Origins: Pokegama Bear

Subject: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Nov 99 - 06:41 PM

I know this is early and there have been some other ideas on how to do the Song for the day threads, but until someone else jumps in I will pinch hit.

This song is in the DT under the "P"'s, so I won't take up more bandwidth posting it here. It is pronounced poe kay gah mah.

Art Thieme sings this one on his latest cd, The Older I Get, The Better I Was: concert recordings from three decades. I hope it catches his eye so he will come in here to tell us what in the hell IS a Pokegama Bear? Or, is it, Pokey Gamma, as in some sort of really slow alien rays? *smile* There, someone can write a parody.

Oh, and Art, why did they hafta eat him?? I see it was written in the 1870's, when people were still into bear greasing their hair and such. *Just kidding*.

Anyhow, phoaks, check it out. It has a fine tune and catchy phrases and Art does a great rendition of it that'll have you singing along in no time.

kat

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: Art Thieme
Date: 16 Nov 99 - 09:11 PM

Kat,

Pokegama Lake is a very wide portion of the upper Mississippi River---above (North of) the locks and dams. All of the dams on that river are on the Upper Mississippi. None are below St. Louis. This happened in the Minnesota logging woods bordering the lake. It was written by Frank Hasty around 1874 for an anniversary of the town of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. I got it from my friend the folklorist and superb instrumentalist, John Berquist from Eveleth, Minnesota. John took Mr. Hasty's poem and used the tune of "Sweet Betsy From Pike/"Villekins And His Dinah" It was common practice to eat whatever you killed in those days if it tasted halfway decent. The guys were probably real glad to have something different than normal to eat. Bear is quite tasty. I've had it. (If the gods didn't want us to eat animals, they wouldn't be made of meat. **sly grin**) I've never used the grease on my hair and I've never used whale oil for my lamps either. But I have used WILDROOT CREAM OIL on my hair until I was about 14 years old, and I suspect it's very much like bear grease.

Kat, I love ya, but your contrivances and machinations are pretty obvious--unless I'm wrong---in which case I'm repentant. Lemme know and then I can scold ya in private. :-)

Yer buddy,

Art

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 17 Nov 99 - 01:32 AM

A little additional information:

Pokegama: Algonquian, with gama, 'lake,' and the rest with the idea of jutting out, in the sense of having bays branching off. (Source: George R. Stewart, American Place Names, a concise and selective dictionary for the continental United States of America.

We take this small book with us whenever we travel. Its always fun to look up unusual names of places we pass through.

Sandy

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Nov 99 - 01:45 AM

Koo, both a'youse! Exactly what I was looking for and expecting.

Art, MOI, transparent and full of machinations? NEVER! Actually, I had already done two Songs for the Day threads with old cowboy songs and thought people might be wanting a change. YOUR cd and cover were sitting right here, because YOUR cd is always in my computer cd changer.

Now, I would like to intro some of the songs on the Waterbug cd you sent me, but don't have permissionf rom the artists, so thatmay have to wait. I did tell Fielding to give oit a listen, as I still STRONGLY identify with The River Where She Sleeps.

So, ya gonna *spank* me, if we go somewhere private?***VERY sly smile***

BTW, in my less enlightened days, ahem, I, too, had bear meat at a friend's. Oh, and after I posted and started humming it tom'self, it dawned on me, duh, that it was the tune for Sweet Betsy, etc. Sorry I was a little slow on that.

So, Mr. Thieme, I've got yours, Sandy & Caroline's Golden Ring, and the DT, as well as a few others. Those I get permission from I will use, but don't be surprised if I continue to post my favs of yours! wiht your permission, of course! And, this is all null & void, if someone else jumps in and starts doing this during the week. I only signed on for the weekends!

katcontriving&machinating (is too a word!*BG*)

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From:
Date: 17 Nov 99 - 03:07 AM

I can't resist adding some BS to this thread! It seems to me that to eat something you are going to kill anyway is quite decent and respectable. What I find deplorable is the English during Victorian times (at least according to Dickens). Barbers (Hairdressers) kept young bears in their cellars to be slaughtered just for their grease. They would put up a sign saying a bear was just killed to attract customers. The hairdresser's assistant would go down and rile up the poor beasts one in a while so that they would start growling and prospective customers would hear them.

