Translated:

Author:Tom Patsy

Year/Era: 1945

History:Tom Patsy, an excellent trapper, originally from Koyukuk, composed this song about Mrs. Chief Esmailka (Marina, the wife of Gregory Esmailka of Nulato) about 1945. Tom moved to Nulato in 1921 when he was about thirty-two years old.
He lived in Nulato until his death from drowning in 1963 (check the year).
He was married twice and had three or four children who have also passed away.
Tom loved to compose songs. He composed many songs about different people
in his area. The song in this book is the current version of Tom’s original song.
In Tom’s original version, he did not speak of Mrs. Esmailka’s death as being caused by
drinking alcohol. The people forgot the original words when they were singing the
song at one of the potlatches. At that same time, one of the women came
staggering in and started singing about the high price of alcoholic drink (It was
$2.50 in those days, now it is sky high). Everyone kept on singing the same words
with the tune of Tom’s song from that time on and that is how the song as come
down to us.
Mrs. Esmailka died from a heart attack while trying to keep a vigil on her son
who was very ill. Tom would not have made a song about alcohol concerning Mrs.
Esmailka. That would have been disrespectful.

Eenaa’e ho - o eenaa’e
Where is Mom?

heh' heh' heh' hee

UDL ho – o eenaa’e
UDL mom

heh ' heh' heh' heh'

Eenaa’e ho - o eenaa’e
Where is Mom?

heh' heh' heh' heh'

UDL high price stuff

ho – o eenaa’e
mom

heh' heh' heh heh

Repeat each verse 2 x, Repeat again