Boobytrap: Zana - The Exploited Ape-Woman

When one reads or hear of mermaids, trolls or supermen and -women one knows that one has crossed the threshold to the world of myths and fairy tales. As to well-known figures like e.g. Bigfoot then he/she exists for those who believe in the possibility of his/her existence although he/she appears to be more of a mythical than a realistic figure. The same goes for ghosts who, just like e.g. Bigfoot, may or may not exist as realities. One thing is for sure: The BELIEF in them is what keeps them "alive" in our mind.

However, there are individuals/persons/creatures who once were a living part of our world, but who still seem to be someone out of a fairy tale. One of these creatures is The Ape Woman Zana, whose life and very existence is difficult to get hold of. Tarzan was called "The Ape Man", but he was nothing but a literary character, whereas Zana was a living, breathing being in the world of humans. Her descendants have been investigated, e.g. with eleborate DNA-studies, and we still don't know what and who she was. The Russian merchant, Edgi Genaba, who allegedly found and caught her in the 1870s in the frozen wilderness between Georgia and Russia where she seems to have lived all her life up till then, must have seen her as some kind of animal who, not being human, had no rights to preserve her freedom. According to legend she lived by herself, all naked, and although people of the area knew of her they didn't talk with her. Apparently she was covered in thick red hair, and she was very strong and muscular. Besides, at 6 feet 6 inches she towered over the local residents. When they gave her clothes, she would have non of that, but simply shred them. Her captor, Edgi Genaba, let people come and gawk at her for money, and at some point she was raped by locals and got pregnant at least six times when drunk. As two of her six children died when she went to the river to wash them after giving birth none of the surviving four children were allowed to stay with her. At that point she had become an abused alcoholic who may not have been able to fend for herself or her children. However, with time she became an "unpaid servant" - or rather a slave - who was kept drugged by alcohol to do chores and serve as a sexual outlet for men. Thus, with her the word "abuse" attains a special sombre tone ....

By now many scientists think that she was either some kind of "yeti" (i.e. a "Bigfoot") or a surviving Neanderthal, but nobody seems to know for sure what she was. However, also her descendants were uncommonly strong and muscular, but apparently not as hairy as she was. The legend has it that one of her sons was so strong that he might lift a chair with someone sitting on it, just using his teeth. Also he - and maybe more of her descendants, seems to have had an extra bone in his neck as well as very large eyes. In my opinion he is quite handsome and not more "ape like" than many modern men of e.g. Eastern Europe.

Zana and her eldest, surviving son, Khwith

The children of Zana talked and more or less found their way in society. She, on the other hand, grew more and more alcoholic, and eventually she died after 20 years of captivity and abuse. As was to be expected science has taken her life and case up in many studies, but without any clear conclusion.