Who Was George Bonga? in the 1800S in the Territory Known As Minnesota, This Talented Fur Trader Had a Reputation to Rival the Legend of Logger Paul Bunyan

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Who Was George Bonga? In the 1800s in the territory known as Minnesota, this talented fur trader had a reputation to rival the legend of logger Paul Bunyan. But George Bonga was real, In the 1800s in the land known as Minnesota, this talented

fur trader had a reputation to rival the legend of logger and today few Minnesotans know his story.

Paul Bunyan. But George Bonga was real, and today few By William Durbin Minnesotans know his story. Illustrations by Chris Gall

His Story George Bonga was born near he attended school in Montreal of only 14 African-Americans Duluth in 1802 to an African- and spoke English, French, and counted in the Minnesota Ter- American father and an Ojibwe Ojibwe. He claimed to be both ritory in the 1850 census. But mother. He grew up to be a fur the “first black man born in this sometimes, such as at treaty trader and a wilderness guide. part of the country” and one of signings, Bonga was considered Due to his strength of character the “first two white men that “white,” because it was com- and talents, he was well known ever came into this country.” mon for people to be classified in the Lake Superior region. In the language of the time, only as Indian or non-Indian Bonga was well educated, as Bonga was correct. He was one (white). Many African-Amer-

40 Minnesota Conservation Volunteer icans in the in Michigan. After the officer mother and followed in the “We asked for three men,” Bonga said. United States died, Jean Bonga was released family tradition of fur trading. “The fellows at the fort are tired of haul- were slaves from his contract and gained He worked for the American ing barrels of fish. Half of them have de- in the early his freedom. George Bonga’s Fur Company in the 1820s. In serted. They said they signed on as fur 1800s, but grandfather and grandmother the 1830s, he traded at posts traders not fishmongers.” Bonga was a became fur traders. throughout northern Minne- Bonga laughed again. “Can’t say as I free man. His Bonga’s father, Pierre, was sota. The following story, “Meet blame them. We’re packing our share of fish grandfather a fur trader and a guide for the Guide,” imagines a journey here these days. Are you a good paddler?” Jean Bonga the famous explorer Alexander that George Bonga may have “I made it all the way from Montreal.” had been an indentured ser- Henry Jr. George learned wilder- taken from Fond du Lac to Bonga looked Louie up and down. vant to a British Army officer ness skills from his father and Leech Lake in August 1836. “I’m short, but I’m s t ron g ,” Louie said. At 5 feet 4 inches tall, Louie was average height for a voyageur, but he felt like a child next to Bonga, who was more than a foot taller. Meet the Guide “You’d better be strong. I promised The wood floor creaked as Louie “A white man?” Louie looked to see if to deliver four canoes of trade goods to stepped into the log storehouse. The there was anyone else in the room. “But Leech Lake before freeze up, and we’ve dim light made it difficult to see. “Hel- you’re so …” only got 14 men.” l o,” Louie called. “Is anybody …” “Black?” Bonga laughed a huge laugh. “Which leaves you two men short,” Lou- Before he could finish his question, Louie didn’t know what to say. He was ie said. a huge voiced boomed, “Hello, your- only 14 years old, and this was his first “I can see you know your math, profes- self!” A man stood at the other end of summer as a voyageur. s or,” Bonga laughed. “The only other fellow the room. He held a pile of wool trading “Welcome to Fond du Lac.” Bonga I have handy is my assistant, Cadotte. And blankets in his arms. reached out and shook Louie’s hand, lift- he’s got a wooden leg. Both yours are real Louie jumped, startled by the loud ing him onto his tiptoes. aren’t they?” Bonga grabbed a long canoe voice. The man dropped the blankets and “Nice to meet y ou ,” Louie said, feeling paddle that was leaning against the wall and walked toward him. He was the biggest like his teeth were rattling. “I’m Louie tapped Louie’s shins. and blackest man that Louie had ever seen. Pom e roy.” “Ouch,” Louie said, as Bonga grinned. His head nearly touched the log beam Bonga suddenly frowned. “Where are “The two of us will have to handle one that ran down the middle of the cabin. the others?” north canoe ourselves.” He was wearing a broadcloth shirt, pants, “They had trouble getting a crew Louie’s eyes widened. “Don’t they hold and leather boots. “I’m George Bonga,” he together at Fort Misery.” 3,000 pounds?” grinned. “By the look on your face, I can “How many fellows came with you?” “I hope you can paddle as well as you tell that you’ve never seen a white m an .” “Just m e .” count, professor.”

