Ke-mo sah-bee ( /ˌkiːmoʊˈsɑːbiː/; often spelled kemo sabe, kemosabe or kimosabe) is the term used by the fictional Native American sidekick Tonto as the " Native American" name for the Lone Ranger in the American Lone Ranger radio program and television show. Derived from gimoozaabi, an Ojibwe and Potawatomi word that may mean 'he/she looks out in secret', [1] it has been occasionally translated as "trusty scout" or "faithful friend". [2]
Meaning and origin
Jim Jewell, director of The Lone Ranger radio show from 1933 to 1939, took the phrase from Kamp Kee-Mo Sah-Bee, a boys' camp on Mullett Lake in Michigan, established by Charles W. Yeager (Jewell's father-in-law) in 1916. [3] Yeager himself probably took the term from Ernest Thompson Seton, one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America, who had given the meaning "scout runner" to Kee-mo-sah'-bee in his 1912 book The Book of Woodcraft and Indian Lore. [4]
Kamp Kee-Mo Sah-Bee was in an area inhabited by the Ottawa, who speak a language that is mutually comprehensible with Ojibwe. John D. Nichols and Earl Nyholm's A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe defines the Ojibwe word giimoozaabi as 'he peeks' (and, in theory, 'he who peeks'), making use of the prefix giimoo(j)-, 'secretly'; Rob Malouf, now an associate professor of linguistics at San Diego State University, suggested that giimoozaabi may indeed have also meant scout (i.e., 'one who sneaks'). [5]
In media
Tonto has been represented by the following actors:
- John Todd in the 1933 radio show
- Chief Thundercloud in the movies beginning in 1938
- Jay Silverheels in the 1950s TV series
- Michael Horse in the 1981 film The Legend of the Lone Ranger
- Johnny Depp in the 2013 movie
Other uses
- Used in the lyrics of the song " Mr. Custer" by Larry Verne in 1960.
- Featured in the lyrics of " Apache (Jump on It)", a 1981 song by The Sugarhill Gang. [6]
- Featured in the lyrics of "Sharkey's Night" by Laurie Anderson from her 1984 album Mister Heartbreak [7]
- Featured in the lyrics of "If I Had a Boat" by Lyle Lovett, from his 1987 album Pontiac. [8]
- Featured in the lyrics of "The Lone Ranger", a 1976 UK hit single by Quantum Jump. [9]
- In the TV show MacGyver (1985–1992), it is a nickname for MacGyver used by his friend Jack Dalton. [10]
- Misquoted as "qué mas sabe" on page 20 of Rabbit Redux by John Updike.
- Mentioned in a panel of the graphic novel A History Of Violence by John Wagner and Vince Locke spoken by character Joey Muni. [11]
- The song " Kemosabe", [12] a 2013 single by Manchester band Everything Everything from their album, Arc.
- Used by detective Barrel in the series Bosch (TV series)
- Kemosabe Records is an American record label founded by music producer Dr. Luke and is owned by Sony Music Entertainment. [13]
- A 2023 "Kimosabè" single by Angus Stone (as Dope Lemon). [14]
References
- ^ Rhodes, Richard (1993). "Eastern Ojibwa". Chippewa-Ottawa Dictionary. New York: Mouton DeGruyter. p. Back cover. ISBN 3-11-013749-6.
- ^ Striker, Fran Jr. "What Does 'Kemo Sabe' Really Mean ?". Old Time Radio. Archived from the original on 2020-02-25. Retrieved November 12, 2008.
-
^ Sargent, Porter E. (1916).
"Boys' Summer Camps". A Handbook of Private Schools. Boston: Porter E. Sargent: 267.
Archived from the original on 2021-01-01. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
Kamp Kee-Mo-Sah-Bee, a summer camp and school of wood-craft at Mullet Lake, will open this year under the direction of Charles W. Yeager, Gymnasium and Athletic Director at the Detroit University School.
-
^ Seton, Ernest Thompson (1912).
The Book of Woodcraft and Indian Lore. Doubleday, Page, and Company. p.
134.
kee-mo-sah-bee
- ^ Adams, Cecil (July 18, 1997). "In the old Lone Ranger series, what did "kemosabe" mean?". The Straight Dope. Archived from the original on 2011-11-20. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "The Sugarhill Gang - Apache (Jump On It) (Official Video)". YouTube.
- ^ Laurie Anderson – Sharkey's Night, retrieved 2023-08-14
- ^ Lyle Lovett – If I Had a Boat, retrieved 2022-08-08
- ^ Quantum Jump – The Lone Ranger, retrieved 2022-08-08
- ^ "MacGyver Episode Guide » Season 3". www.rusted-crush.com. Archived from the original on 2020-02-20. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
- ^ Wagner, John (1997). A History Of Violence. New York, NY: Vertigo. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-4012-3189-7.
- ^ "Everything Everything - Kemosabe". YouTube.
