Native Spirts, UFOS, Car Lights or Gas?
Story By A. Govea
If you are a fan or even a foe of any kind of unexplained phoneme you have likely heard of the Marfa Lights. Pero, just to make sure that I do not leave any reader out I will give you a short historical overview before I get to my eyewitness account. First the official viewing site is about nine miles east of Marfa or in my case about seventeen miles west of Alpine. This of course is in the Big Bend area about two hours west of El Paso.
Marfa Lights
When you google Marfa Lights a lot of stuff will come up including documentaries on YouTube and maybe even Netflix. Pero, if you are time challenged or even (lazy) I will give you enough to share with your friends (With Social Distancing Of Course) over a drink or two.
According to published reports from Universities, Science Journals E Mas, the first recorded report was in 1883. Robert Ellison, a West Texas cowhand saw a flickering light one night in Paisano Pass. Initially it was dismissed as campfires started by Apache Indians. However, when they investigated further there were no signs of a campsite. Next Joe and Anne Humphreys reported seeing the lights in 1885, same explanation offered and dismissed.
Since then the sightings have continued and the explanations have varied from car lights in the distance, to a mirage caused by sharp temperature changes, small fires and you name it. The lights have been studied with all kinds of equipment and chased on foot and in the air. Some believe the unexplained lights are the spirts of Indian Chiefs or Spanish Conquistadors. They are often labeled as Ghost lights or even some form of Alien life attempting to communicate with is. Ala the 80s movie with Richard Dreyfuss Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And in fact, if you saw the movie there is a scene where a group of people are gathered on a remote road in hopes of catching a view of UFOS. The Marfa lights viewing area reminded me of that, it is on a remote road with no lights. Pero, there are restroom facilities available for the Light chasers.
I visited this sight on Memorial Day night and there was probably at least a couple of dozen fellow curiosity gazers like myself. Maybe even more but when you get to the site it is dark and some brave souls go further out then designated area. For sure no kind of lights are allowed out there and in fact some loudmouth self-appointed light control officer objected loudly to someone driving up shining lights in his direction. He even used the F-Word which in my opinion should only be reserved for extreme occasions.
Marfa Lights Viewing Area
Photo By Nicolas Henderson
Okay, ahora (now) this what I saw – way in the distance which seems to be some miles away three separate lights appeared. I saw a red light, green light and just a light that maybe looked like a star , they maybe best described as orbs. During the time I was out there I saw them together, flicker, float and then seem to separate, each sighting was brief but was real.
Now as to what I believe it was I saw that night. First let me say that I do not believe it is car lights, remember the first sighting was in 1883- no cars then. Small fires? No, easy to prove or disprove that, gas, or other natural explanation maybe. UFOS attempting to contact us, seems unlikely. Pero I wouldn’t’ completely rule it out. After all, if you would have told me that I, along with most of the world would be going through a life changing (Forever) Pandemic I would have said, “I don’t’ know about that”. And further if you have said that that the POTUS would advice to inject ourselves with Lysol and maybe drink some bleach, I would have said “Are you insane?” (Maybe F. Word Here?)
So, is it possible that it could be something not of our world, I would say YES As for the local folk Marfians if you will (Huh Marfians/Martians) it appears that most think the lights are real and they do not believe there is any real rational explanation and their’ okay with that. Are they worth seeing for yourself? Yes, if you are the curious type and have an open, mind why not? besides lots more to see in the area and they are COVID Free. Of course, you could go chase Big Foot in nearby Oklahoma, I’m’ out on that one though.