Ghost Dance (Wanaǧí Waší) Origin Myth I
narrated by R. G.
The MS is written in ink in a clear hand, and is almost completely translated. At the very top center of the first page is written, "Ghost Dance", which is underlined twice and has a line with half an arrow head pointed at the title centered on the first line. This title is "Wanaǧí Waší (Ghost Dance)". In between these two titles and slightly offset to the right are the initials "R. G.". At the same level at the extreme left, written in large numerals and underlined, is "47". The MS has a fair number of morpheme abbreviations. The following are the values of the Greek letter and other morpheme abbreviations used in this text:
[α] | [β] | [γ] | [ε] | [λ] | [ρ] | [υ] | [ϕ] |
égi | éja | giži, gają ? | ásge | žesge | -ánañga | -regi | hañké |
[X] | [2] | [ɕ] | [/] | [-] | [·|] |
uañk | -že, -še | -xjį | -ną | -ra | -kjoné |
Reading supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle) are in brackets, [ ].
p. 1 —
’uañgią́ | waxopini | hiperezenąį́[2] | hąde áginątc[2´] | [γ] | djobóhą |
’Uañgią́ | waxopini | hiperezenąį́že. | Hąte áginącše. | [γ] | jobóhą |
A man | of the spirits | he was to learn. | He fasted. | So | four times |
nąs’á[2] | hoxdj[ρ´] | danína | nąbáki | hoixdjį | wanínąji[ρ´] |
nąs’áže. | Hoxjánañga | tanína | nąbáki | hoixjį | wanínąžiánañga |
he would sleep. | In the evening | tobacco | on both hands | full | he would hold standing and |
waxopíni | warádjire | dj[ρ´] | uañge[υ] | akí | dj[ρ´] |
waxopíni | warájire | jánañga | uañgeregi | akí | jánañga |
the spirits | (known)* | as many as there are | above (all that is above)* | they are, | [all] |
maįháge[υ] | áki | here[ρ´] | dj[ρ´] | mąk’úhąnegi | wakdjexí[-] |
maįhágeregi | áki | hereánañga | jánañga | mąk’úhąnegi, | Wakjexíra |
on earth | [they are] | they (are) and | [as many as] | under the earth, | [the Waterspirits] |
mą’úna | wajínukóna | wagigi[ρ´] | wat’ųpgí | jeé | waxíriwa’ų[2´] |
Mą’úna | wažínukóna | wagigiánañga | wat’ųpgí. | Žeé | waxíriwa’ųže. |
[Earthmaker] | in charge of | he made them and | he put them. | Then | he cried to (them). |
wanųdjodjoįsge[ɕ] | k’įjé | iwust’ek’į́je | dokéwehi | t’eki[ρ´] | waxopíni |
wanųjojoįsgexjį | k’įžé. | Iwust’ek’į́že. | Tokéwehi | 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 | hakéwehą | nąs’á[2] | hahí | haruwóñgahą |
axirežé. | Hahí | hakéwehą | nąs’áže. | Hahí | haruwóñgahą, |
he cried to. | After awhile | six times | he would sleep. | After awhile | eight times, |
kereponaíją | nąs’á[2] | giégi | waxopini | warádjire | ’uañg[úpsilon] |
kereponaížą | nąs’áže, | giégi | waxopini | warájire | ’uañgrégi |
ten times | [he would sleep,] | and then | [the spirits] | [various] | [above] |
hererá | maįhági[υ´] | hererá | mąk’úhąnegi | huñgé | hiránihegi |
hererá, | maįhágirégi | hererá, | mąk’úhąnegi | huñgé | hiránihegi, |
[they are,] | [on earth] | [they are,] | [below the earth] | [chiefs]* | that were, |
p. 2* —
haną́tcį[ɕ] | nądjodjaįneje | waxopíni | warádjirera | hoitcgúsdį[2´] | mąnégųsdį. |
haną́cįxjį | nąjojaįneže. | Waxopíni | warájirera | hoicgústįžé, | mąnégųstį. |
all of them | they blessed him. | [The spirits] | [there are] | everyone he went to, | forever (to measure by the earth).† |
iwús | t’ek’íñge | [ε] | [X]djegá | kewają́niją́ | nųníni |