- ^ Records, Kemosabe. "Kemosabe Records". Kemosabe Records. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
- ^ Robinson, Ellie (2023-06-03). "Will Ferrell and Judd Apatow have co-writing credits on new Dope Lemon single 'Kimosabè'". NME. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
Ke-mo sah-bee ( /ˌkiːmoʊˈsɑːbiː/; often spelled kemo sabe, kemosabe or kimosabe) is the term used by the fictional Native American sidekick Tonto as the " Native American" name for the Lone Ranger in the American Lone Ranger radio program and television show. Derived from gimoozaabi, an Ojibwe and Potawatomi word that may mean 'he/she looks out in secret', [1] it has been occasionally translated as "trusty scout" or "faithful friend". [2]
Meaning and origin
Jim Jewell, director of The Lone Ranger radio show from 1933 to 1939, took the phrase from Kamp Kee-Mo Sah-Bee, a boys' camp on Mullett Lake in Michigan, established by Charles W. Yeager (Jewell's father-in-law) in 1916. [3] Yeager himself probably took the term from Ernest Thompson Seton, one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America, who had given the meaning "scout runner" to Kee-mo-sah'-bee in his 1912 book The Book of Woodcraft and Indian Lore. [4]
Kamp Kee-Mo Sah-Bee was in an area inhabited by the Ottawa, who speak a language that is mutually comprehensible with Ojibwe. John D. Nichols and Earl Nyholm's A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe defines the Ojibwe word giimoozaabi as 'he peeks' (and, in theory, 'he who peeks'), making use of the prefix giimoo(j)-, 'secretly'; Rob Malouf, now an associate professor of linguistics at San Diego State University, suggested that giimoozaabi may indeed have also meant scout (i.e., 'one who sneaks'). [5]
In media
Tonto has been represented by the following actors:
- John Todd in the 1933 radio show
- Chief Thundercloud in the movies beginning in 1938
- Jay Silverheels in the 1950s TV series
- Michael Horse in the 1981 film The Legend of the Lone Ranger
- Johnny Depp in the 2013 movie
Other uses
- Used in the lyrics of the song " Mr. Custer" by Larry Verne in 1960.
- Featured in the lyrics of " Apache (Jump on It)", a 1981 song by The Sugarhill Gang. [6]
- Featured in the lyrics of "Sharkey's Night" by Laurie Anderson from her 1984 album Mister Heartbreak [7]
- Featured in the lyrics of "If I Had a Boat" by Lyle Lovett, from his 1987 album Pontiac. [8]
- Featured in the lyrics of "The Lone Ranger", a 1976 UK hit single by Quantum Jump. [9]
- In the TV show MacGyver (1985–1992), it is a nickname for MacGyver used by his friend Jack Dalton. [10]
- Misquoted as "qué mas sabe" on page 20 of Rabbit Redux by John Updike.
- Mentioned in a panel of the graphic novel A History Of Violence by John Wagner and Vince Locke spoken by character Joey Muni. [11]
- The song " Kemosabe", [12] a 2013 single by Manchester band Everything Everything from their album, Arc.
- Used by detective Barrel in the series Bosch (TV series)
- Kemosabe Records is an American record label founded by music producer Dr. Luke and is owned by Sony Music Entertainment. [13]
- A 2023 "Kimosabè" single by Angus Stone (as Dope Lemon). [14]
References
- ^ Rhodes, Richard (1993). "Eastern Ojibwa". Chippewa-Ottawa Dictionary. New York: Mouton DeGruyter. p. Back cover. ISBN 3-11-013749-6.
- ^ Striker, Fran Jr. "What Does 'Kemo Sabe' Really Mean ?". Old Time Radio. Archived from the original on 2020-02-25. Retrieved November 12, 2008.
-
^ Sargent, Porter E. (1916).
"Boys' Summer Camps". A Handbook of Private Schools. Boston: Porter E. Sargent: 267.
Archived from the original on 2021-01-01. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
Kamp Kee-Mo-Sah-Bee, a summer camp and school of wood-craft at Mullet Lake, will open this year under the direction of Charles W. Yeager, Gymnasium and Athletic Director at the Detroit University School.
-
^ Seton, Ernest Thompson (1912).
The Book of Woodcraft and Indian Lore. Doubleday, Page, and Company. p.
134.
kee-mo-sah-bee
- ^ Adams, Cecil (July 18, 1997). "In the old Lone Ranger series, what did "kemosabe" mean?". The Straight Dope. Archived from the original on 2011-11-20. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "The Sugarhill Gang - Apache (Jump On It) (Official Video)". YouTube.
- ^ Laurie Anderson – Sharkey's Night, retrieved 2023-08-14
- ^ Lyle Lovett – If I Had a Boat, retrieved 2022-08-08
- ^ Quantum Jump – The Lone Ranger, retrieved 2022-08-08
- ^ "MacGyver Episode Guide » Season 3". www.rusted-crush.com. Archived from the original on 2020-02-20. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
- ^ Wagner, John (1997). A History Of Violence. New York, NY: Vertigo. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-4012-3189-7.
- ^ "Everything Everything - Kemosabe". YouTube.
- ^ Records, Kemosabe. "Kemosabe Records". Kemosabe Records. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
- ^ Robinson, Ellie (2023-06-03). "Will Ferrell and Judd Apatow have co-writing credits on new Dope Lemon single 'Kimosabè'". NME. Retrieved 2023-07-12.