Hočąk Text — Historical Origins of the Medicine Rite

Hočąk Text — Historical Origins of the Medicine Rite

narrated by Jasper Blowsnake

English Translation

In the interlinear text where the translation is missing, it has been supplied whenever possible from the English text of Winnebago Culture (see Source below). Where a missing translation has been supplied from other sources, it is enclosed in brackets, [ ].

In The Culture of the Winnebago: As Described by Themselves, Radin has used a dot (.) after the unvoiced terminal consonant of a stem to indicate its transformation into its voiced counterpart. Here that transformation has been directly expressed. I have not done this for such consonants preceeding a hyphen.

Key —

First Row	"raw" text from Paul Radin, Notebook Winnebago II, #6: 28-32.
Second Row	analytic text from The Culture of the Winnebago: As Described by Themselves
Third Row	revised text
Fourth Row	English translation based on those of The Road of Life and Death and The Culture of the Winnebago: As Described by Themselves (CW)

p. 28 (CW 67, s. 1) —

waⁿgíjaⁿ	wajaⁿiⁿpĕrezsĕ́		gíji	gip‘íⁿjĕ
wąg-híją	wają́	hipéresje	giji	gipį́je.
Wągížą	wažą́	hipéresše,	giži	gipį́že.
A man	something	he received knowledge,*	and	he liked it.

*the interlinear has, "he knows".

dĕe	p‘ĭⁿgā́djaⁿ	hīrējĕ́	hijā́iⁿpĕrĕzhā́gī
dée	pigáddją	hireje.	hiją́	hipereshági
Tée	pįgáją,	hireže.	Hižą́	hipereshági
[This]	it is good,	he thought.	[One]	to make him know

p‘ĭⁿcgū́nījĕ	hīrēgī́jī	egi	waⁿgī́joⁿ	hṓgīrāk‘cgū́nīje
pįcgúnije	hiregíji.	égi	wąg-híją	hógiracgúnije
pįšgúniže,	hiregíži.	Égi	wągížą	hógirakšgúniže
it is good,	he thought.	[Then]	a man	he told him

p. 29 (= CW 67, s. 4) —

djaguípĕresdega		karoắ djīrēgī́ji†	hanaⁿtciⁿxdjiⁿ	kārajĕ́nuⁿgā́djaⁿ
djagú	hiperesdéga.*	kará-adjìregi.	haną́tcįxdjį	kárajenugàdja.
jagú	hiperestéga.	Kará-ajìregi.	Haną́čįxjį	káraženugàją.
what	he knew.	He began his telling.	[Everything]	he got through telling him.

*this is followed in CW by "(-peres-kdjega)". In other words, -skdj- resolves to -sd-.
†there is a diagonal line (/) between /á/ and /dj/.

egi	wāⁿgĕnáⁿkā	djāsgĕ́	gīp‘íⁿnā	hĭcgĕ́
égi	wą́gnąka	djasgé	gipį́ną	hicgé
Égi	wą́genąka	jasgé	gipį́ną,	hišgé
[Then]	that man	what	he liked,	also

jesgā*	djīnáⁿkcĕ	gī́jī	waⁿkhogirā́genāⁿka	dehāⁿp
jésgadjiną́kje		giji	wąk hogirágnąka	de hąp
žésga	jiną́kše	giži.	Wąk hogirágenąka	te hąp
that kind	he got	[.]	Man he told it to	[this] day

*this is written below (jesagá), which has been crossed out.

hījaⁿ	djáⁿnĕ	jedjaíⁿxdjiⁿp‘ā́	wajíⁿpĕrezsĕ́	egi
hijądją́re		jedją́ixdjį pá	wają-híperes.	égi
hižąją́ne		žeją́ixjįpá	wažį́peresše.	Égi
one	[that]	about that far ahead	he obtained knowledge of something.	[And]

jīge	tcōwḗdjā	haⁿpnūbŏ́haⁿ	jedjaíⁿxdjĭⁿ	hīp‘ā́
jigé	tcowédja	hąp nųbóhą	jedją́ixdjį	hipá
žigé	čowéja	hąp nųbóhą	žeją́ixjį	hipá
[again]	ahead	days two	that far	[up to]

wajiⁿperezse	egi	jīge	tcōwédjā	haⁿpdjobŏ́haⁿ
wają́ hipéres.	égi	jige	tcowédja	hąp djobóhą
wažį́peresše.	Égi	žige	čowéja	hąp jobóhą
[he knew something.]	[Then]	[again]	ahead	days four

jedjaíⁿxdjiⁿ	p‘ā́	wajíⁿperezse	noⁿga	ḗgī
jedją́ixdjį	pa	wają́ hipéresje.	anąga	égi
žeją́ixjį	pa	wažį́peresše,	nąga	égi
that far	[up to]	[he knew something,]	and	[then]

hahī́	tcowédjā	haⁿp	kĕrēponāíjăⁿ	jedjaíⁿxdjĭⁿ
hahí	tcowédja	hąp	kereponá-hiją	jedją́ixdjį
hahí	čowéja	hąp	kereponaížą	žeją́ixjį
at a time	ahead	days	[ten]*	that far