42 Minnesota Conservation Volunteer November–December 2010 43 bank of the St. Louis River. Three canoes were already loaded. And the dock was piled with the ton and a half of freight that would fill Bonga’s canoe: five 90-pound bales His Story of trade goods plus a case of North West guns, bags of lead balls and bird shot for the guns, kegs of gunpowder, sacks of flour, kegs of wine and side pork, iron works for Ojibwe trappers, sacks of tobacco, and kettles. They would deliver the trade goods to trade posts, where traders would give them to Ojibwe families in return for beaver furs to be trapped and delivered throughout the winter. Ten minutes later Louie was seated in the bow of the loaded canoe with Bonga in the stern. “Which side should I paddle on?” Louie’s head was spinning. “Take your pick,” Bonga said. Louie reached out to paddle, but Bonga’s first stroke Bonga, ca. 1870 shot the canoe forward so fast that Louie tipped over On fur-trading voyages, backward. The voyageurs in the other canoes all laughed. Bonga’s strength and “Don’t be lying down on the job, professor,” Bonga endurance became leg- chuckled, taking another powerful stroke. “You keep a endary among his fellow steady pace, and I’ll handle the steering.” travelers. And his excel- “OK ,” Louie nodded. Trying to relax, he began pulling lent singing voice helped at his normal pace. voyageurs keep time all Louie was amazed as they skimmed upriver like a day long as they paddled ship under sail. He had never traveled so fast in a canoe. birch-bark canoes loaded Bonga struck up a familiar song, A la Claire Foun- with trade goods. He also tain: “At the clear running fountain/Sauntering by one was a gifted storyteller. day …” The men in the trailing canoes joined in at the According to folks who chorus: “Your love long since overcame me/Ever in my knew him, Bonga “loved Day Two heart you’ll stay!” to relate his adventures “Time to voyage!” Bonga poked Louie’s “Roll up your blanket, professor,” Bonga When the current began to speed up, Bonga said, to newcomers,” and he ribs with his paddle. said. Wearing a deerskin shirt and moc- “Hear that, professor?” would frequently “para- “What’s that?” Louie sat up with a start. casins this morning, Bonga looked more Louie stopped paddling and heard the roar of a rapids. lyze his listeners with The sky was still half dark, but the other like an Ojibwe trapper than a fur trader. “That’s the Dalles,” Bonga said. “We’ll land below that laughter.” voyageurs had already broken camp. Louie followed Bonga down to the bald ro c k .”

44 Minnesota Conservation Volunteer November–December 2010 45 man carry three packs, but never on a portage this steep and rocky. Bonga was so tall that Louie had to stand on a rock to hoist the third parcel high enough to settle between His Story Bonga’s shoulders. “Now two parcels in f ront ,” Bonga said. “But ,” Louie stammered, “that would be 450 pounds.” “Fine multiplying, professor,” Bonga laughed. “I know the rout i n e .” A bowman named Jacques dstepped up an helped strap two parcels on Bonga’s chest. Louie stared in disbelief. As Bonga leaned forward and started up the trail, At 6-feet, 6-inches tall, the crewmen chanted, “Bonga, Bonga, Bonga …” Bonga stood a foot “He’ll never make it ,” a short man spoke to Jacques. taller than the average “We’ll s e e ,” Jacques replied. Then turning to Louie, he French-Canadian voya- said, “Bonga likes to start his trips with a little test. You’d geur. Along the trade better hurry if you want to see the finish.” route of lakes and riv- Shouldering a single parcel, Louie ran after Bonga. ers he paddled rushing The rest of the crew followed. rapids and hiked rough At first Louie trotted to keep up, and Bonga hummed portages with ease. He a tune. When the trail steepened, Bonga stopped hum- carried heavier bundles ming and took deep breaths. His calf muscles bulged, than most men crossing and his moccasins slipped on loose rocks. overland from one wa- “You can make it ,” Louie said. terway to another. The “Thanks, professor,” Bonga spoke through gritted teeth. tale of his 700-pound Portage Test Once Bonga crested the ridge, his stride lengthened carry around the dalles When they neared the shore, Louie as he walked up the bank holding the again. From there, it was a short march to the river’s edge. of the St. Louis River stepped into the shallows and turned canoe against his hip. The men all cheered when he reached the calm pool was most likely an exag- the canoe sideways to unload. Bonga After all four canoes were unloaded, above the rapids. Jacques pulled out a coin purse and geration. But if Bonga grabbed a parcel of trade goods in each Bonga said, “Time for a little stroll.” He said, “The time of reckoning has c om e .” portaged even half that hand and carried them up the bank. swung a parcel of trade goods onto his The handful of men who had wagered against Bonga amount, his feat would As soon as the canoe was empty, Bon- back and slipped a tumpline around his dropped a coin into Jacques’ palm. have been extraordinary ga picked it up by the center thwart. forehead. Then he told Louie, “Help me Then Jacques jingled his purse and asked Bonga, “Do because a voyageur “Let me help,” Louie said, knowing that boost that next bundle up.” you want your share now or later?” ordinarily carried two two men always portage a north canoe. Louie stacked on another parcel. Bonga “Hold it for m e ,” he grinned. “We’ve got canoes to c ar r y.” 90-pound parcels. “Birch bark is light,” Bonga chuckled said, “I’ll take one m ore .” Louie had seen a