Murray

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: raredance
Date: 17 Nov 99 - 07:44 PM

I might add that there is a delightful museum and restored logging camp in Grand Rapids, MN not too far from the shores of the aforementioned Lake Pokegama. As long as I am adding, the name got used several times. There is a town in Oregon of the same name and there is/was another Lake Pokegama a little to the east in Wisconsin. I say is/was because Lake Pokegama WI is no longer an independent entity. What is left of it is an arm of the Chippewa Flowage, an impoundment on the Chippewa River east of Hayward in northwestern WI.

rich r

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 17 Nov 99 - 07:52 PM

Well, Art, most of us are made of meat last time I looked...

I think if the rule was that if you killed anything yiou had to eat it it'd be a good thing. Might slow down several kinds of nastiness. Foxhunting for example. And the death penalty might lose some of its charm, even in the USA.

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 12:47 AM

Tnank you, McGrath! I bet it would say a lot of cows' lives, too!

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 04:14 PM

No cow has passed my lips since the Mad Cow thing came up. In fact I've got a song about it -

Bovine Spongiform Encaphalitis,
since we're British they'll not dare to bite us,
as the Queens Own Royal Cattle
are butchered in each battle,
thanks to Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis.

Land of Hope and Land of Glory,
sure our cows are feeling poorly,
but thanks to Mrs T we know
how crazy cows can run the show.

There's more, but that's enough.

But I like the story of an vegetarian going into an eating place in Wyoming (or wherever) and saying "What would you advise for a man who doen't eat meat" and the answer is "Well, I'd advise a man who doesn't eat meat to get out of Texas (or wherever) pretty fast.

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: jeffp
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 04:31 PM

I can't believe this! My new mother-in-law grew up on the shore of Pokegama. I just went to the DT and printed out the words. They're coming to town for Christmas and to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. I'm going to learn this song and surprise them with it. Thank you so much for bringing this one out, Kat! I'm forever in your debt.

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: MMario
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 04:34 PM

jeff - if you go onto the radio page and listen to episode XII you'll hear it!

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: Bert
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 04:41 PM

"but thanks to Mrs T we know
how crazy cows can run the show."

I love it McGrath.

Bert.

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Nov 99 - 11:52 AM

Me, too! McGrath that is classic. And, just so's ya know, there are quite a lot of vegetarians in Wyoming these days, though the joke was funny. Rog is always teasing me that I should open up a refuge ranch for cattle and buy them all up from the big outfit. If I had a ton of money I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Jeffp, isn't it cool the way things show up on the DT? I am glad you found the song and that connection sounds great. I'll bet they will be thrilled. It's all Art's fault that I even knew about the song, so, again, THANK YOU *FINE* ART!!! Have fun, Jeff, and let us know the reaction, okay?

kat

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: jeffp
Date: 19 Nov 99 - 12:38 PM

Kat, I will be sure to do so. My wife and sister-in-law are excited about it. They used to go up to Pokegama every summer until their parents sold the cottage and moved to Arkansas. We're going to pass around lyrics so we all can sing.

It was a lucky day for me when I stumbled into the Mudcat.

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Nov 99 - 11:26 AM

Glad you like the BSE song - maybe I should stick it up for national anthem status in the relevant thread..naah. Anyway, if you want the rest it's on my website, under songs. That's
Blue Click

Which should get you to the song. If I've done it wrong, my web URL is up there in my personal profile om the bbc facility.

Subject: RE: SFTD-Pokegama Bear-11/17
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Nov 99 - 11:43 AM

Dunno what went werong - this should work...

