RSS Feed**The National Hobo Convention in Britt Iowa**
For years now, Utah Phillips has been telling me about The National Hobo Convention in Britt Iowa. One weekend I made my way through the open fields of grain to check it out. What I found was quite amazing. Since 1900 the small town of Britt has opened it’s arms to Hoboes, honoring them with parades, a Hobo museum, The Hobo cafe, a Hobo jungle complete with showers and cooking facilities and even a Hobo grave yard for Hobos when they catch that last train.
When I arrived, on Saturday, this tiny town was packed with over a thousand tourists. There was a carnival atmosphere about, with a flea market, rides and games blocking up Main Street. I parked my rig near the Hobo Jungle and meandered down main street and there, in front of the Hobo Museum, sat my pal “Danville Dan, The singing Hobo” playing his old resonator guitar. “Danville” asked me to play a few tunes as he introduced me all around. It was nice to see such a friendly bunch of folks exchanging stories and songs on the street and, as we jammed, a crowd of onlookers started filling up “Danville’s “Guitar case with dollar bills. He said, “Rik” this is great. You do the work, and they put the money in my case.”
After a few more tunes, I headed out to see the parade. There was a long line of chairs around the parade route and I got there just in time to see the first fire truck send out it’s signal, welcoming every one to the 98th Hobo Convention. The parade followed, with a few marching bands and politicians in antique cars ending with the “HOBO FLOAT” crammed with Hobos of all ages. After the parade, there was a line up for free Mulligan Stew made by the boy scouts. A tasty soup filled with meat rice and lots of fresh veggies. The soup line circled around the town green and park gazebo where all the day time activities were held. After we chowed down it was time for the crowning of the Hobo King & Queen. Since the beginning of this Convention this event has been one of the highlights. Every year a new King and Queen are selected, by a show of applause, by the Hobos and audience. It was a moving event when the reigning king “Frog” and Queen “Minneapolis Jewel” said their farewell speeches and announced the nominees for this year’s election. Four men and four women were announced and stepped up to the microphones. Each delivered a speech about their philosophy and what they could do if they were elected. The audience applauded, then a hush fell on the crowd as the votes were tabulated. The MC called out the winners and pandemonium broke out as this years Royalty greeted their kingdom. The new king “New York Slim” a huge 8 foot African American and “Cinders” a small cheerful woman from a railroad family were given the crown (a straw hat with a cut up coffee can on top) red and blue robes and royal walking sticks.
The news media gathered around the new royal couple like sharks around bloody fish bait as the Hobo musicians entertained the crowd. I was honored by the Hoboes by being allowed to help with the festivities and pitched in with some of the singing Hobos; “Liberty” Justice, Bojangles, “Windy City” Tom, “Fishbones,” “Frisco” Jack, “Wisconsin Dell’s” and “Danville” Dan just to name a few.
Later that night there was a big feed and concert down at the Hobo Jungle. The Jungle is a field on the out skirts of town with a large open air kitchen and an open box car, to sleep in, which is available, year round, for traveling Hoboes. As this was the “Big Convention” the fields were covered with tents and sleeping bags. The town paid for the free meal and the hobos provided the entertainment.
Today there seems to be many groups in the traveling community; everything from older Hoboes who rubber tramp around in big RVs , young “punk-Thrashers”, who call themselves “Flintstones” and even a batch of ordinary folks who are just Hobos in spirit.
Like in most big families sometimes these groups can be at odds as some of the Hoboes are of a very friendly nature, just carrying on the old Hobo ways, while others can be a bit more raucous.
The evening’s concert started off with the older Hobos singing old songs and reciting Hobo poetry. It was family entertainment. Later, after most of the towns’ people went home, “The New Kids” took the stage. At first they sang a few songs to a borrowed guitar, and then sang old folk songs, unaccompanied. They asked every one to sit into a circle with hands joined and together created a “Sound Wave”. Everyone added some sort of note, wail, yell, bellow, or scream, producing a new age Harry Parch kind of music. Then they picked up bits and pieces of scrap wood and started beating them into tribal rhythms. One of the group sprang up with two lit sticks and did a fire dance, walking into the camp fire, bare footed, swishing the flames around his body. He then held up his head and spit a wall of fire into the air. The group then found the kitchen pots and plastic tubs and pails and continued drumming. Two men jumped up and started dancing around the campfire and pealed off their clothes. Soon a young woman joined them, stripping off her dress as they all danced to the throbbing rhythm of the drums. The drumming continued as the Police cars pulled into the jungle. The young naked woman disappeared into the darkness as the Police surrounded the campfire. The Police did not seem to know what to do, as now it was about 2:00 AM and there were fifty or more young kids still beating on their drums. The old timers stood shocked as they watched this new generation perform their Tribal rituals around the old Campfire jungle.
I sat there thinking; next time I’ll bring my Didgeridoo!
See You around the Camp Fire
– “Totem Pole” Rik
Posted by Rik at 9:22 PM
Filed under Reminiscing, Hobos, Announcements
