Hocąk Text — East Enters the Medicine Lodge, Version 2

narrated by Jasper Blowsnake

   
Winnebago II, #6: 181   Winnebago III, #6: 379

English Translation

p. 378, s. 10 —
10djasgéją hąbogurĕ́gi widjirásĕwĕ xĕ́dera naŋk’íji
Jasgéžą hąbogurégi Wijirásewe xétera nąkiži?
What kind in the east [Island Weight] [great] [while it sat] ?

 

 

p. 379 —
hítcųcgĕhàra hiranąk’ik’į ’úiṇĕ wogų́zotcira tcawegíji.
Hícųšgehára hiranąk’ik’i ’úine Wogų́zocira cawegíži.
My Grandson [he felt] they made [Creation Lodge] [as he went towards it.]

 

 

11hoidjĕ djobŏ́hą ruhadjídjegàdją tciróbĕrĕgi djidjéjĕ
Hoije jobóhą ruhajíjegáją, ciróberegi jijéže.
[Steps] [four ] [after he took steps,] [to the door] he came.

 

 

wógųzotcìra tciróbera haŋkĕ wają́ ṇonosanídjejĕ,
Wógųzocíra ciróbera hąke wažą́ ronosaníježe,
[The Creation Lodge] the door [not] [anything] not to close it,

 

 

12jesganúnigĕ hĭŋkĕ waxop’íni wahehe wáną-iok’àwadjihuhìp’ini.
žesganúnige hįke waxop’ini wahehe wáną’i-ok’áwajihuhíp’ini,
and yet [not] spirit weak* mind - they can’t get it inside,

*placed before this word are the two words, "minor young".

 

 

13jesgádjejĕ hąbogúrĕginą`gĕrĕ hik’áwadjihu-ànąga hą́bĕra
žesgáježe. Hąborúreginą́gere hik’áwajihu-ánąga hą́bera
that’s how it was. Those in the east* he came inside, and Life

*the translation lines this out in favor of "the last". This actually refers to just one individual.

 

 

djásgirukŏ̀nǫ k’onak’íji. 14wajągų́zĕra jenųga
jásgirukóno k’onak’iži. Wažągų́zĕra ženųga
as much as he had charge of* [he placed.]† The Creator [that much]

*below this, the text has, "in what way".
†the translation has only, "he put in charge".

 

 

rohik’ŭánąga wa’ų́jĕ p’edjitcédjera naŋgúra
rohik’uánąga wa’ų́že. P’ejicéjera nągúra
[he clothed himself with, and]* [he did it.] By the fire [the road]

*the translation has only, "he made himself an image".

 

 

mąnirá’uni-ą`k’i howahįbíjĕ, hąbinąt’ék tci-ok’iságĕra
mąnirá’unią́k’i howahįbíže. Hąbinąt’ék, ci-ok’iságera
the whole length of the earth* he went on. Imprinted with light, [the center of the lodge]

*this is written around, "from one end of the earth to the other".

 

 

hą́bera rugígis k’iridjéhijĕ naŋgúra haŋkĕ́
hą́bera rugígis k’irijéhiže. Nągúra hąké
the day round he made it become. [The Road] [not]

 

 

hotcąṇépĭni jésga hįbíjĕ. 15egi hą́bera
hocąnépini, žésga hįbíže. Égi hą́bera
it was impossible to fall,* [that way] it was. [And] the day

*this is written above, "can't take it".

 

 

ha-éhidjirèjĕ giji hą́bera k’arap’i-ésgĕ k’iridjéhijĕ
ha-éhijiréže, giži. Hą́bera k’arap’i-ésge k’irijéhiže.
he talked about [.] The day [nice] he made it become.

 

 

16haŋkĕ́ nįgĕ́ huhíni hą́bera mąxi
Hąké nįgé huhíni, hą́bera mąxi
[Not] anywhere the wind came, the rays of light clouds

 

 

k’ą́kereràcăną hirabóhųk’ djagú
k’ą́kererá šaną hirabóhųk jagú
cobwebs only they waved what

 

 

p. 380 —
irok’araíresgĕ jesgádjejĕ
irok’araíresge žesgáježe.
they were hanging on it seemed [the way they were.]

 

Source:

Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3876 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society) Winnebago II, #6: 181-182, and Winnebago III, #6: 378.10-380.17 (revised phonetic text). A loose English translation can be found in Paul Radin, The Road of Life and Death: A Ritual Drama of the American Indians. Bollingen Series V (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1973 [1945]) 267.