obsessed” with the Sasquatch, embellishing the legends with each retelling. As a result, the authentic legend eventually became unrecognizable. This has been cited as a classic case of cultural misappropriation—an example of how Indigenous knowledge was taken and transformed by outsiders.
At the same time, there is a nuanced view that the Sasquatch story has since been reclaimed by Indigenous communities. The Sts’ailes First Nation, for example, openly celebrate Sasquatch Days and share the Sasq’ets legend on their own terms, something that might not have been possible in the 1930s without Burns’s initial exposure of the legend. Nonetheless, the prevailing modern critique is that Burns’s role in Sasquatch lore came at the expense of Indigenous ownership of their own stories.
Condensed captures of Burn's article. The 1929 Maclean’s Article and April Fool’s Day
Burns’s landmark article, “Introducing B.C.’s Hairy Giants,” appeared in the April 1, 1929, issue of Maclean’s magazine. Because it was published on April Fool’s Day, some readers at the time wondered if the wild tale was meant as a prank.
In fact, the piece was a sincere collection of accounts, not a satirical hoax but the coincidence of the date caused confusion. Historically, Maclean’s did not have a tradition of April Fool’s hoaxes. At the time, it was a serious monthly periodical that was typically released on the first of each month as a matter of routine scheduling.
The April 1929 issue happened to fall on the first, so Burns’s article ran that day by coincidence. Cryptozoology historians have noted that Burns did not intend to create a hoax or a joke creature; he was reporting legends he believed to be real.
Burns’s landmark article, “Introducing B.C.’s Hairy Giants,” appeared in the April 1, 1929, issue of Maclean’s magazine. Because it was published on April Fool’s Day, some readers at the time wondered if the wild tale was meant as a prank.
In fact, the piece was a sincere collection of accounts, not a satirical hoax but the coincidence of the date caused confusion. Historically, Maclean’s did not have a tradition of April Fool’s hoaxes. At the time, it was a serious monthly periodical that was typically released on the first of each month as a matter of routine scheduling.
The April 1929 issue happened to fall on the first, so Burns’s article ran that day by coincidence. Cryptozoology historians have noted that Burns did not intend to create a hoax or a joke creature; he was reporting legends he believed to be real.
Contemporary Reception and Legacy
At the time of publication, Burns’s Sasquatch writings were received with a mix of intrigue and doubt. The sensational nature of the claims combined with the April 1 issue date led many in the public to view Sasquatch as a curious folk tale rather than a credible reality.
Beyond local circles in British Columbia, the “hairy giants” were largely thought of as myth. Despite skepticism, the article did spark some interest, and in subsequent decades researchers occasionally cited Burns’s accounts as important early evidence for Sasquatch reports. Burns himself continued writing on the subject and helped organize Sasquatch-themed events in Harrison Hot Springs.
In the years since, J.W. Burns has become known as the “father of Sasquatch.” Cryptozoologists revere his work as foundational, while mainstream scientists and the broader public often view Sasquatch as purely mythical.
Modern scholars also focus on the cultural cost of his writings, noting how he extracted Indigenous legends for a sensational magazine piece and thereby appropriated stories.
Nonetheless, virtually all modern Sasquatch or Bigfoot lore traces back to Burns’s 1929 article and the term he introduced. His role in shaping the legend, despite controversies, remains profound.
Below you will find both the original issue of MacLean's Magazine and a transcription of Burn's groundbreaking yet controversial article.
At the time of publication, Burns’s Sasquatch writings were received with a mix of intrigue and doubt. The sensational nature of the claims combined with the April 1 issue date led many in the public to view Sasquatch as a curious folk tale rather than a credible reality.
Beyond local circles in British Columbia, the “hairy giants” were largely thought of as myth. Despite skepticism, the article did spark some interest, and in subsequent decades researchers occasionally cited Burns’s accounts as important early evidence for Sasquatch reports. Burns himself continued writing on the subject and helped organize Sasquatch-themed events in Harrison Hot Springs.
In the years since, J.W. Burns has become known as the “father of Sasquatch.” Cryptozoologists revere his work as foundational, while mainstream scientists and the broader public often view Sasquatch as purely mythical.
Modern scholars also focus on the cultural cost of his writings, noting how he extracted Indigenous legends for a sensational magazine piece and thereby appropriated stories.
Nonetheless, virtually all modern Sasquatch or Bigfoot lore traces back to Burns’s 1929 article and the term he introduced. His role in shaping the legend, despite controversies, remains profound.
Below you will find both the original issue of MacLean's Magazine and a transcription of Burn's groundbreaking yet controversial article.
Transcribed JW Burns' Article
MacLean's Magazine, April 1st, 1929
References
- Burns, J. W. “Introducing B.C.’s Hairy Giants,” Maclean’s, April 1, 1929.
- The Canadian Encyclopedia – Sasquatch.
- Kook Science Archive – J. W. Burns.
- Outpost Magazine – “Of Myths and Legends in the Great Bear Rainforest” .
- Mysteries of Canada – “How the Sasquatch Got Its Name” .
- The Walrus – “On Cultural Appropriation, Canadians Are Hypocrites”
- Canadaland – “How Sasquatch was Stolen.”
- Cryptomundo – “All-Time Best Cryptozoology April Fools’ Jokes.”
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