Hotcâk Text -- Bear Clan Origin Myth, Version 7

Hotcâk Text -- Bear Clan Origin Myth, Version 7

narrated by a member of the Bear Clan

This text has no English translation except that of the published version. The text has not had accents added to it, and nazalized vowels are indicated by a double underline, a practice not seen elsewhere in the Radin corpus. The MS is written in an extremely clear hand with each sentence numbered, suggesting that this MS was to have been submitted for publication.

English Translation

p. 1 --

Mâ'ûra	ewa'ûje.	Jesge	gûse	Mâ'ûra
Earthmaker	he made it.	Thus	it was taught that	Earthmaker

jesge	higedjeni,	esge	woragera	djinâ.
in this way	he did,	and so	the story	it begins.

Woragera	wâgiradjiwinâ.	Nicge	mejesge
The story	it has reached us.	Also	in this way

wâgagûzwinâ,	esge	woragera	djinâ.	"Hikuruhowire
he has made us,	and so	the story	it begins.	"We are to get ready

haehihikdjawinâ."	Sanîk	sinioguregi,	wanâkce.
to come to counsel together."	Side	where it grows cold,*	the one who said it.

*"The side where it grows cold," refers to the north, although Radin has "south." Cf. James Owen Dorsey's sinihósuétca, "at the north."

Hijâ	Wajâgûzera	nicge	mejesge	wâgagûzwinâ.
One	the Creator	also	in this way	he created us.

Kikinûbera	djopiwije,	xedera*	rajera	sebi-ereje;
Brothers themselves	four,	the eldest one	the name	black - he was;

*Two letters are crossed out between the 'e' and the 'r'.

hinûbedjerera	cutcce,	cutcije	hereje;	hidanina
the second	red,	red[der]	he was;	the third

tcoijâ	hereje;	hidjobera	xununa	waihagera
a blue/green one	he was;	the fourth	the youngest	the last

hereje,	sgaijâ	hereje.	"Hisûgedjiwina,	djasgekdjoneje?"
he was,	a white one	he was.	"Our younger brother,	how will it be?"

Deeji,	"Newahanâgere	hâke	hiraikiragenigadjâ,	mejesge
This one,	["I myself am saying]	not	I am not equal to the task,	thus

yarenâ.	Wanâ'îha'unâgere	hâke	edjoware	hiraikirageninâ.
I believe.	My temperament	not	[it comes up to]	being unequal to the task.

Wajânijâ	enâ'îwîre	hosdoirekdjonihera	heregininâ.	Wajâ*
Something	try to say	they are about to have a gathering	they are.	Something

*Radin originally had wajâijâ, but crossed out the last three letters.

p. 2 --

enâ'îwîre."	Egi,	hinihaxdjî,	hisge	wacegadjâ,
try to say."	And,	"O elder brother,	in truth	as you have said,

nicge	jesgenâ.	Hâke	edja	hiraikirageninâ
I too	in that way, thus.	Not	there	I am equal to the task

deerecge	wacacânâkadjâ,	hinihaxdjî,	hâke	wat'ek
[to finish] this	you having spoken of,	my dear elder brother,	not	[?]

haninâ."	"Hodjia,	hinihaxdjiwîra,	deerecge,	wacahaconâkadjâ
[to live, to have;]."	"All right,	our dear elder brother,	[to finish] this	[you have told us]

deeji	hâke	jesge	hiraikirageninâ;	hisûkhihiwiracanâ
this one	not	thus	I am equal to the task;	only our younger brother

heregadjâ	ecanâ	wapakonôkadjâ,	hinihaxdjîwîra,	hisûgehiwira
he is	alone,	having cleverness,	our dear elder brother,	our younger brother

eregicanâ	herenâ	yarenâ."	"Hodjia,	hisûgedjîwîra,
only he is	it is he	I believe."	"All right,	our younger brother,

jesgekdjonenâ.	Hisge	wacawinâ,	hisûgehîwiracanâ	hirakirakadjâ.
he will be thus.	Truly	you have spoken,	our younger brother alone	he is fit.

Sdoirekdjonihera	woragera	djirageninâ.	Xap'e	hîkuruhokdjawinâ,
The coming gathering	the announcement	it has been made.	Right away	we shall council over it,

hisugedjiwîna,	haekaragikdjawinâ,	hisûgehihiwira	ecanâ	wanâ'î
our younger brother,	we will [find refuge],	our younger brother	alone	that which has mind

mâcdjanâ	ecanâ	herekdjonenâ."	"Hisge	wacawinâ.
strong	alone	he will be."	"Truly	you spoke.