That:s Blue Clicky

If not, the URL of the site is
http://www.bigfoot.com/~kevin.mcgrath

Subject: RE: Origins: Pokegama Bear
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Jun 19 - 02:17 PM

Since there's another thread asking for bear songs, I thought it might be a good idea to resurrect this thread and see what we have on this song. Here's the entry from the Traditional Ballad Index:

Pokegama Bear

DESCRIPTION: Lumbermen encounter the Pokegama bear. Morris O'Hearne tells the men to run; (they have humorous accidents). Mike McAlpin kills the bear with an axe; the grease is divided up among the men, and the meat cooked and eaten.
AUTHOR: Frank Hasty (words)
EARLIEST DATE: 1874 (composed)
LONG DESCRIPTION: A crew of lumbermen encounters the Pokegama bear. Morris O'Hearne, who first flushes him, tells the men to run; Jimmy Quinn runs into a porcupine. The bear heads for the swamp; O'Hearne follows, but slips and falls under it. Mike McAlpin chases down and kills the bear with an axe; the grease is divided up among the men, and the meat cooked and eaten. O'Hearne gets the skin; "Long life to you and long growth to your hair/When it's greased with the fat from Pokegama Bear"
KEYWORDS: lumbering work moniker animal logger worker humorous
FOUND IN: US(MW)
RECORDINGS:
Art Thieme, "Pokegama Bear" (on Thieme06)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Vilikens and his Dinah (William and Dinah) [Laws M31A/B]" (tune & meter) and references there
NOTES [261 words]: Pokegama Lake is a very wide area of the upper Mississippi River. - PJS
Paul Stamler didn't list this as a humorous item, but the versions I recall hearing (I think from John Berquist, though I've heard other Minnesotans mention it) generally have comic aspects as the loggers flee the bear. The tune seems to have wandered a bit, too, though that may just be my memory.
It should be noted that it is highly unlikely that a really dangerous bear would be encountered in Minnesota. The only bears which come anywhere near the state are black bears; a gang of loggers could certainly handle *one* black bear! But the Pokegama region is features some of the harshest winter weather in Minnesota. Climatologist Mark W. Sealy, Minnesota Weather Almanac, Minnesota Historical Society, 2006, p. 55, writes of the weather station there, "The weather station at Pokegama Dam, along the Mississippi River, was established in April 1887.... Pokegama's reputation as one of Minnesota's coldest spots is bolstered by more than 30 low temperatures records, including the following: coldest temperature recorded in March... coldest-ever November temperature... and coldest-ever December temperature... Temperatures of -50 [degrees] F and colder have been recorded 30 times, the coldest being -59 [degrees] F on February 16, 1903. From January to February in back-to-back years, 1904 and 1905, Pokegama Dam recorded 31 consecutive days of temperatures below zero."
Thus one might suspect that the legend of the Pokegama Bear actually arose as an excuse to get out of the cold. - RBW
File: RcPokegB

---

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Subject: ADD Version: Pokegama Bear
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Jun 19 - 02:28 PM

I can't find Art Thieme's CD just now, so I can't transcribe his version. Brian Miller posted a version on his website: http://www.evergreentrad.com/the-pokegama-bear/

THE POKEGAMA BEAR
(Frank Hasty)

Come all you good people who like to have fun,
Come listen to me while I sing you a song,
Come listen to me while the truth I'll declare
As I sing all about the Pokegama bear.

One cold frosty morning, the winds, how they blew,
We went to the woods our day’s work for to do,
Yes into the woods we did quickly repair,
It was there that we met the Pokegama Bear.

Now, Morris O’Hern was a bold Irish lad,
He was building a fire all in a pine stub,
The ring of his ax filled the cold winter air,
When out popped the monstrous Pokegama Bear.

With a roar like a lion O’Hern he did swear,
Saying “Run boys, for God’s sake, for I’ve found a bear.”
When out of the brush Jimmy Quinn he did climb,
“To hell with your bear, kill your own porcupine.”

Now, into the swamp old bruin did go,
Bold O’Hern, and Hasty did quickly pursue,
As on through the brush those bold heroes did tear,
To capture or kill the Pokegama Bear.

