# Real hobbits, or a new Homo in Indonesia **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 27, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451 "2004-10-27T15:27:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451/41 "2004-10-29T16:25:19Z")
> [@Podkayne](#): > > For that reason, this notion really creeps me out. I’m not sure why. We don’t find chimpanzees creepy because of their similiarities to us, we find them fascinating. Would we be creeped out if we had a chance to meet H. floresiensis, or fascinated? A bit of both I susspect, the creepy thing is these ‘creatures’ used tools and (if the local legends are based on truth) had some sort of basic language. You don’t wonder what a chimp is saying about you behind your back, but these hominids would be different. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451/42 "2004-10-29T16:42:39Z")
Extinct? Maybe not. For years, there have been rumours & sightings of a ground-dwelling ape in the Indonesias that walks upright, on two legs. At first, they were dismissed as Orangutans. Lately, though, the consensus (and not merely among the Tinfoil Hat Brigade) is that there is another large ape species on the island. Up until today, I thought that it was a close relative of the Orangutan. Now… ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451/43 "2004-10-29T16:49:54Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > A bit of both I suspect, the creepy thing is these ‘creatures’ used tools and (if the local legends are based on truth) had some sort of basic language. You don’t wonder what a chimp is saying about you behind your back, but these hominids would be different. I know what they’d be saying: Jeez, look at the size of that guy! We’ve got to get him on our basketball team! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451/44 "2004-10-29T16:55:51Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Extinct? > Maybe not. > For years, there have been rumours & sightings of a ground-dwelling ape in the Indonesias that walks upright, on two legs. > > At first, they were dismissed as Orangutans. Lately, though, the consensus (and not merely among the Tinfoil Hat Brigade) is that there is another large ape species on the island. > > Up until today, I thought that it was a close relative of the Orangutan. > > Now… [LINK](http://www.kerinci.org/planvisit.html) ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451/45 "2004-10-29T17:20:30Z")
> [@Podkayne](#): > > For that reason, this notion really creeps me out. I’m not sure why. Look up the “uncanny valley” effect. An entity that reminds us of a human being but that isn’t too similar, we find attractive. (Example: :)) An entity that is very very close to a human being but isn’t “quite right,” we find repulsive. (Example: The WASP-girl masks in the recent Wayans film _White Chicks._) I don’t know if there’s a good explanation for _why_ this would be the case, but it’s pretty well known. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451/46 "2004-10-29T18:11:10Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Look up the “uncanny valley” effect. An entity that reminds us of a human being but that isn’t too similar, we find attractive. (Example: :)) An entity that is very very close to a human being but isn’t “quite right,” we find repulsive. (Example: The WASP-girl masks in the recent Wayans film _White Chicks._) I don’t know if there’s a good explanation for _why_ this would be the case, but it’s pretty well known. Oh, yeah, good point. I read an article about this not to long ago. I can’t find it online, but anyone who’s interested should google for the term; there are several articles that address it. I think **Bippy’s** point is pretty good, too. It’s one thing to know that the chimps hate you and will attack you if you invade their territory. It’s another to imagine a non-human creature with the intelligence to take a dislike to you, then tell his friends what a jerk you are, then organize them to come after you with big rocks. Though I’d imagine they’d feel the same way about us. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451/47 "2004-10-29T19:15:58Z")
This is very cool. Also, I read the thread title as “Rental hobbits…”. Puts a whole new spin on it. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451/48 "2004-10-29T19:30:38Z")
Oh my God-- [they _are_ hobbits.](http://www.occultopedia.com/o/orang_pendek.htm) > [@](#): > > Witnesses frequently mention the Orang-Pendek’s startlingly humanlike appearance, thus its name. Sightings have been reported for centuries on Sumatra […] The local Kubu tribespeople also claim that unless tobacco was left for them at night, the [Orang-Pendek] would go on the rampage, screaming and yelling as they destroyed the natives’ camp. “Pony up the pipe-weed, you longbottomed bastards!” ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451/49 "2004-10-29T20:29:31Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Oh my God-- [they _are_ hobbits.](http://www.occultopedia.com/o/orang_pendek.htm)“Pony up the pipe-weed, you longbottomed bastards!” Are you saying that they Took it? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451/50 "2004-10-29T20:33:00Z")
In a very Merry fashion. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451/51 "2004-10-29T20:49:56Z")
I’m sure the big people thought it was Tobold of them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-hobbits-or-a-new-homo-in-indonesia/271451.md?page=2)