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| '''Ebu Gogo''' is a human-like [[creature]] (or [[race]] of creatures) which appears in the [[mythology]] of the people of the [[island]] of [[Flores]], [[Indonesia]], of similar [[mythology|mythological]] form to the [[leprechaun]] or [[elf]]. These "[[little people]]" are said to be about three feet tall, covered in hair, pot-bellied and with ears that stick out. They are held to walk somewhat awkwardly and are often said to be "murmuring" in what is assumed to be their own [[language]]. It is also said by the islanders that the Ebu Gogo can repeat what is said to them in [[parrot]]-like fashion.
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| In one language of Central Flores, the name means "grandmother who eats anything" (or possibly "grandmother glutton") from the words ''ebu'' "grandmother" and ''gogo'' "(s)he who eats anything".
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| The legends relating to the Ebu Gogo were traditionally, according to Nature journal, attibuted to [[monkeys]] which don't exist on Flores but were known on other islands from where current Flores population comes. They are somewhat detailed and, like [[Hawaii]]'s [[menehune]]s, [[Scandinavia]]'s [[tomte|tomtar]] and [[dwarfs]], they may represent a [[folk memory]] of the island's previous inhabitants who were supplanted by the current population. Or, they may represent a [[supernatural]] understanding of the islanders' deceased [[ancestor]]s, along the lines of the [[Taotao Mona]] of [[Guam]]. However, no particular [[magic (paranormal)|magical]] or [[mysticism|mystical]] ability is attributed to the Ebu Gogo.
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| It is held by the people of Flores that the Ebu Gogo were alive at the time of the arrival of Portuguese trading ships over 400 [[year]]s ago, and some hold that they survived as recently as 100 years ago but are now no longer seen.
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| The discovery in [[2003]] on Flores of remains of a meter-tall [[Hominidae|hominid]], ''[[Homo floresiensis]]'', suggests a more literal interpretation of the Ebu Gogo stories. ''H. floresiensis'' survived at least until 13,000 years ago and probably survived longer. Scientists suspect it was extirpated by a [[volcano|volcan]]ic eruption around 12,000 years ago, before the first evidence of ''[[Homo sapiens]]'' on Flores 11,000 years ago. However, the date of extinction of ''H. floresiensis'' is unknown.
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| It is questionable whether the folk memory of a people can record any clear or accurate details for a time on the order of 10,000 years, but a folk memory lasting a shorter time is plausible. Thus no one knows whether the Ebu Gogo stories describe the real hominids or are similar to other "little people" stories, which are found among almost all peoples throughout the world. Cryptozoologist [[Loren Coleman]] relates the tales of the Ebu Gogo to other "Proto-Pygmy" sightings from throughout south Asia. Within hominology, Coleman links these traditions to the survival of small, hairy hominoids, as noted in his book [[The Field Guide to Bigfoot and Other Mystery Primates]] (NY: Anomalist Books, 2006), coauthored with Patrick Huyghe. The book's cover is illustrated with a drawing of the Ebu Gogo.
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| [[Archaeologist]]s are planning further investigations of Flores, including [[cave]]s where the Ebu Gogo are said to have lived recently, and thus may shed light on this question.
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| An article in ''New Scientist'', Vol 186 No 2504, gives the following account of folklore on Flores surrounding the ebu gogo:
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| " The Nage people of central Flores tell how, some 300 years ago, villagers disposed of the ebu gogo by tricking them into accepting gifts of palm fibre to make clothes. When the ebu gogo took the fibre into their cave, the villagers threw in a firebrand to set it alight. The story goes that all the occupants were killed, except perhaps for one pair, who fled into the deepest forest, and whose descendants may be living there still."
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| The article goes on to say that such tales are common in Indonesia, according to anthropologist [[Gregory Forth]]. There are also legends about the ebu gogo kidnapping human children, hoping to learn from them how to cook. The children always easily outwit the ebu gogo in the tales.
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| A children's story ''Ebu Gogo: Tales of Mini-Man'' has even been written which recounts the tale of how the Ebu Gogo may have interacted with the humans 18,000 years ago.
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| ==See also==
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| *[[Orang Pendek]]
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| *[[homo_floresiensis|Homo Floresiensis]]
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| == External links ==
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| *[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/10/1027_041027_homo_floresiensis.html ''National Geographic News'' article on ''H. floresiensis'']
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| * [http://www.ebu-gogo.com.au''Ebu Gogo: Tales of Mini-Man'']
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