Old bruin went mad and for Hasty did steer,
He braced for the blow without dread or fear,
With his teeth firmly set and his ax in the air,
He slipped and fell on the Pokegama Bear.

Now out on the tote road old bruin did go,
He thought that was better than wading in snow,
But little he knew what awaited him there,
For fate was against that Pokegama Bear.

There was old Mike McAlpine of fame and renown,
A noted foot racer on Canadian gound,
He ran up the road, raised his ax in the air,
And he dealt the death blow to Pokegama Bear.

When out to the camp poor old bruin was sent,
To skin him and dress him it was our intent,
And we all agreed that each should have a share,
Of the oil that was in the Pokegama Bear.

And next it was sent to the cook and it fried,
It was all very good it cannot be denied,
“It tastes like roast turkey,” Bill Moneghan did swear,
As he feasted upon the Pokegama Bear.

Now my song is ended, I’m dropping my pen,
And Morris O’Hern, he got the bear skin,
Here’s long life to you, boys, and long growth to your hair,
Since it’s greased with the fat from Pokegama Bear!

I am not the first Minnesotan to be fascinated by old songs that drifted into our state during the old time logging era of the 1800s. Iron Ranger John Berquist (once Minnesota’s state folklorist) was very active for much of his life in the revival and performance of regional folk music and performed several logging camp songs including “The Pokegama Bear” (pronounced “po-KEG-uh-muh”). I only had the pleasure of meeting John once before he passed away in 2016 but he was a friend to many in the Twin Cities music community and collaborated many times with Twin Cities mandolin player Bob Douglas.

I am not sure where John found the text of “The Pokegama Bear” but it is printed in Agnes Larson’s wonderful 1949 book The White Pine Industry in Minnesota as contributed by Michael McAlpine of Grand Rapids, Minnesota (who appears in the song). The song was composed by Frank Hasty (who also appears in the song) in a logging camp in 1874. The bear’s namesake, Pokegama Lake, is just south of Grand Rapids. John Berquist set the text to the “Sweet Betsy from Pike” tune so common in the lumbercamp tradition. John performed the song and gave it to Chicago folk singer Art Thieme who recorded it. I use a variant of the same tune with a couple tweaks inspired by “The Journeyman Tailor” – another song with the “Betsy from Pike” tune that was collected in the north of Ireland and printed in Sam Henry’s Songs of the People.

Subject: RE: Origins: Pokegama Bear
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Jun 19 - 02:39 PM

And here are the Digital Tradition lyrics:

THE POKEGAMA BEAR
(Frank Hasty, 1874)

Come all you good people who like to have fun,
Listen to me and I'll sing you a song,
Listen to me and the truth I'll declare
As I sing all about the Pokegama bear.

One cold winters mornin'-oh, the winds, how they blew,
It was into the pinewoods our days work to do,
Into the pinewoods our heroes did fare,
And there they encountered the Pokegama bear.

Now, Morris O'Hearn was a bold Irish lad,
He was building a fire out in the pinewoods,
The ring of his ax filled the cold winter air,
When out popped the monstrous Pokegama bear.

With a roar like a lion O'Hearn he did swear,
"Run boys, for Pete's sake, for I've found a bear."
When out of the bush Jimmy Quinn he did climb,
Sayin, "Forget that there bear. I got me own porcupine.

Now, into the swamp old bruin did go,
O'Hearn, in haste, he did quickly pursue,
Into the swamp our hero did fare,
To capture or kill the Pokegama bear.

Old bruin got angry and in haste he did steer,
O'Hearn followed after without dread or fear,
And with his teeth firmly set and his ax in the air,
He slipped and fell under Pokegama bear.

Now up on the road old bruin did go,
He thought that was better than wading in snow,
But little did he know what awaited him there,
For the fates were all against old Pokegama bear.

There was old Mike McAlpin of fame and renown,
He was a racer afoot on Canadian ground,
He ran up the road with his ax in the air,
And he dealt the death blow to Pokegama bear.

