Hotcâk Text -- Deer Clan Origin Myth, Version 1

Hotcâk Text -- Deer Clan Origin Myth, Version 1

The manuscript is written in a fairly clear hand. At the top of the page it reads, "Winnebago texts partly pub. in English." To the upper left of the page is written in a very large and bold hand, "81." To the right of the number is written "Phonetic & English (omega) syllabic texts." Below this entry is written, "Deer Clan Origin Myth."

As in later Hotcâk-English interlinear texts, it contains a number of Greek letter abbreviations for common Hotcâk words or syllables. However, the process is not taken to the extreme found in later texts. The values for the Greek letters is given in the table below:

alpha	beta	epsilon	rho	psi	omega
égi	édja	ásge	ánâga	hâké	jigé

In the English translation, words supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle) are found in brackets '[ ]'.

English Translation

p. 1 --

Tcaikikáratc	'uañkcígo'î	deérenâ.	Tcasépera	hûwâna
Deer Clan	life	this it is.	Black deer	the elk

hakikíju	mânóñgere	niñge	hokiságera	heregíji,
with them	the earth	where	the center	is,

édja	haghebireje.	[Alpha]	s'ániñk	wiaghéphura
there	they appeared.	And	side	east

howaraíreje.	[Beta]	'uâhíreje.	Gadjâ´	tcasébera
they went.	[There]	they were going.	And then	the black deer

wéje,	"Hisuñkáxdjî,	rora	hisgiñgerénâ.	Inéki
[he said,]	"My dear younger brother,	flesh	I am heavy.	Alone

rare	[alpha]	higû	hanihékdjonénâ,"*	éje.
go	[here]	where	I will remain,"	he said.

*a terminal '-je' has been crossed out in favor of '-nâ'.

[Beta]	[psi]	raníje.	[Alpha]	wakcâkaip'
[There]	[not]	he did not go.	And	he went back

p. 2 --

howarairedja.*	Hagiránañga.	Jigé	hihohires'áje	djobóhâ.
to the center of the earth whence they started from.**	He came back.	[Again]	they asked him	four times.

* This word is written over a cross-out; however, 'hohuirédja' is written below the same cross-out.
**an initial 'this way they came' is crossed out.

Jejegû	híregádjâ.	[Beta]	juráwanâp'ina	higíjé
Again	that indeed they did.	[There]	money necklace	he recognized

tcasébera.	[Epsilon]	Tca(h)ikikáradjenáñgere	hohirénâ.*	[Epsilon]
the black deer.	So	the Deer Clan	was beaten.	So

* Radin remarks at the top of the page: "He beat him because he came on the necklace first."

rejera	"Tcaséphuñká,"	hikigaírenâ.	[Alpha]	howera
the name	"Black Deer King,"	he called himself.	[And]	they went

hakdja	hidjágirénâ.	Hicgé	jurawanâp'î	hikigirénâ.
back	they went again.	Likewise himself	money necklace	he recognized.

Mânáñgere	howágiñx	haránañga	wa'uinénâ.	[Alpha]
The earth	around	they went	they did.	[And]

jige	tcasébera	hâbogúra	howaraírenâ.	Xedegíji
[again]	[the black deer]	east	they went.	[When] the big one

tconiánañga.	'Uáñgiregádjâ,	dewéraki	horaírerégi.	Jige
first he went.	As they went,	this [one] wondered	where they started from.	[Again]

p. 3 --

[beta]	hakiríreje.*	"Hisuñgídjî,	hicgagá**	wajâ
[there]	they came back.	"My brother,	you yourself	something

* Radin comments at the top of page 3: "Some power was always drawing them back to the place whence they had started."
** Radin indicates above the line that this is contracted from 'hicge hagá'.

'una-îne,"	éje.	[Epsilon]	Henâna	hicgaga
you try to do,"	[he said.]	[So]	[the] second born	[he himself]

etconíje.	Hadjiakaraíreje.	Jige	horaírera.	[Beta]
he went first.	They went.	[Again]	they went.	[There]

hakdja	hakiríreje.	"Hisúñgidjî´,	hicgagá	wajâ´
[back]	they came.	"My brother,	you yourself	something

'una-î´ne,"	éje.	[Epsilon]	Hagára	etconíje.
you try to do,"	he said.	[And so]	3rd born*	[he went first.]

* This is a play on words, 'hagara' meaning 'he himself', and 'Haga-ra' meaning 'the third born son'.