Maîhagera	howarekdjonenâ,	higianihekdjonihawire,	tciapekdjonihawire.	Hisûgîhihiwira,
On the earth	he will go,	we will be obliged to remain here,	we are obliged to take care of the home.	The younger brother,

djagu	egiji,	jesgekdjonihenâ.	Jesge	hirekdjonihawinâ.
what, how	when he speaks,	this way it shall be.	Thus	it will be.

p. 3 --

Mâ'ûra	wegedjini	sdoikorohoirenâ	egi	wâkcigo'î
Earthmaker	he ordained	that they should gather together	and	lives

haniwina	edjahi	wâkcik'îkdjonenâ.	Hisugihiwira	ewa'ûkdjonenâ.
we have	there	to be lived.	Our younger brother	[he will do it].

Hisûgedjî	cerekdjonihare	hironikipunukdjonihawinâ.	Mâihagedja	rahigiji
Younger brother	you will be going	we will ask you to remember us.	On earth	when you arrive

nâbiruxadjenîgera	hijâ	curutcapgiji	hakdja	huhiadje
the little offerings	one	if you obtain	some	send them back to us

cerekdjonihare.	Hirahiconopceregiji	hâpdjâre	hiraghepcerekdjonenâ.	Wâkcigo'î
you will be going.	When you will start out going	Light and Life (daylight)	you will go in the guise of.	Life

hirasa	hacinicerekdjonenâ	haraghepgiji.	Higuona	heregininâ.
with	you will take along	when you appear.	Now	it is his.

Wocgâ	hacinina.	Hoixgâxgâ	hacinina.	Herekdjonihageninâ.
[The ones who are companionable]	you have.	[The ones who move]	you have.	[You will do it].

Hanâtc	hirakaradje	rac	wacinina	higuona
Everyone	to take care	to name	of you	now

hirasa	herekdjonageninâ.	Egi	cûgerajeracge	herekdjonihenâ,
with	[you will do].	And	to name dog-names	you will do,

hosdora	radjikeregi	eharapahikdjonenâ	radjikeregiji.	Higuona
the gathering place	after you have gone	you will start out	when you're going.	Now

wakâtcâk	radjikerekdjonihenâ."	Egi	djikereje	waihagera
holy	you will go forth."	And	to start	the last

wa'ûje.	"De	tcekdjinâ	rajera	deerekdjonenâ:
he was.	"This one	the first	the name	this will be it:

xede	rajera	tcekdjîra	wâgerijâ	wâkcik'îgiji	rajera
oldest	the name	the first	a male	if a man	the name

wâgairekdjonenâ,	'Sepdjîga',	hîgairenâ.	Egi	jige
they will call him,	'Very Black',	they will address him.	And	again

p. 4 --

hinûbedjerera	'Wajiga,'	higairekdjonenâ.	Xede	rajera
the second one	'Yellowish Red,'*	they will call him.	Oldest	the name

*Radin has 'Brown-bear' with wajiga in parentheses. Dorsey translates the name Wajiga as "Yellowish Red." This is in conformity with the name "Red Bear" usually given to this bear.

hidjobera	'Hûtcgaga,'	higairekdjonenâ.	Hinûgera*	jeregi
the fourth	'White Bear,'	they will call him.	The girl	[when this one]

*Before this word, two others have been crossed out.

rajera	'Hâhemanîwîga'.	Egi	jige	wagairanonâ
the name	'She who Walks in Darkness'.	And	again	they call her

'Hâpgumaniwîga'	higairanonâ.	Egi	jige	'Tciokit'ûrewîga'
'Daylight as She Walks'	they call her.	And	again	'She who Thrusts Herself within a Lodge'

higairanonâ.	Egi	jige	wagairanonâ	'Sitcât'îwîga'
they call her.	And	again	they call her	'Visible Footprint Woman'

higairanonâ.	Egi	jige	cûk	hijânihira	s'inihikdjegi
they call her.	And	again	dog	the owning of	if they wish to keep them

'Wadogega'	higanonâ.	Jige	higû	hijâ
'Fresh Meat'	they call him.	Again	yet	one

s'inihikdjegi	waganonâ	'Hûdjonûpga'	higanonâ.	Egi
if they keep it	they call him	'Two Bears'*	they call him.	And

*Radin has "Dog-pair."

jige	cûk	hinûgera	hijeregiji	wajanona*
again	dog	the girl	[when he did it]	they call

*This is probably for waganonâ.

'Haksiga'	higanonâ.	Jige	higû	cûgenûgera
'Third Born'	they call her.	Again	yet	the bitch

s'inihikdjegiji	waganonâ	'Wajîwîga,'	higanonâ	dejesgekdjonihenâ,"
once they decide to keep it	they call it	'Yellowish Red Female,'	they call her	they will do in this way,"

enâ.	Hadjiakarairera	hosdora	tcawarairenâ.	Hadjiakarairera
he said.	They started	the gathering place	they were going to.	They began

wawaîrenâ.	Wanâxguîrenâ:	"Manâpi	hiwatcabwira	ahuirenâ.
[they spoke].	They heard them:	"Soldiers	our	[they came].

p. 5 --

Wawôra	tcât'îrenâ."	Hagorejâ	hijâ	hot'âpdjinâgirenâ.
[The speech]	they are audible."	In time	one	landed with a leap.

