Ghost Dance (Wanaghí Wací) Origin Myth I

narrated by R. G.

p. 1 --

'uañgiâ´	waxopini	hiperezenâî´[2]	hâde áginâtc[2´]	[gamma]	djobóhâ
'Uañgiâ´	waxopini	hiperezenâî´je.	Hâde áginâtcce.	[gamma]	djobóhâ
A man	of the spirits	he was to learn.	He fasted.	So	four times

nâs'á[2]	hoxdj[rho´]	danína	nâbáki	hoixdjî	wanínâji[rho´]
nâs'áje.	Hoxdjánañga	danína	nâbáki	hoixdjî	wanínâjiánañga
he would sleep.	In the evening	tobacco	on both hands	full	he would hold standing and

waxopíni	warádjire	dj[rho´]	uañge[upsilon]	akí	dj[rho´]
waxopíni	warádjire	djánañga	uañgeregi	akí	djánañga
the spirits	(known)*	as many as there are	above (all that is above)*	they are,	[all]

*the parentheses are in the text.

maîháge[upsilon]	áki	here[rho´]	dj[rho´]	mâk'úhânegi	wakdjexí[-]
maîhágeregi	áki	hereánañga	djánañga	mâk'úhânegi,	Wakdjexíra
on earth	[they are]	they (are) and	[as many as]	under the earth,	[the Waterspirits]

mâ'úna	wajínukóna	wagigi[rho´]	wat'ûpgí	jeé	waxíriwa'û[2´]
Mâ'úna	wajínukóna	wagigiánañga	wat'ûpgí.	Jeé	waxíriwa'ûje.
[Earthmaker]	in charge of	he made them and	he put them.	Then	he cried to (them).

wanûdjodjoîsge[6]	k'îjé	iwust'ek'î´je	dokéwehi	t'eki[rho´]	waxopíni
wanûdjodjoîsgexdjî	k'îjé.	Iwust'ek'î´je.	Dokéwehi	t'ekiánañga	waxopíni
[very pitiful]	he made himself.	He made himself thirst to death.	He made himself hungry	to death (and)	spirits

axire[2´]	hahí	hakéwehâ	nâs'á[2]	hahí	haruwóñgahâ
axirejé.	Hahí	hakéwehâ	nâs'áje.	Hahí	haruwóñgahâ,
he cried to.	After awhile	six times	he would sleep.	After awhile	eight times,

kereponaíjâ	nâs'á[2]	giégi	waxopini	warádjire	'uañg[úpsilon]
kereponaíjâ	nâs'áje,	giégi	waxopini	warádjire	'uañgrégi
ten times	[he would sleep,]	and then	[the spirits]	[various]	[above]

hererá	maîhági[upsilon´]	hererá	mâk'úhânegi	huñgé	hiránihegi
hererá,	maîhágirégi	hererá,	mâk'úhânegi	huñgé	hiránihegi,
[they are,]	[on earth]	[they are,]	[below the earth]	[chiefs]*	that were,

*the translation has "water-spirits".

p. 2* --

hanâ´tcî[6]	nâdjodjaîneje	waxopíni	warádjirera	hoitcgúsdî[2´]	mânégûsdî.
hanâ´tcîxdjî	nâdjodjaîneje.	Waxopíni	warádjirera	hoitcgúsdîjé,	mânégûsdî.
all of them	they blessed him.	[The spirits]	[there are]	everyone he went to,	forever (to measure by the earth).**

*at the top of the page is written the following definitions: "-dî = mighty. [dot-bar] = kdjoné[.] hoitcgu - to break through ice[.] hoitcgus - to not leaving anything (thoroughly)".
**the parenthetical matter is in the text.

iwús	t'ek'íñge	[epsilon]	[X]djegá	kewajâ´nijâ´	nûníni
Iwús,	t'ek'íñge.	Ásge	uañgdjegá	kewajâ´nijâ´	nûníni
He was thirsty,	therefore he killed himself.	Therefore	[that man]	not anything	omniscient*

*a double negative: "not unknowledgeable".

djidjé[2]	[beta]	warughápgûse	[alpha]	wanaghí	wirúkononá
djidjéje.	Édja	warughápgûse	Égi	wanaghí	wirúkononá
he became.	[There]	he made a warbundle.	[And]	ghost	he is in charge of

nâdjodjô[2´]	wage[2´]	wanghíwirúkonánoñka	[X]cigé	nâdjonidjánâ	hige[2´]
nâdjodjôjé.	Wagejé,	"Wanghíwirúkonánoñka.	Uañgcigé,	nâdjonidjánâ,"	higejé.
he blessed him.	He said to him,	["Ghosts I am in charge of.]	Human being,	I bless you,"	he said to him.