[Omega]	hakdja	kirejé.	[Alpha]	Nañghíga
[Again]	[back]	[they had come.]	[And]	4th [born]

etconí	círeje.	Tcowédja	djidjejé.	He
[he went first]	they told him.	In front*	he came suddenly.	Horn

* The word 'before' is crossed out.

s'ániñk	hoicárora	maî´dja	hirodjî´je	gadjâ´,
[side]	right	on the earth	he hit (his horn)*	when,

* Parenthetical material added by Radin.

[beta]	xawî´jâ	haghépdjidjehíje.	Tcaxíwira	sgaxdjî´je
[there]	a grass	it appeared he made it.	The flower (bud)*	very white

* Parenthetical material added by Radin.

p. 4 --

jegûhi[rho].	[Omega]	he	s'ániñk	hoirátcge
when he did.	[Again]	[horn]	[side]	[left]

maî´dja	hirodjîje	gadjâ,	naî´ja	[beta]
[on the earth]	[he hit it]	[when,]	a tree	[there]

djidjeje.	[Alpha]	x'awî	hudjéga	rudjiraná
he made it.	[And]	weed	the stem	it is meant for eating

wagi'únâ.	[Alpha]	[omega]	nâ´djega	hikâ´noñgra
he made it for that.	[And]	[again]	[the tree]	the fruit

wárudjirénâ.	Naî´sawara	[beta]	warudjirénâ.	[Epsilon]
they ate.	The top of the tree	[there]	[they ate].	[And so]

waírenâ	rajerá	hinuñgrá	hijâ	wagaíranána,
they said	the name	women, the	one	they would call it,

"Naî´sawarudjga,"	higairénâ.	[Alpha]	mâní	hakaraíregi
["She who Eat from the Top of the Tree,"]	[the name.]	[And]	walking	when they went

mânáñgere	nañksúñksuntc	hireje	airenâ.	Saniñk
the earth	tremble	they made	[they say].	[Side]

wiaghéphura*	howaraíreje.	[Epsilon]	waíreje,	'uañgerá
east	they went.	[And so]	they said that	a man

*a 'w' is overprinted on an initial 'h'.

hijâ´	rajera	"Manañksûdjega,"	aireje.	[Alpha]
one	the name	"Shakes the Earth,"	[they said].	[And]

p. 5 --

hikínûberá*	hisge	heréregi	xununá	wagaíranâ´je,
brothers	some	[if] there were	smallest	they would call him,

*the initial 'h' appears (perhaps by accident) to be partly blotted out.

"Watcójumaniñga,"	higairanâ´je.	[Alpha]	[omega]	hinuñgerá
"Leader Walking,"	[they called him].	[And]	[again]	[the women]

hijâ´	heregíji,	"Hakdjagúwiñga,"	hikigaíreje.	[Omega]
[one]	[came to be],	"Back Coming,"	call themselves.	[Again]

'uañgera,	"Hakdjáguga,"	hikigaíreje.	Tcegédja,	hakdja
[the men],	["Coming Back,"]	[they would call him.]	In the beginning,	back

hagi	nâghînega.	[Epsilon]	hawa'û	waíreje	hixgôxgô´na
there	they went again.	That's the reason, therefore	on account of	[they say that]	movements

djasge	híregi	érac	hiraníneje.	Rajera
whatever	they did	from that	they got their names.	[The names]

djasge	'uañkcik'o-î´negi,	eáwa'û	rac	kirádjiréje.
however	they lived	therefore	name	themselves they called.

[Alpha]	hohuhídjâne	hirukóno	'uañkcik'-î´neje.	[Epsilon]
[And]	the winds of the cardinal points (the 4 winds)*	had control of	they lived.	[And so]

* Parenthetical material is Radin's.

p. 6 --

hâp	p'íñxdjî	hijâ´	hora	tcât'îcge,	hâbera
day	very nice	one	voice	heard	[the day]

hikirutcâ´nega	hâp	cícigi	kiridjénâje.	[Omega]
it would exchange	[day]	[bad] he makes	it would become.*	[Again]

* Radin writes at the top of page 6 -- "deer's bellowing will make day bad." Then he lists three words meaning wind: hohuhí, tcatc, maîdjadjéhi.

hâp	cícigi	dja'û	hijâ	horá
[day]	[bad]	it being	[one]	voice

tcât'îcge,	hâbera	p'íñxdjî	kiridjénâje.	[Epsilon]
heard should (if)	[day]	[a very good]	[it would become].	[And so]

Tcaíkikáradjera	hâ´bera	hirukóna	'uañkcík	hirénâ.
[the Deer Clan]	[the day]	[they have control over]	people	they are.