*mistranslated in CW as "twelve".

wajíⁿperezsĕ́	gíjī	wajī́ⁿsgĕ	hīrānā́ⁿiⁿnēje	hisgĕ́gā́djaⁿ
wają́ hipéresje	giji.	wają́ hisgé	hiraną́’įreje	hisgegádją.
wažį́peresše,	giži.	Wažį́sge	hiraną́’įreže,	hisgegáją.
[he knew something]	[.]	Something true	they believed,	really true.

egi	jigījiⁿpĕ́rĕsge	p‘īⁿnā*	hīrāírēgī	nuⁿp
égi	jigé hiją hipéresge	pį́ra	hiráiregi	nųp
Égi	žigižįperésge	pį́na	hiraíregi	nųp
And	again because one knew	something good	they believed†	two

*just before this word, egija has been crossed out.
†"believed" is written above a crossed out "called it".

hōkīkī́cguⁿ	djīdjĕ́wīga	hijā́ⁿ	wīdā́nigī	p‘ī́ⁿnā
hokikícgų	djidjéwiga.	hiją́	widánigi	pįną
hokikíšgų	jijéwiga.	Hižą́	witánigi	pįną
companionship	it became.	One	the third	it will be good

āírējĕ	gīji	wáⁿgera	hījáⁿ	gītcaíⁿnecgū́nĕ
aíreje	giji,	wągra	hijá	gitcáirecguni
aíreže,	giži.	Wągera	hižą́	gičaírešguni,
they said,	[.]	The men	one of them	they chose

p. 30 (= CW 67, s. 13) —

gīji	waⁿgwaⁿkcik	p‘iⁿxdjĭ́ⁿjaⁿ	waⁿkwanā́ⁿiⁿ	piⁿxdjĭ́ⁿjaⁿ
giji.	wąk wąkcik	pįxdjį́-hiją,	wąk waną’i	pįxdjį́-hiją,
giži.	Wągwąkšik	pįxjį́-hižą,	wąk waną’į	pįxjį́-hižą,
[.]	Man Indian	a very good one,	[man mind]	a very good one,

waⁿk	wā́naiⁿksāpdjiⁿ́jaⁿ	waⁿk	hōkī́sāk	hāīxā́niⁿk
wąk	wanąiksáp-djį-hiją,	wąk	hokíska	haixánįk,
wąk	wánąiksapjį́žą	wąk	hokísak	haixánįk
man	a very wise one,	man	middle aged	a little beyond

jedjaiⁿxdjiⁿ́jaⁿ	jĕe	pĕ́rĕzhī́rējĕ	hījaⁿ́	wanaiⁿksā́pdjĭⁿ(gīcanŭ́na)*
jedją́ixdjį-hiją	jée	péres-hirèje.	hiją́	wanąiksàp	djį́gicanùną,
žeją́ixjįžą,	žée	péres-hirèže.	Hižą́	wanąiksàp	jį́gišanùną,
[one thus far along,]	[that one]	they thought they knew.	One	wise	just as they had become,

*the expression inside the parentheses has an asterisk after it, but there is no footnote to be found anywhere.

jĕjēsge	wāgīūínējĕ*	egi	waⁿktcṓnī	hīpĕrezhī́ga
jéjesge	wagi’ų́ireje.	égi	wąk tcóni	hípereshìga
žéžesge	wagi’ų́ireže.	Égi	wąkčóni	híperes-hìga
[that way]	they made them.	[And]	the first man	he taught this

*there are three parallel vertical lines after this word.

djasgā́nihḗga	hīcge	jesgĕ́ji	haⁿp	tcowḗdja
djásganihèga	hicgé	jesgéji	hąp	tcowédja
jásganihèga,	hišgé	žesgéži,	hąp	čowéja
as he was,	indeed	[that way he was,]	day	ahead

wajiⁿ	perezsĕ́	egi	haⁿp	hinŭⁿ́bahāīⁿ́dja
wają́	hipéresje.	égi	hąp	hinųbá-edja
wažą́	hipéresše.	Égi	hąp	hinų́bahaį́ja
[things]	[he knew.]	Then	day	on the second