46 Minnesota Conservation Volunteer November–December 2010 47 Swampy Portage His Story The lower St. Louis River was a mix of rapids, black chutes of rock, and waterfalls. Hundred- foot-tall white pines grew along the rugged, rocky shoreline. But other than a few short pipe breaks that day, Bonga gave the crew no time to admire the scenery. Four days later, they turned up the East Savanna River. The farther they paddled west, the more the When Bonga was 18 years channel meandered and narrowed. Thick reed old, he was hired by ex- beds slowed down their canoes. Trees formed a plorer Lewis Cass to guide tangled green canopy that blocked the sun. Louie a search for the Missis- slapped at clouds of mosquitoes, but Bonga only sippi River headwaters said, “Those little critters don’t eat much.” (which was unsuccessful). By the second day, swamp grass had closed in Cass chose Bonga because so tightly that Louie couldn’t get his paddle into he was a skilled canoeist, the water. spoke the Ojibwe language “Portage t i m e ,” Bonga called. (anishinaabemowin), and Louie stepped out of the canoe and sank to knew the headwaters coun- his ankles in smelly, black muck. “Be careful try, home of his mother’s you don’t lose your moccasins, professor,” Bonga Pillager band of the Leech laughed. Lake tribe. For four more grueling days, Bonga led the The most difficult test way across the Savanna Portage. The voyageurs for the Cass expedition cursed the knee-deep mud, the alder brush and came when they encoun- thorns that cut their faces, and the swamp grass tered the Savanna Portage. that grew taller than their heads. But Bonga sang This mosquito-infested, six- silly folk songs to keep the spirits of the men up. mile trail ran through muck The ground gradually got higher as they that could swallow a man crossed the continental divide. By the end of the up to his waist. Bonga’s portage, half of the men were limping, and all jokes and fine singing kept had bloody cuts and torn shirts and sashes. up the men’s spirits. Declaring the stream wide enough to float a canoe, Bonga called, “Leech Lake, here we come!”

48 Minnesota Conservation Volunteer Hero’s Welcome The afternoon the crew His Story arrived at the Leech Lake In 1837 Bonga’s name be- trading post, 20 or 30 men came a household word and women—voyageurs when he captured an ac- and Ojibwe—greeted Bon- cused murderer. Ignoring Leech and Otter Tail lakes. ga with a hero’s welcome. the bitter January cold and In his later years, Bonga When Bonga raised his snow, Bonga set off alone was an outspoken advocate paddle and waved, two men in search of the suspect. for fair treatment of the fired guns into the air, rain- For six days and nights, Ojibwe people. He recom- ing bird shot down on all he tracked him. Finally, he mended that the govern- four canoes. caught and delivered the ment acquire good land for “Now, that’s what I call a man named Che-ge-wa- the Ojibwe so they could fine reception, professor!” skung to Fort Snelling, re- maintain their traditional Bonga smiled. “The Indians sulting in the first criminal fishing, hunting, and gath- in these parts are partial to trial in Minnesota history. ering of wild rice and maple me. My mother was one of Bonga’s career as a fur sap. In 1867 Bonga served them. And folks think it’s trader faded in the 1840s as as the official witness to real special that I was the the fur trade ended. Both the treaty signing that es- first black man born in this the supply and demand tablished the White Earth part of the country.” for furs had declined. Too Indian Reservation. Louie shook his head and much trapping and disease When Bonga died in grinned. Whether Bonga almost wiped out the bea- 1884, notice of his death claimed to be black, white, ver population. Demand for appeared in newspapers in Ojibwe, or something else, beaver pelts to make top Minneapolis, Chicago, and there was no doubt that he hats dropped off as silk be- New York. The U.S. Congress was 100-percent original. nV came the fashion in Europe. honored his passing. Bonga In 1842 the American Fur left a legacy of voyaging, A Note to Teachers Company went bankrupt. pioneering, and being a fair Find links to teachers guides at Being resourceful, Bonga and honest man. The Rev. www.mndnr.gov/young_naturalists. found a new way to earn Henry Whipple, Minnesota’s Historical consultation by Anton a living. In the 1850s, he first Episcopal bishop, said: Treuer, professor of Ojibwe, and his wife, Ashwinn, and “No word could be better Bemidji State University. their four children oper- trusted than that of George 50 ated lodges for tourists at Bonga.”