[Epsilon]	rac	kirádjirénâ,	"Tcádjicgátcga,"	hikigaíreje.
[And so]	[name]	they called themselves,	"Wind They Play with,"	[they would call him.]

[Omega]	waíreje,	"Rek'umaníwiñga,"	aireje.	Tcanañgere
[Also]	[they say,]	"Going with the Wind Woman,"	[they say.]	Deer

hominóñgirekdjéra	tcágiwaíregi	rek'uharaíranañga	minóñk	hires'áje,
where they would sit	going towards	going with the wind	to sit	they would,

[epsilon]	waíreje.	[Alpha]	manúñgere	[psi]
[and so]	[they say that.]	[And]	[earth ...]	[not]

p. 7 --

niñgé	nañgâc´-hiraníje.*	[Beta]	hagúireje.	Xederá
[anywhere]	not to miss they did.	[There]	they came home.	The big one**

* Radin connects to this word with a line the following: "i. e., they're all over the earth."
** Radin has "a big."

k'ânéje.	[Alpha]	waíreje,	"Djasgekdjenegúni?"	aíreje.
he fell (dead).*	[And]	[they said,]	"What is going to happen?"**	they said.

* The parenthetical word is Radin's. An original "they" was struck out and replaced by "he".
* Radin originally had, "now it's going to happen," but struck out "now" and wrote "what" above it.

[Alpha]	Hénuñga	wéje,	"Hisúñgedjî	[psi]
[And]	2nd [born]	[he said,]	["My younger brother,]	[not]

hagá	wajâ´,	aíreje."	Gadjâ´	wejé,
[at any time]	[something]	[did he say]."	[Then]	[he said],

["Psi]	wajôna	hijâ	yapérezenínâ."*	Hisuñkhíra
["Not]	something	[one]	I do not know."	His yr. bro.

* An initial "hi" was struck out in favor of "y".

Nañghígacana*	heregádjâ	éje,	[alpha]	wejé,
[Fourth born only]	it is	[he spoke,]	[and]	[and said,]

* No less than three terminations other than "-cana" were thoroughly crossed out.

"Hinixdjî´wira,	hinihihiwira	t'égadjâ.*	Mâ'úna	jésge
"My dear older bro's,	our older broth.	[has died.]	[Earthmaker]	[that way, thus]

*after this word, what looks like 'hiré' was heavily crossed out.

higé	jesgénâ."	[Alpha]	t'egá	hokít'eje
he did	[that way]."	[And]	the dead one	he talked to

wagéje,	"Tcekdjína	hiníhaxdjin	déeji	tcekdjî**
[he said to him,]	"In the first place,	my old. bro.,	this one	the first one

* Radin has a number of other words crossed out with "in the first place" written above them.
** 'tcixdjî´' is crossed out and 'tcékdjî' is written above it.

hotcaíwerá	Wagûzerá	niñgígige.	Dejesgénâ.	[Alpha]
place of safety	the Maker	he did for you.	[That he did.]	[And]

'uañkcígo-î´na	xedehí	curudjísnañga.	[Alpha]	maî´hageré-gi
life	big piece*	you have not reached.	[And]	above ground, on top of earth

*"he --- large' is crossed out and 'big piece' is written over it.

wenâ´djodjaî´sge	wairá-gic'ûwínâ.	[Alpha]	djagu	hinigékdjoneháre
poor	us you make (did)*	[And]	what	I'm going to ask you

*the parenthetical material is Radin's.

jésge	hinagít'ûcára	radjikérekdjonénâ	'uañkcígo-î´na	horaícdjôna
[this kind]	you'll leave us (behind)*	you're going home	life the	that you missed

*the parenthetical material is Radin's.

maîhágerégi	niñgidawínâ.	Hirasá	'uañkcík	ya-íñkdjawínâ.
[above ground]	we beg (ask) of you.*	With	life*	let us live with that (we'll use it).**

*this word follows the word 'man' which is crossed out.
**the parenthetical material is Radin's.

