Right Palm Up, Left Palm Down
In 1984, a ten-year-old boy encountered a mysterious 20-foot-tall fiberglass statue named Louie in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Eight years later, he spotted an identical statue in Tucson. A third sighting outside a run-down convenience store made it a trend. Thus began a scavenger hunt to discover the origins of Louie and his brethren. Only one rule applied: No searching for them on the Internet!

Right Palm Up, Left Palm Down

The Log of a Cross-Country Scavenger Hunt by Gabriel Aldaz
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Meet the Characters

This page is devoted to the Muffler Men in the order that I encountered them in my scavenger hunt. The names of most statues are widely accepted, and the numbers roughly correspond to the book chapters. The map and descriptions were accurate in 2009, and are being updated in 2023 with your help! Click on the numbers on the map or the names on the right to learn more about each one.
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Naniboujou

Bemidji, Minnesota

Naniboujou

Naniboujou stands across the street from the famous statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox in downtown Bemidji, Minnesota. The Indian is named after the trickster in the Ojibwe (Chippewa) mythology. The label above the right knee identifies him as a member of the International Fiberglass family.

Location: Morell’s Chippewa Trading Post, 301 Bemidji Ave. NW.
Type: Indian
Accessories: Headdress with one feather
Spotlight: None, leads a low-key existence
Damage: Unscathed, possibly due to low-key existence
  • Naniboujou

Naniboujou (2009). The Indian-style Muffler Men were specially made to advertise Mohawk Petroleum stations.

2023 Update

Coming soon!