Nittaewo

Nittaewo (or Nittevo) were reportedly a small tribe of diminutive bigfoot or Yeti-like hominid cryptids native to Sri Lanka. While no archaeological evidence has been found to confirm their existence, these beings are widespread in Veddha mythology and Sri Lankan folklore.

Hugh Nevill suggested that "nittaewo" may derive from "niṣāda," a term used by Indo-Aryans to describe more primitive tribes inhabiting India during the Indo-Aryan invasion. The Sinhalese form of this word was "nigadiwa" or "nishadiwa," from which "nittaewo" may have evolved. George Eberhart proposed an alternative etymology: "niya-atha" (meaning "one who possesses nails").

The nittaewo were described as even smaller than the diminutive Veddahs, standing only 3 to 4 feet tall, with females being shorter still. They were reportedly covered in hair, often described as reddish in color, and possessed unusually short, powerful arms ending in short hands with long claws. Unlike monkeys, they always walked upright and had no tails.

These beings allegedly lived in small groups, sleeping in caves or in leaf nests they constructed in trees. Their diet was varied, consisting of raw game including squirrels, small deer, tortoises, lizards, and occasionally even crocodiles. They reportedly used no tools, instead disemboweling their prey with their long claws or hooked nails to access the entrails. They were said to have a primitive language described as "a sort of burbling, or birds' twittering," which some Veddahs could understand. The Veddahs were considered enemies of the nittaewo, who had no defense against the Veddahs' bows and arrows. According to folklore, if a nittaewa encountered a sleeping Veddah, it would disembowel them with its claws.

During an exploration of caves at Kudimbigala, army captain A. T. Rambukwelle discovered a stone structure "reminiscent of the miniature Stonehenge" in the forest. While local Veddahs identified it as "the nittaewa altar," researcher Ivan Mackerle later determined it had been constructed by Veddah monks.