Orang Mawas or Mawa is a claimed hominid cryptid said to inhabit the jungle of Johor in Malaysia. It is described as being about 10ft (2.4-3m) tall, bipedal and covered in black fur, and has been seen feeding on fish, and raiding orchards. There have been many sightings of the mysterious beast, which the local Orang Asli people call hantu jerang gigi, which translates as 'Snaggle-toothed Ghost'. Recorded claims of Mawas sightings date back to 1871. Some speculate the creature may be a surviving Gigantopithecus, while others dismiss the sightings as misidentified Sun Bears.
In November 2005 a much publicised sighting occurred when three workers clearing ground for a pond saw a Mawa family of two adults and a child walking near the Kincin River. Later large humanoid footprints were found, including one 18in (26cm) long. A photograph of a fresh footprint in tar, attributed to the Mawas, was printed in Malaysian newspapers in January 2006. A government team has been searching for more evidence of the Mawas. In late January 2006, the authorities in Johor announced an official expedition to prove the creature's existence, making it the first country to have an official hunt for a mystery hominid.
References
- Anon., Malaysian man-ape seen, Fortean Times, issue 207, pp4-5
- McGirk, Jan, On the jungle trail of the legendary Malaysian "snaggle-toothed ghost", New Zealand Herald, 31st January 2006
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[[Category:Primates and hominids]