Tano Giant

Tano Giant (or White Ape of the Tano) is an appellation for a crypto-hominid reported in the Upper Tano region of the Gold Coast Colony (modern Ghana) in Africa. It was first reported to English-speaking audiences by Louis Bowler in his 1911 book Gold Coast Palaver (London: J. Long, Ltd.), who related he had heard it described as "a white ape of extraordinary stature and human instinct" that terrorised the peoples of the area, reputedly capturing and mutilating women and children, which they responded to by seeking to placate it with broiled plantains.

White Ape of the Tano


"For away in the primeval forests of the Upper Tano, in the Gold Coast Colony, a strange tale is told by the natives of a wild man of the woods, which would appear from the description given to be a white ape of extraordinary stature and human instinct. The natives who live in the village near to the haunts of this freak of nature are terrified out of their wits. They barricade their doors at night, and place broiled plantains and cassava on the jungle paths leading into the village to propitiate him and appease his hunger. They declare he comes to the village at night, and only runs when fire is thrown at him. The women especially are almost scared to death, and go in a body to their plantain farms. It appears that two women while gathering plantains were confronted by this creature. One he seized and flung over his shoulder carrying her off; the other ran screaming with fright back to the village. No trace of the other woman has been found. Several children have been taken by this creature, their mutilated bodies being found with the whole of their bowels devoured. The hunter and women who have seen this animal describe him as “past all man' in size; his arms they describe as thick as a man's body; his skin “all the same as a white man,' with black hairs growing thereon. The hands have four fingers but no thumb, the head is flat, and, as they describe it, 'left small for big monkey head,” meaning that it was very near or like a large monkey's head. They say the mouth “was all the same as monkey with big teeth sticking out, and he carries a skin of a bush cow,” which the natives say 'he carries for cloth when small cold, catch him,” meaning he wraps himself up in it when feeling cold. A hunter tried to shoot him, but he smashed the gun and broke both the hunter's arms. Many other incidents are related of this terror of the Upper Plains."