In certain sections of tropical Baro-Kar, the beach-dwelling natives revere the remarkable creature known as the “night octopus,” or in their own tongue, the “mulluk-tuk”.

The night octopus is a small purple cephalopod principally distinguished from its mundane kin by its small air bladder, located on the creature’s dorsal region. This singular gift of Mother Nature allows the night octopuses to leave their briny home at low tide and wander among the village people of Baro-Kar, en masse.

The creatures only take to the beach on nights when the moon is full and the tide is at its lowest point. After millennia spent living on the beaches of Baro-Kar, the men and women of the tribe have learned to not only tolerate the night octopuses’ monthly visitations, but to celebrate it as well.

Ancient Tradition holds that the beloved dead of the tribe return monthly to visit their family members in the form of the small octopuses, and while the now-Christianized men and women of the tribe no longer believe this to be true, the monthly arrival of the octopuses provide a convenient and welcome break from the drudgery of village life and an opportunity for celebration.

When the day arrives for the visit of the night octopuses, the women of the tribe light small palm oil candles and place them in conch shells at regular intervals around the beach, and the men leave small plates of shredded fish and coconut outside the huts and wait for nightfall. After the moon rises, families gather on their porches and wait for the arrival of their esteemed octopus guests, marking the passage of hours with traditional songs and the telling of tales. It is considered a traditional game to observe the passage of this octopus or that and light-heartedly ascribe to it the appearance of this or that dearly (or not so dearly) departed relative, with much laughter ensuing.

When the morning finally comes the people of Baro-Kar resume their lives of toil, no doubt looking toward the next visitation of the night octopus and its accompanying levity. While Western readers may be tempted to regard the festivities of the night octopus in Baro-Kar with an air of condescension, I hasten to ask if this people’s tradition is all that much different from the yearly visitation of Saint Nicholas observed in so many European homes. Such comparison and recognition of the commonalities shared by all branches of the human family is necessary if only for the achievement of the peaceful sort of world that will support further inquiries into cryptozoology and all other True Sciences.