UWM students posing as Milwaukee historical figures reenacted the birth of a polar bear on Twitter. And one student tweeted as a polar bear.
I'll bet you didn't know a century-old polar bear could tweet.
Well, on Thursday, Sultana, the first Milwaukee polar bear to give birth to a cub — back in 1919 — did just that.
Actually, Sultana was played by University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student Hayley Jasinski, and she was participating in a Twitter reenactment of the birth of Zero — the first polar bear to be born in captivity that survived to adulthood.
The reenactment was the culmination of Professor Amanda Seligman's Milwaukee history class. The class looks at Milwaukee history with an emphasis on a specific event, with students gathering and analyzing primary sources and then creating characters (either actual historical figures or fictional amalgamations) to script a reenactment.
Twitter reenactments are similar to more traditional historical reenactments, but they're more accessible. Seligman describes them as "collaborative plays."
And just like a more typical play, the Dec. 2 reenactment had its dramatic moments. Here are some of the highlights.
Setting the scene
The purpose of Seligman's class is to learn a deeper Milwaukee history even while focusing on a specific event. That deeper learning came through loud and clear as the students' characters tweeted about other things that were going on in Milwaukee around the time of Zero's birth.
There was the background of the development of Milwaukee's zoo at its original location in Washington Park, told from the point of view of Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed Washington Park; Carl Hagenbeck, who is known as the creator of the modern zoo; and Edward Bean, the first Milwaukee zoo director.
I’ve done it! I am going to build you a grand necklace of parks to adorn you growing city #MKEZero pic.twitter.com/LzGuJsjNYl
— Frederick Law Olmsted (@F_LAW_Olmsted) December 2, 2021
There was mention of World War I through a tweet about the sinking of the SS Tuscania by a German submarine with several Wisconsin servicemen aboard.
Just heard about the Tuscania…RIP to those Wisco Boys. #MKEZero pic.twitter.com/9TDf76strp
— Edward Bean (@The_MKE_Bean) December 2, 2021
There was a fascinating look at the history of Jones Island through the lens of a fictional immigrant who settled with his family in what he described as a fishing village — and was eventually evicted when the sewage treatment plant was built there.
We have received terrible news. According to some of the Germans, they are planning to take our home away from us. They want to build a sewage treatment plant or some such place where our homes stand. Could this be the end for our community? #MKEZero
— Jakub Dabinski (@JDabinski) December 2, 2021
There were even a few appearances by Milwaukee's famous socialist mayor, Daniel Hoan, who was very vocal in his political leanings.
Greed is the source of all evil!! #MKEZero
— Daniel Hoan (@MayorDanielHoan) December 2, 2021
Enter Granny
One of the most prolific tweeters during the reenactment was @MPMgranny. Her bio describes her as "just your friendly neighborhood granny keeping an eye on things at 201 Grand Avenue." Milwaukee Public Museum visitors will recognize granny as the woman sitting on a porch rocking chair in the Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit.
Granny hilariously responded to zoo director Edward Bean's announcement that Tommy the Leopard had escaped.
"Where? WHERE?" Granny responded. And later: "Time to get off the porch and hang out inside for a change."
Time to get off the porch and hang out inside for a change. #MKEZero
— Granny (@MPMgranny) December 2, 2021
The star of the show, Sultana the polar bear
While Granny's replies worked to narrate the reenactment, Sultana the polar bear's tweets stole the show.
Because polar bears don't actually speak (of course), her tweets consisted of bear noises (i.e. "Grunt" and "ROAR"), with the English translation in parentheses.
Many of Sultana's tweets were funny. Like her response to this child's post: "I wanna see all the big bad beasts at the zoo! I reckon I could take a polar bear in a fight!"
"BET. I challenge you right now. My cub would win against you and he's a newborn."
scoff (BET. I challenge you right now. My cub would win against you and he's a newborn) #MKEZero https://t.co/wPCRYnz2wI
— Sultana the Polar Bear (@sultana_pbear) December 2, 2021
Or Sultana's rejoinder to Edward Bean when he was the first to announce the birth of her cub, Zero.
"I wasn't going to tell anyone until later. Way to steal my thunder, hooman."
Exasperated sign (I wasn't going to tell anyone until later! Way to steal my thunder hooman) #MKEZero https://t.co/mnMeXvFq3J
— Sultana the Polar Bear (@sultana_pbear) December 2, 2021
Sultana also brought attention to some of the historical events going on at the time. Her response to the flu pandemic was disturbingly familiar to us modern humans dealing with our own pandemic.
"Now all the two-legs have face coverings on. I wonder what that's all about?" she posted. "Will they make me wear one too?"
Looking at the visitors outside of her cage (Now all of the two-legs have face coverings on. I wonder what that’s all about? Will they make me wear one too?) #MKEZero https://t.co/fOWdMMNDwG pic.twitter.com/qxKrLaOw88
— Sultana the Polar Bear (@sultana_pbear) December 2, 2021
And many of Sultana's quotes were somber, bringing awareness to some of the suffering that animals went through in a time when zoos paid more attention to entertainment and spectacle than conservation.
Her introductory tweets were all about what she was feeling after being captured in Greenland and transported to Milwaukee.
GRUNT and snuffle (What’s happening? What are these two-legged creatures doing to me? What’s going to happen to all four of us bears they’re eyeing up?) #MKEZero pic.twitter.com/LFTfxRBuq1
— Sultana the Polar Bear (@sultana_pbear) December 2, 2021
And then there was the broken heart of a mother when Zero — who had been transferred to a Minnesota zoo — died.
"He's WHAT? Zero is dead? This can't be true! He was my baby! My first boy! And he was only 8 years old! NOOOOO!)"
Shock and then desperate howling (He’s WHAT? Zero is dead? This can’t be true! He was my baby! My first boy! And he was only 8 years old! NOOOOO!) #MKEZero
— Sultana the Polar Bear (@sultana_pbear) December 2, 2021
Contact Amy Schwabe at (262) 875-9488 or amy.schwabe@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @WisFamilyJS, Instagram at @wisfamilyjs or Facebook at WisconsinFamily.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee County Zoo historical figures 'tweet' a polar bear's birth