Horaícdjâcáraré	wagénâ.	[Alpha]	wodá	hinûbrá
What you have left off	I mean that.	[And]	request	the second

deerénâ	wonáñghirera	djasge	curugócererá	woidokík'îna
that's it	wars	what	you didn't handle	the honors (in war)*

*the parenthetical material is Radin's.

curuxúrugenâna,	[alpha]	maî´hagerégi	ne	wadutcábikdjawínâ.
all that you would have earned,	[here]	[above ground]	we	will handle.

p. 9 --

Dejesge	niñgidánâ,	hiniháxdjî.	[Alpha]	wodá
[You have done]	of you I ask,	o elder brother.	[And]	request

hidanína	deérenâ:	worudjera	djasgéxdjî	caragôghera,
third	this is:	food	[all]	you miss with your mouth,

djánuñga	naíñkinoñgra,	[omega]	djánuñga	xawî´sgura (?)**	heregí
[as many, all]	tree fruits (nuts, etc.),*	[also]	[all]	sweet food (some kind of food)	it is

*The parenthetical matter is Radin's.
**The question mark supplied by Radin probably indicates his inability to identify this kind of food. On the other hand, it may have expressed his doubt about the Hotcâk form of the word, since originally the first syllable is struck out, and 'xawî' is written above it.

radjenûna	jeé	horaícdjâna	rat'ûcára	cerera	[omega]
would eat	that	you missed	you left behind	(when) you went*	[again]

*The parenthetical matter is Radin's.

jeé	ne	hadutcábikdjawínâ.*	Dée	horaícdjû
[that]	[we]	[we will get a hold of].	[This one]	[you missed]

*for 'hadu-' Radin appears to have 'Hada-', but other instances of the word show the former spelling.

cerera	niñgidánâ.	E/ga*	'ûhanihékdjawínâ.	[Alpha]
[when you went]	[I ask for].	[This/these ?]	we will be using (not complete).**	[And]

*Radin has the 'e' separated off by a forward slash.
**It is not clear to me what Radin means by "not complete."

wodá	hidjóbera	dee	herénâ	hiniháxdjî:
request	four	[this]	[it is]	[O elder brother]:

djanúñga	wajâ	p'îná	'uañkcígera	woíkikághera,
[all]	[things]	good	the people	wearing apparel,

djanúñga	wajô´na	suñg?e*	horaghúkdjanehégiji,	jée
[all]	[everything]	back of tent	you're going to put in (plant),	[that]

*an original 'sage' followed by '(?)' is struck out and 'suñge' is written above it, with the penultimate letter unreadable.

p. 10 --

hañke	hacúrutcápenina,	ne	maî*	hagerégi
[not]	you should not touch it,	we	[on earth]	behind

*inserted above the line.

ya'û	hanihekdjawínâ."	Dejesge	niñgidánâ.	[Alpha]*
we use	we will be."	[That he did]	[he asked].	"[And]

*after this symbol, Radin started to write 'dejes[ga]' but crossed it out.

hatcíndja	tcaragiwékdjanaharé,	[beta]	p'íñxdjî	wodára
[wherever]	you are going,	[there]	[exceedingly good things]	request

maî´	hagerégi	hadutcábikdjawínâ,	méjesge	hiroákipúnuwínâ."
[on earth]	[left behind]	[we will get hold of],	[for this]	we have petitioned for ourselves."

[Alpha]	wasé	cutc	(rusce,)*	[alpha]
[And]	paint	red	he took,	[and]

*Radin has put this in parentheses as if to suggest that the raconteur had left this essential word out.

wageje,*	"Hiniháxdjî,	rokikéweniñgígikdjaneháre.	Hiniñgírekdjanénâ	hogiédja
he said,	"Brother,	paint you I am going.	They will recognize you	at home

*what looks like ''uañkéji' has been crossed out and 'wageje' written above it.

méjesge	ho'ûnáhaniwínâ.	Hak howárehíre	djánuñga	'uañkcík*
[for this]	the way we have.	Hereafter	[all]	[men]

*after this word the entry 'wani' is crossed out.

p. 11 --

wagi-inekdjâneháwire	hanâtc´	nicge	mejesgehi*	hiránihékdjonénâ.
those who are to live after	[all]	also	[like this]	they will be doing.

*'nicge mejesgehi' replaces an original 'nicgejesgehihiranâ hékdjanénâ'.

Horokíkewéra	dejesge	worágera	nihékdjanénâ,"	éje.
The manner of painting	[he did just this way]	the story	will be,"	[he said].