Iwús, | t’ek’íñge. | Ásge | uañgjegá | kewažą́nižą́ | nųníni |
He was thirsty, | therefore he killed himself. | Therefore | [that man] | not anything | omniscient* |
djidjé[2] | [β] | warughápgųse | [α] | wanaghí | wirúkononá |
jijéže. | Éja | waruǧápgųse | Égi | wanaǧí | wirúkononá |
he became. | [There] | he made a warbundle. | [And] | ghost | he is in charge of |
nądjodjǫ[2´] | wage[2´] | wanghíwirúkonánoñka | [X]cigé | nądjonidjáną | hige[2´] |
nąjojǫžé. | Wagežé, | "Wanǧíwirúkonánoñka. | Uañgšigé, | nąjonijáną," | higežé. |
he blessed him. | He said to him, | ["Ghosts I am in charge of.] | Human being, | I bless you," | he said to him. |
[ϕ] | wają́niją | ranuníniñ[|·][/] | wonághire | nądjironídjaną́ | [X]cígo-į́na |
"Hañké | wažą́nižą | ranuníniñkjonéną. | Wonáǧire | nąjironíjaną́. | Uañgšígo-į́na |
["Not] | anything | will you not know of. | With wars | I bless you | with life |
nądjironidjáną | [X]cík | wają́nínera | nądjirónidjąną | tcinógenoñgere | nedukónana |
nąjironijáną. | Uañgšík | wažą́nínera | nąjirónijąną. | Cinógenoñgere | nedukónana, |
I bless you with. | The people's | possessions | I bless you with. | This village | I am in charge of, |
hanątc´ | nądjirónidją́ną | howací | haniná | nądjirónidją́ne | djadjaíñ[ɕ] |
haną́c | nąjiróniją́ną. | Howaší | haniná | nąjiróniją́ne | jajaíñxjį |
with all | I bless you. | (My) dance | will | I bless you with, | as long as |
p’á | redjúna | ranicé[γ] | jedjaiñ[ɕ] p’á | nądjonidją́ne. |
p’á | rejų́na | ranišé[γ], | žejaiñxjį p’á | nąjoniją́ne. |
[that far] | your roots (descendants) | they shall be, | that long | I bless you. |
djadjoná | howací | deé | [X]cig | warókiju[β´] | djikérerakaragigi | howaghaganañk |
Jajoná | howaší | teé | uañgšig | warókižuéja | jikérerakaragigi, | howaǧaganañk |
Whenever | dance | this | your people | among | you start it, | they should have |
p. 3 —
’uerécge | wedjaį́ne[·|][/] | [α] | jigé | nąghírag[-´] | djanoñgá |
’ueréšge | wejaį́nekjonéną. | Égi | žigé | nąǧíragrá | janoñgá |
lies sickly, | they will get well. | [And] | [again] | the soul | all |
waiheheághweregí | hakdjidjá | waniñgíju | hahi[·|][/] | waréwaniná | hahirécge |
waiheheáǧweregí | hakjijá | waniñgížu | hahikjonéną. | Waréwaniná | hahiréšge |
that which may be frail | back to | to place them* | I will come. | My servants | if they come |
hicgé | nañghírag | hakdjidjá | waniñgíju | hahírekdjoné | danína |
hišgé | nañǧírag | hakjijá | waniñgížu. | Hahírekjoné." | Tanína |
they also | the souls | [back to] | [to place them]. | They [will come]." | Tobacco |
nįdákadj[-´] | hoicípdjį | wákaraiksaípdjonéną | [uañg]djegá | wają́xedéją | hiperezdé |
nįtákajrá | hoišípjį | wákaraiksaípjonéną. | Uañgjegá | wažą́xetéžą | hiperezté. |
hot water | always | he would remember. | The man | a great thing | he knew of. |
xap’é | higuą́na | karak’ų́ | rogúną | wa’ųjé | dotcǫmąrádjaniñga |
Xap’é | higuą́na | karak’ų́ | rogúną. | Wa’ųžé | tocǫmąrájaniñga. |
Right away | now | to do it | he wanted to. | He did this | war-date he fixed. |
dotcǫránañga | rohañ[ɕ] | tcojur[ρ´] | wokdjékiri[ρ´] | wakdjexéde[ɕ] | ’u[ρ´] |
Tocǫránañga | rohañxjį | cožuránañga | wokjékiriánañga | wakjexétexjį | ’uánañga |
To war he went (and) | very many | he took along (and) | victorious he came back (and) | by victory | he did (and) |
é | hądéją | wa’ų́djera | hiperézirekdjégi | [α] | Wanaghiówacíra |