[psi]	wajâ´nijâ	ranuníniñ[bar-dot][/]	wonághire	nâdjironídjanâ´	[X]cígo-î´na
"Hañké	wajâ´nijâ	ranuníniñkdjonénâ.	Wonághire	nâdjironídjanâ´.	Uañgcígo-î´na
["Not]	anything	will you not know of.	With wars	I bless you	with life

nâdjironidjánâ	[X]cík	wajâ´nínera	nâdjirónidjânâ	tcinógenoñgere	nedukónana
nâdjironidjánâ.	Uañgcík	wajâ´nínera	nâdjirónidjânâ.	Tcinógenoñgere	nedukónana,
I bless you with.	The people's	possessions	I bless you with.	This village	I am in charge of,

hanâtc´	nâdjirónidjâ´nâ	howací	haniná	nâdjirónidjâ´ne	djadjaíñ[6]
hanâtc´	nâdjirónidjâ´nâ.	Howací	haniná	nâdjirónidjâ´ne	djadjaíñxdjî
with all	I bless you.	(My) dance	will	I bless you with	as long as

p'á	redjúna	ranicé[gamma]	jedjaiñ[6] p'á	nâdjonidjâ´ne.
p'á	redjúna	ranicé[gamma],	jedjaiñxdjî p'á	nâdjonidjâ´ne.
[that far]	your roots (descendants)	they shall be,	that long	I bless you.

djadjoná	howací	deé	[X]cig	warókiju[beta´]	djikérerakaragigi	howaghaganañk
Djadjoná	howací	deé	uañgcig	warókijuédja	djikérerakaragigi,	howaghaganañk
Whenever	dance	this	your people	among	you start it,	they should have

p. 3 --

'uerécge	wedjaî´ne[dot-bar][/]	[alpha]	jigé	nâghírag[-´]	djanoñgá
'uerécge	wedjaî´nekdjonénâ.	Égi	jigé	nâghíragrá	djanoñgá
lies sickly,	they will get well.	[And]	[again]	the soul	all

waiheheághweregí	hakdjidjá	waniñgíju	hahi[dot-bar][/]	waréwaniná	hahirécge
waiheheághweregí	hakdjidjá	waniñgíju	hahikdjonénâ.	Waréwaniná	hahirécge
that which may be frail	back to	to place them*	I will come.	My servants	if they come

*this is written above "I will", which has been crossed out.

hicgé	nañghírag	hakdjidjá	waniñgíju	hahírekdjoné	danína
hicgé	nañghírag	hakdjidjá	waniñgíju.	Hahírekdjoné."	Danína
they also	the souls	[back to]	[to place them].	They [will come]."	Tobacco

nîdákadj[-´]	hoicípdjî	wákaraiksaípdjonénâ	[uañg]djegá	wajâ´xedéjâ	hiperezdé
nîdákadjrá	hoicípdjî	wákaraiksaípdjonénâ.	Uañgdjegá	wajâ´xedéjâ	hiperezdé.
hot water	always	he would remember.	The man	a great thing	he knew of.

xap'é	higuâ´na	karak'û´	rogúnâ	wa'ûjé	dotcômârádjaniñga
Xap'é	higuâ´na	karak'û´	rogúnâ.	Wa'ûjé	dotcômârádjaniñga.
Right away	now	to do it	he wanted to.	He did this	war-date he fixed.

dotcôránañga	rohañ[6]	tcojur[rho´]	wokdjékiri[rho´]	wakdjexéde[6]	'u[rho´]
Dotcôránañga	rohañxdjî	tcojuránañga	wokdjékiriánañga	wakdjexédexdjî	'uánañga
To war he went (and)	very many	he took along (and)	victorious he came back (and)	by victory	he did (and)