Now into the camp old bruin was sent,
Just to skin him and dress him it was our intent,
And we all did agree that we'd all get a share,
Of the grease and the fat from Pokegama bear.

And next it was sent to the cook and it fried,
And it was all very good it cannot be denied,
"Why it tastes just like turkey," Bill Monahan did swear,
As we feasted upon the Pokegama bear.

My song is ending--yes, it's drawing to an end,
Morris O'Hearn, he got the the bear skin,
Here's long life to you---and long growth to your hair
When it's greased with the fat from Pokegama bear!

@animal
filename[ POKEGAMA
TUNE FILE: VILDINAH
CLICK TO PLAY
AT
APR99

---

Here's Art Thieme's post on the song. I'm guessing this post is the source of the Digital Tradition version, since the only difference is in capitalization of some Irish names.

Thread #6537   Message #52960
Posted By: Art Thieme
08-Jan-99 - 11:41 PM
Thread Name: Art Thieme's CD: The Older I Get, The Better I Was
Subject: ADD: Pokegama Bear (Art Thieme CD)

I wrote this out once before. Took me two hours (I'm slow) and when I tried to post it, I only got half way and it crashed.

So, I'm gonna try again, in smaller chunks, and see if it'll post easier that way. Frustrating, but what's time to a pig? (Hope you know that joke.)

POKEGAMA BEAR:

JOHN BERQUIST was my source for that song. It was John who put the tune of "Sweet Betsy From Pike" to the words by Frank Hasty (1874). John is a folklorist and a song collector from Eveleth, Minnesota--in the Mesabi (iron) Range---right now living in Chicago's Hyde Park area (for as short a time as he can arrange to make it, I'm pretty sure.) He is also a master of any kind of bellows instrument---button accordion etc. He has collected his tunes for those instruments from all of the many ethnic groups residing in Minnesota. His dialect tales are wonderful---as are his ballad renderings from the lumberjacks of the North woods. I'm proud to call him a friend. And I was truly glad I had a decent live version of this song to include on the CD.

Here's the song:

Don't you remember sweet Betsy from Pike,
Who crossed the boad prairie with her lover Ike,
With 2 yoke of oxen and an old army cot,
3 Charlie Parker records and 4 pounds of pot.

WHOOPS! That's wrong. Here's the right song...

THE POKEGAMA BEAR

from John Berquist
by Frank Hasty (1874)

Come all you good people who like to have fun,
Listen to me and I'll sing you a song,
Listen to me and the truth I'll declare
As I sing all about the Pokegama bear.

One cold winters mornin'-oh, the winds, how they blew,
It was into the pinewoods our days work to do,
Into the pinewoods our heroes did fare,
And there they encountered the Pokegama bear.

Now, Morris O'hearn was a bold Irish lad,
He was building a fire out in the pinewoods,
The ring of his ax filled the cold winter air,
When out popped the monstrous Pokegama bear.

With a roar like a lion O'hearn he did swear,
"Run boys, for Pete's sake, for I've found a bear."
When out of the bush Jimmy Quinn he did climb,
Sayin, "Forget that there bear. I got me own porcupine.

Now, into the swamp old bruin did go,
O'hearn, in haste, he did quickly pursue,
Into the swamp our hero did fare,
To capture or kill the Pokegama bear.

Old bruin got angry and in haste he did steer,
O'hearn followed after without dread or fear,
And with his teeth firmly set and his ax in the air,
He slipped and fell under Pokegama bear.

Now up on the road old bruin did go,
He thought that was better than wading in snow,
But little did he know what awaited him there,
For the fates were all against old Pokegama bear.

There was old Mike McAlpin of fame and renown,
He was a racer afoot on Canadian gound,
He ran up the road with his ax in the air,
And he dealt the death blow to Pokegama bear.

Now into the camp old bruin was sent,
Just to skin him and dress him it was our intent,
And we all did agree that we'd all get a share,
Of the grease and the fat from Pokegama bear.

