The Pah-Ho-Ho Klah- The Little People Of The Forest

Stories of the "little people of the forest" were prevalent in the consciousness of Indians prior to the arrival of the white man. Though they thought of these little people as supernatural beings, one of the most common genetic mutations results in a type of dwarfism known as achondroplasia. All the "little people of the forest" were Indians (as was said in this myth) who were so misunderstood by other Indians that they had to go live in the forest alone. There are other stories of Indians finding a small person, and kidnapping them to show off to their friends. Like a side-show attraction, never thinking that it was another human being like them- only shorter. So no wonder there were groups of these people in the forest- as this is also a genetic mutation that is passed down to offspring.

Like in any culture, anything different was the subject of great misunderstanding, fear, and often great inhumanity. Enough to make entire groups of people live alone and avoid all other human beings...Some things never change.




An Indian myth recorded in the 1st half of the 20th century by Lucullus V. McWhorter, as told by Ah-nah-chu Pick-wah-pah (Behind the Rock) a Tenino Indian living on the Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon. True story!

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• achondroplasia dwarfism
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