é	hâdéjâ	wa'û´djera	hiperézirekdjégi	[alpha]	Wanaghiówacíra
é	hâdéjâ	wa'û´djera	hiperézirekdjégi.	Égi	Wanaghiówacíra
so	a dreamer	he was	that they might know.	Then	the Ghost Dance

gûsánâ	[beta]	uañgcígo-îjâ	herejé	hirege	[epsilon]	jeé
gûsánâ	édja	uañgcígo-îjâ	herejé,	hirege,	asge	jeé
he started	[there]	a life	there was	he thought,	[and so]	[this]

je[lambda]hínâ	wagigóxedé[6´]	'ûwa'úna	wanaghíwirúkonona	wogihánoga	wohô´na
jejésgehínâ.	Wagigóxedéxdjî	'ûwa'úna.	Wanaghíwirúkonona	wogihánoga.	Wohô´na
that way he did.	A large feast giving	he did give.	Ghosts they were in charge of	he boiled for.*	Kettles

*"boiled" is written over a scribbled out word.

p. 4* --

wonághirera	[X]cígo-îna	[X]cígwaínina	djanuñgowájajoki	nañghirág[-´]	hakdjá
wonághirera,	uañgcígo-îna,	uañgcígwaínina,	djanuñgowájajoki	nañghirágrá	hakdjá
wars,	life,	people's clothing,	all that may be frail	the souls	back

higí	wainogíja	radji[dot-bar][2]	hicerá	[lambda]	niñgidánâ
higí	wainogíja,	radjikdjonéje,	hicerá,	jésge	niñgidánâ."
to us	place them,	you would come,	you said,	[that kind]	I ask for."

wanañghí	mónâtc*	horadjé[-]	hiresá	wawogihâ[2´]	hirasá
Wanañghí	Mónâtc	horadjéra	hiresá	wawogihâjé,	hirasá
Wanañghí	Mónâtc**	roamed, visited	with	he boiled for them,	[with]

*Note by Paul Radin: "Wanañghí Mónâtc = some spirits who always were in ghost shape. They could be any [where?] above, on earth and below."
**here Radin writes "earth (?)".

daniwogíju[2]	hicgé	hitcakárowirá	wanâ´igiórakarakerewi[2´].	hicawíra	djagu
daniwogíjuje.	Hicgé	hitcakárowirá	wanâ´igiórakarakerewijé.	Hicawíra	djagu
poured tobacco for them.	You also,	my friends,	minds you put in (added) for me.	You said (promised) to me	what

nâdjiroiradjâ´wira	[lambda]	niñgidawínâ	wonághire[-´]	[X]cígo-î´na
nâdjiroiradjâ´wira	jesge	niñgidawínâ	wonághirerá	uañgcígo-î´na
you blessed me with	that kind	I ask for:	wars	life

s'i	[X]cígo-ìk'djáwige	[epsilon]	danióniñgíjuwínâ	[rho]	[alpha]
s'i	uañgcígo-ìk'djáwige,	ásge	danióniñgíjuwínâ,"	ánañga.	"Égi
long	that we might live,	so	tobacco I fill for you,"	[he said.]	"[Then]

[X]cíg[-]	djanuñgá[...]	hanâ´tcî[6]	wanaghíowaciaká	wak'âtcáñk	hiranâî´nanâ
uañgcíg	djanuñga[...]."	Hanâ´tcîxdjî	Wanaghíowaciaká	wak'âtcáñk	hiranâî´nanâ,
human	all that w[ill]."	All	Ghost Dance	sacred	they thought it,

[epsilon]	haizó[6]	hirénâ	wacirá	[X][-´]	djopíwi
ásge	haizóxdjî	hirénâ.	Wacirá	uañgerá	djopíwi
so	attentive	they were.	[The] dance	the people	four of them

p. 5 --

hinuñg[-´]	[X][-´]	pejs'age[upsilon´]	[X]cigo-î	gixéwe	wonághire	gixewé
Hinuñgrá,	uañgerá	pejs'agerégi,	uañgcigo-î	gixéwe,	wonághire	gixewé.
Women,	the people	whosoever they are,	life	to obtain,	war	to obtain.

English Translation

Source:

R. G., "Ghost Dance," in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1909?) #79, 1-5.