Hotcâk Text -- Disease Giver Blesses Djobenagiwíñxga

narrated by Sam Blowsnake


English Translation


Sam Blowsnake told the following story about his forefather Djobenagiwíñxga as part of the ritual of the Thunderbird Warbundle Feast.

The text occurs only on even numbered pages. Doubtful translations are placed in brackets "[ ]".


p. 426 --

Tcok'agá Djobenâgiwíñxga uañgíjâ hot'éruk'onàîjâ sániñk'
Grandfather Djobenâgiwíñxga a man one who is in control of death side


yorotcô´djeregi nañk'íji waxop'íni warádjirera djanuñgák'i
who dwells in the south he was spirits the ones that there are as many as there are


hícanâ hiraitcéraje wonághire ruk'ónanâ xetéjâ
[the others?] a little more war the one who controls a great one


hereje. Égi hâbiruk'onaíjâ hereje égi hot'é
he is. And one who controls life he is and death


ruk'ónaîjâ hereje. Tcok'agá wirarotcâ´djegadjâ
one who controls he is. Grandfather when the sun stood straight (noon)


hak'idjáje wagejé wonághire uañkcígo'i nâdjirorádjôgi.
he met him he said to him war life he blessed him.


Égi wageje, "Hagâréjâ hak'arak'úîcge redjúna
And he said, "At some time I anticipate your root (descendant)


djadjaî´xdjî hip'á ninégi jedjaî´xdjî p'a
as far as up to, that far [?] thus far it has been


hatcíndja nañk'íji hâñk'é wamániniñk'djonènâ howajairécge,
where, wherever, whenever he was not I will not tread upon if they should get sick,


p. 428 --

honíñk wacínina hâñk'é howajaî´raniñk'djonènâ. Égi 'úinegi
[I grant?] [to you ?] not they will not get sick. And they did


uañkcígo'î´na hiranína írawi-ànâga tanióniñgijùirawigi
the life the means to obtain by mouths and tobacco offerings by mouth


hijújugìjâ." Hocere'û´wahira éxdjî wa'ûjé wak'â´tcañk
a flute." Disease Giver himself he did holy


wagigíje eje. Uañkcígo'î´na howajá cicík'
he made them he. The life obtain to be frail something bad


'u-inánâga tani-oniñgíju-iràwigi, hijújugera, wohóna, tanína,
they had and tobacco offerings by mouth, reed flutes, kettles, tobacco,


mâcúna, cuñksgárijâ, tejénûga nâbinâ´gicuruxadji-ànâga.
feathers, a white dog, at the same time they made an offering.


Égi, "Hijújuk wak'âtcâ´k niñgígiwira how'úna
And, "Flute holy I made for you [?]


ru-ághira c'ûwínâ. Nabiruxádjera hinâ hinagígiwigi
[?] you do. Offerings the skins if you do it


hijújugera hocewe'úwigi. Uañkcígo'î howatcehíra hijâ
the flute you may blow upon it. Life different kind a


tcoráju wac'û´gi. Howajá cicík 'únâ
you will lead if you do that. Disease bad caused


jedjaî´ñxdjî p'a hanantcgaísdjonènâ. Hâñk'é hawidjédjâ
thusfar it has been you will be able to cut off. Not [ever ?]


hijâ howajá cicík 'únîk'djonènâ." Hocere'úwahira
one disease bad he will not have." Disease Giver


ewénâ. E howajá cicík 'úwahira
spoke. He disease bad the one who causes


wege jesgek'djonénâ. Téjesge tcok'agá
he said it will be thus. That is how grandfather


Djobenâgiwíñxga nâdjirodjaíneje.
Djobenâgiwíñxga he blessed.


English Translation


Source:

Sam Blowsnake, The Warbundle Feast of the Thunderbird Clan, in Paul Radin, The Winnebago Tribe (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990 [1923]) 399-481 [426-429].