"Hitcakorohiwira	djirenâ,"	airenâ.	Egi	hahirenâ.
"Our friends	they have arrived,"	they said.	And	they arrived.

Hosdora	hadjirenâ.	Higi	hadjirenâ.	Wakdjexi
At the gathering place	they arrived.	When he got there	they arrived.	Waterspirit

Kikaradjera	tconi	hadjirenâ;	egi	Wanîk*
Clan	first	they had arrived;	and	Bird

*a 'g' is crossed out in favor of the terminal 'k'.

Kikaradjera	hadjirenâ;	Hûtc	Hikikaradjera	hadjirenâ;
Clan	they had arrived;	Bear	Clan	they had arrived;

wâgoni	hanâtc	sdonâ,	tcijâ	'uîrenâ.
the group of relatives	all	gathered together,	a lodge	they made.

Tci	xedejâ	'uîrenâ.	Tcira	'ûtcebirenâ,
Lodge	a great one	they made.	The lodge	they finished,

egi	wairenâ	tconidjinihera	Wakdjexi	Hikikaradjera
and	they said	the first to come	Waterspirit	Clan

wagairenâ,	"Hugenitcabera,	djasge	hihâkdjonihawije?*
they were addressed,	"The chief of our kin,	how	we will proceed?

*Several letters have been crossed out between the 'i' and the 'j' of the terminal 'wije'.

Pedjera	hijâ	daehi	nâ'îre!"	"Hoho,	hoho,
The fire	one	to light	try!"	"Hoho,	hoho,

hagagasgejâ	hâke	duxurugeninâ.	Duc'akcanâ.	Hijâ
alas, has it ever happened thus,	not	I cannot do it.	I am unable.	One

hi'ûkdjawire."	Wiwarairenâ	hâke	ruxurugiraninâ.	wairenâ,
we will do it."	[They were told]	not	he could not do it.	they said,

"Hijâ	pedjera	daehigiji	e	hûgererekdjenâ."
"One	the fire	if he were to start	he	he would become chief."

Jesge	aireje.	Hi'ûdjaireje.	Wanîk	Hikikaradjera,
Thus	they said.	They tried to do it.	Bird	Clan,

Wakâdja	Hikikaradjera	ruxurugireje.	Pedjera	edaehireje
Thunderbird	Clan	they could do it.	The fire	they could start

airenâ,	esge	hûgera	ererenâ.	Wa'înâbireje
they said,	and so	the chief	they are it.	They became glad

egi	pedjera	hikiwenineje.	Egi	hanâtc
and	the fire	[the relatives took around].	And	everyone

petc	kerereje	airenâ.	Wogûzera	Woehira
fire	they placed	they said.	The Creation	Council

p. 6 --

jegû	hireje.	Hanâtc	gûs	rucdjaîreje.
thus	it was.	Everything	to create	they got done.

Tcinâgera	erukonaîreje.	Wakâdja	Hikikaradjera	e
The village	they were to serve.	Thunderbird	Clan	it

hirukonaîreje	tcinâgera.	Tcijâ	'ûranihera	e
they were put in charge	of the village.	A lodge	[he made]	he

hirukonaîreje	e	wigûzireje	djagurijâ	airekdjonega.
they were put in charge	he	they obeyed	whatever thing	he would say.

Hihohires'aje,	"Jesge	hiwire"	wigega,	jesge
They said of him,	"In this way	we got here,"	they would say to him,	thus

hires'aje	wikaragûzireje	hûktcabirera	egi	wairenâ.
they would	they obeyed him	their chief	and	they said it.

Warudjokinîreje	djagu	rudjirekdjonegiji	hokinîreje.
They brought back food	whatever	when they would eat	they would look for it themselves.

Warudjera	hakaraniâkiri	nâjîreje	airenâ,	egi
The food	they took along with them starting back	they stood	they said,	and

Huntc	Hikikaradjenâgere	woroghijâ	kik'ûje:	wogigo
Bear	Clan	a rule	they would make for themselves:	feast

hijâ	kik'ûje	nâboruxadjera.	E	higireje
one	to make for himself	an offering.	For him	[they gave]

wohôra	hijâkiraje,	rex	ksigenîgiâ	hereje,	airenâ.
the kettle	just one,	kettle	a shallow one	it is,	they said.

English Translation

Source:

"The Bear Clan Feast. Part I, The Origin Legend," in Paul Radin, Notebooks, Winnebago III, #7, Freeman #3868 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society) 1-6. For the English text, see Paul Radin, The Winnebago Tribe (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990 [1923]) 184-186. Informant: a member of the Bear Clan.