é | hątéžą | wa’ų́jera | hiperézirekjégi. | Égi | Wanaǧiówašíra |
so | a dreamer | he was | that they might know. | Then | the Ghost Dance |
gųsáną | [β] | uañgcígo-įją | herejé | hirege | [ε] | jeé |
gųsáną | éja | uañgšígo-įžą | herežé, | hirege, | asge | žeé |
he started | [there] | a life | there was | he thought, | [and so] | [this] |
je[λ]híną | wagigóxedé[ɕ´] | ’ųwa’úna | wanaghíwirúkonona | wogihánoga | wohǫ́na |
žežésgehíną. | Wagigóxetéxjį | ’ųwa’úna. | Wanaǧíwirúkonona | wogihánoga. | Wohǫ́na |
that way he did. | A large feast giving | he did give. | Ghosts they were in charge of | he boiled for.* | Kettles |
p. 4* —
godjowaírehi | hagikére[2] | wanaghíwirúkononá | daniógijugi | wejé | tcoká |
gojowaírehi | hagikéreže, | Wanaǧíwirúkononá | taniógižugi, | wežé, | "Coká, |
way over there it reached to | he set on for him, | the Ghost Chief. | Having offered tobacco for, | he said, | "Grandfather, |
wonághirera | [X]cígo-įna | [X]cígwaínina | djanuñgowájajoki | nañghirág[-´] | hakdjá |
wonáǧirera, | uañgšígo-įna, | uañgšígwaínina, | januñgowážažoki | nañǧirágrá | hakjá |
wars, | life, | people's clothing, | all that may be frail | the souls | back |
higí | wainogíja | radji[·|][2] | hicerá | [λ] | niñgidáną |
higí | wainogíža, | rajikjonéže, | hišerá, | žésge | niñgitáną." |
to us | place them, | you would come, | you said, | [that kind] | I ask for." |
wanañghí | mónątc* | horadjé[-] | hiresá | wawogihą[2´] | hirasá |
Wanañǧí | Mónąc | horajéra | hiresá | wawogihąžé, | hirasá |
Wanañǧí | Mónąc† | roamed, visited | with | he boiled for them, | [with] |
daniwogíju[2] | hicgé | hitcakárowirá | waną́igiórakarakerewi[2´]. | hicawíra | djagu |
taniwogížuže. | Hišgé | hicakárowirá | waną́igiórakarakerewižé. | Hišawíra | jagu |
poured tobacco for them. | You also, | my friends, | minds you put in (added) for me. | You said (promised) to me | what |
nądjiroiradją́wira | [λ] | niñgidawíną | wonághire[-´] | [X]cígo-į́na |
nąjiroirają́wira | žesge | niñgitawíną | wonáǧirerá | uañgšígo-į́na |
you blessed me with | that kind | I ask for: | wars | life |
s’i | [X]cígo-ìk’djáwige | [ε] | danióniñgíjuwíną | [ρ] | [α] |
s’i | uañgšígo-ìk’jáwige, | ásge | tanióniñgížuwíną," | ánañga. | "Égi |
long | that we might live, | so | tobacco I fill for you," | [he said.] | "[Then] |
[X]cíg[-] | djanuñgá[...] | haną́tcį[ɕ] | wanaghíowaciaká | wak’ątcáñk | hiranąį́naną |
uañgšíg | januñga[...]." | Haną́cįxjį | Wanaǧíowašiaká | wak’ącáñk | hiranąį́naną, |
human | all that w[ill]." | All | Ghost Dance | sacred | they thought it, |
[ε] | haizó[ɕ] | hiréną | wacirá | [X][-´] | djopíwi |
ásge | haizóxjį | hiréną. | Waširá | uañgerá | jopíwi |
so | attentive | they were. | [The] dance | the people | four of them |
p. 5 —
wacitcáni | gigíre [...] | [α] | dj[ρ´] | wacínąį | jeji’ú-inekdje |
wašicáni | gigíre [...] | égi | jánañga | wašínąį | žeži’ú-inekje. |
dance leaders | they ma[de] the[m] | [and] | [all] | they were to dance | they can. |
hinuñg[-´] | [X][-´] | pejs’age[υ´] | [X]cigo-į | gixéwe | wonághire | gixewé |
Hinuñgrá, | uañgerá | pežs’agerégi, | uañgšigo-į | gixéwe, | wonáǧire | gixewé. |
Women, | the people | whosoever they are, | life | to obtain, | war | to obtain. |
Source:
R. G., "Ghost Dance," in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1909?) #79, 1-5.