And next it was sent to the cook and it fried,
And it was all very good it cannot be denied,
"Why it tastes just like turkey," Bill Monahan did swear,
As we feasted upon the Pokegama bear.

My song is ending--yes, it's drawing to an end,
Morris O'hearn, he got the the bear skin,
Here's long life to you---and long growth to your hair
When it's greased with the fat from Pokegama bear!

I LOVE THIS SONG! And I ask forbearance (pun intended) of animal rights folk or vegetarians. But IF WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO EAT ANIMALS, THEN WHY ARE THEY MADE OF MEAT!! (SMILE!! please?)

Art ^^

---

I found the Art Thieme CD, The Older I Get, the Better I Was (1998, Waterbug). Art's recording and his post are almost the same.

Subject: RE: Origins: Pokegama Bear
From: JHW
Date: 16 Jun 19 - 02:53 PM

'But I like the story of an vegetarian going into an eating place in Wyoming (or wherever) and saying "What would you advise for a man who doen't eat meat" and the answer is "Well, I'd advise a man who doesn't eat meat to get out of Texas (or wherever) pretty fast.'

One of the best veggie meals I had was in the Texas Ranch Grill in Edinburgh one festival (was with an American visitor who chose the place)

Subject: ADD Version: Pokegama Bear
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Jun 19 - 11:33 PM

I came across a "snippet" of the song in Google Books, and couldn't resist the temptation to buy the complete book, The White Pine Industry in Minnesota: A History, by Agnes M. Larson. Copyright 1949, 2007, by University of Minnesota Press, page 207.

One of the old songs in which the strength of the lumberjack is proclaimed is “The Pokegama Bear,” composed in camp in 1874 by Frank Hasty.


THE POKEGAMA BEAR
(Frank Hasty)

Come all you good fellows who like to hear fun,
Come listen to me while I sing you a song;
Come listen to me while the truth I declare,
I am going to sing the Pokegama Bear.

One cold frosty morning, the winds they did blow,
We went to the woods our day’s work to do,
Yes, into the woods we did quickly repair,
It was there that we met the Pokegama Bear!

One, Morris O’Hern — a bold Irish lad,
Went to build a fire all in a pine stub;
He rapped with his ax when he went there,
When out popped the monstrous Pokegama Bear!

With a roar like a Lion, O’Hern did swear,
Saying, “Run boys for God’s sake, for I’ve found a bear!“
As out through the brush Jim Quinn did climb,
Saying, “To hell with your bear, kill your own porcupine!”

Into the swamp old bruin did go,
O’Hern and Hasty did quickly pursue,
As on through the brush those heroes did tear,
To capture or kill the Pokegama Bear.

Old Bruin got angry — for Hasty did steer!
He prepared to receive without dread or fear,
With his teeth firmly set and his ax in the air,
He slipped and fell on the Pokegama Bear.

Out on the road old bruin did go
He thought that was better than wading in snow,
Yet little he knew what awaited him there,
For fate was against the Pokegama Bear.

There was one, Mike McAlpine, of fame and renown,
Noted for foot racing on Canadian ground,
He ran up the road, raised his ax in the air,
And dealt the death blow to the Pokegama Bear.

When out to the camp old bruin was sent,
To skin him and dress him it was our intent,
And we all agreed that each should have a share,
Of the oil that was in the Pokegarna Bear.

Then it was taken by cook and it fried,
Was all very good it can’t be denied,
It tasted like roast turkey, Bill Moneghan did swear,
As he feasted upon the Pokegama Bear.

Now my song is ended, I am going to drop my pen,
And Morris O’Hern, he got the bear skin;
Here is long life to you boys, and long growth to your hair,
Since it is greased with the oil of the Pokegama Bear.


This story is peculiar to the Pokegama country in the Grand Rapids region of Minnesota. A copy of the poem was given the writer by Michael McAlpine of Grand Rapids Aug. 15, 1932. McAlpine was the hero in the poem.