[Alpha]	p'éra*	uñghíni	hisépgigíje,	[alpha]
[And]	forehead	charcoal	he blackened,	and

*after this word, the word 'hoghí' is crossed out.

hicdjaretcgera	cudj	ciríp	wagigiréje,	[alpha]
corners of eye	red	streaks, striped*	they did	[and]

*'streaks' is written above 'striped', but the latter is not crossed out.

hirábera	doxíra	cudjgigíje.	[Alpha]	woxek'airánoga.
chin	front throat	red he made.	[And]	grave they dug.

[Beta]	xaireje.	[Alpha]	hinihára	hika rohóginâ.*
[There]	they buried [him].	[And]	the song	?(he got ready)? .**

*'hika rohóginâ' was originally, 'higî hika rohóginâ nañgíwaje nañgiwaínekdjégi'. The rest of it was struck out.
**the parentheses and question marks are those of Radin.

Nañgíwâ	nácdjañgi,	[alpha]	xaíreje.	[Alpha]
Singing	he finished,	[and]	[they buried him].	[And]

mânáñgere	ho'u'ineje.	[Alpha]	'uañgonina*	hatcî´dja
around the world	they travelled.	[And]	clan	where

*the word 'wakínina' is crossed out and ''uañgonina' written above it.

p. 12 -

sdonañkíji	[beta]	hadjíhiregíji.	'Uañkcik	hirejé.
they gathered	[there]	they came.	People	they were.

[Epsilon]	"Tcahikikáratc,"	wigaírera.	'Uañkcik	hi'îhanínera
[And so]	["Deer Clan,"]	they called them.	Their life	their own

méjesge	tcaídja	'uañkcik î´nenâ.	Tcekhohuédja	[epsilon]
[this way]	at deer	they lived.	Where they started from	[thus]

Tcaikikáradjenáñgere	rájera.	Djasgé	tcanáñgere	hoixgô´na
[the Deer Clan]	[the names].	[How, what]	the deer	their habits

hináñki	é	rac	hiráninénâ.*	Jigé**
whatever they do	that	name	they derive from.	[Again]

*these three words were originally run together thus, 'érachiráninénâ', but afterwards separted by foreward slashes.
**the letter omega was crossed out and 'jigé' written after it.

djasge	hadjáranáñgere,	jesge	rajera	haninénâ.
[how, what]	you see in them,	[this way]	[the names]	they have.

"Hîsgaga,"	airenâ	rajera.	Jigé	"Sageréga,"
"White Hair,"	[they say]	[the name].	[Again]	"Fast One,"

aírenâ.	Tcará	(?)hirasgániñke*	waírenâ.	Jigé
[they say].	[The deer]	little white teeth**	[they are said].	[Again]

*the question mark was inserted by Radin.
**'little white fur' is the correct translation, as 'hira' also means 'fur, hair'.

p. 13 --

sageránañke	[epsilon]	waírenâ.	"Wakuñkúñga,"*	airenâ.
fast	because	[it is said].	"A Wild (Diffident, Shy One),"**	[they say].

*each 'o' in the word has a 'u' written over it. Given the next occurrance of this word, the 'u' reading is taken as preferred.
**'shy one' is written over a parenthetical 'diffident'.

Tcanuñgere	wakûkû´nañke	waírenâ.	Jigé*	"Hezazátcga,"
[Deer]	[shy]	[it is said].	[Again]	"Pronged Horn,"

*at least one word after 'jigé' has been crossed out.

airenâ.	Héra	zazádjenañke	waírenâ.	Cuñgerajeracge
[they say].	The horn	[pronged]	[it is said].	Dog names

jésge	hirénâ.	[Epsilon]	Tcahikikáratcenáñgere	méjesge
[that kind]	they are.	[And so]	[the Deer Clan]	[this way]

ánañkcanâ.	[Epsilon]	méjesge	'uañkcikínena	Mógacudjédja
he said.	[And so]	[this way]	they live	at Red Bank

Derok	airegíji.	[Beta]*	'uáñkhonína	sdohirégi
Within Lake	[when he said it].	[There]	are? members? of one clan**	gather together,

*after the letter beta, the word 'wañgoní' is crossed out.
**in parentheses below this is '(man to hunt)'. This word should simply mean clan -- see ''uañgonina' above.

[beta]	djánuñga	'uañgonihokirádjera,	[beta]	tcek
[there]	[all]	clans different,	[there]	where they first

hahurénâ.	Jedjâ´na	dee.
commenced.	The end	this.

English Translation

Source:

"Deer Clan Origin Myth," in Paul Radin, [unpublished] Winnebago Notebooks, Winnebago III, #19a, Freeman number 3899 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society) 1-13.