jedjaiⁿxdjiⁿ	p‘ā	wajiⁿperezsĕ́	haⁿpdjobŏ́haⁿ	tcowḗdja
jedją́ixdjį	pa	wają́ hipéresje;	hąp djobóhą	tcowédja
žeją́ixjį	pa	wažįperesšé.	Hąp jobóhą	čowéja
[thus far]	[up to]	he knew things.	Four days	ahead

wajiⁿperezsĕ́	gī́p‘iⁿjĕ	egī	tcowḗdja	haⁿp
wają́ hipéresje.	gipį́je	égi	tcowédja	hąp
wažįperesšé.	Gipį́že.	Égi	čowéja	hąp
he knew things.	He liked it.	Then	ahead	days

kĕrĕponāíjaⁿ	jedjaiⁿ́xdjĭⁿ	hīp‘ā́	wajiⁿperezsĕ́	ḗgī
kereponá-hiją	jedją́ixdjį	hipá	wają́ hipéresje.	égi
kereponaížą	žeją́ixjį	hipá	wažįperesšé.	Égi
[ten]*	that far	[up to]	he knew things.	Then

*mistranslated in CW as "twelve".

waⁿgera	dā́nī	hīpérezwī́gī	p‘iⁿ́jĕ	hīdā́niⁿkĕ
wą́gra	dáni	hiperezwígi	pį́je.	hidánįka*
wą́gera	táni	hiperezwígi	pį́že.	Hitánįke
the man	third	he received knowlege and	he liked it.	The three of them

*this word should terminate in an /e/.

gīp‘ĭⁿ́nējĕ	wajiⁿskĕ́jaⁿ*	hĕ́rĕgádjaⁿ	āírējĕ	egi
gipįréje,	wają́ hisgéhiją	heregádja	áireje.	égi
gipįnéže,	wažįsgéžą	heregáją	aíreže.	Égi
they liked it,	something true	it was,	they said.	Then

*the /ne/ that originally concluded this word has been crossed out.

jigijaⁿ	pérĕzĕhĭⁿwī́gījī	p‘iⁿnána	āírējĕ	gī́jī
jigé hiją	hįpérezwigìji	pinóną,	áireje	giji
"Žigižą	pérezehįwigìži,	pįnóną,"	aíreže	giži.
"Another one	if we taught this,	it would be good,"	they said	[.]

hīdā́niⁿkĕ	jēsgīrāírēgī	jīgījāⁿ́	hīpĕrezhī́rēcgū́nī		waⁿk
hidánįke	jésge hiráiregi.	jigé hiją	hipéres	hirecgúni,	wąk
Hitánįke	žésgiraíregi.	Žigižą́	hipéres	hirešgúni,	wąk
The three of them	thus they pondered.	Another one	to know	they made him,	man

p. 31 (= CW 67, s. 20) —

p‘iⁿ́jaⁿ	waⁿk	wōgīzṓgī	wanaiⁿk‘sabījaⁿ	haⁿkecgotcintciⁿnigijaⁿ
pį́-hiją,	wąk	wogizógi*	wánąikabì-hija.	hąkécge	hotcįtcį́nįg-hìją
pį́-hižą,	wąk	wogizógi	wánąikabìžą.	Hąkéšge	hočįčį́nįgìžą
a good one,	man	righteous	a wise one.	[Not even]	a young person

*Radin adds after this word, "(wogizok.-hi!)".

wā́gīūnanī́je.	Waⁿgōkī́sāk	hāīxaī́jaⁿ	jĕe	hīpérezhī́rējĕ
wagi’ųranije.	wąk hokísak	haixá-hiją	jee	hiperezhíreje
wagi’ųnaniže.	Wąk hokísak	haixaížą,	žee	hipérezíreže,
they did not take.	A middle aged man	one a little beyond it,	[that one]	they knew

gadjaⁿ́	gīp‘ĭⁿ́jĕ	wajaⁿp‘ĭⁿ́jaⁿṇēgā́djaⁿ		hīrĕ́jĕ
gadją.	gipį́je	wają́	pį́-hiją-regàdją	hirejé.
gają.	Gipį́že.	Wažą́	pį́žąnegàją	hirežé.
[.]	He like it.	Thing	a good one it was going to be	[he thought.]

egī	djaisgā́rāínīhḗrā	jesgĕ́jī	jesgĕ́gīji	gip‘iⁿ́jĕ
égi	djáisgaranihèra*	jesgéji	jesgégiji	gipį́je.
Égi,	jáisgaranihèra	žesgéži,	žesgégiži,	gipį́že.
Then,	just as they had been	[that way he was,]	[being that way,]	he liked it.

*Radin adds after this word, "(djaisge-hire-)".

tcowédjā	haⁿbījaⁿ	wajiⁿ́perezsĕ́	tcowḗdja	haⁿbenubŏ́haⁿ
tcowédja	hąb-híją	wają́ hipéresje;	tcowédja	hąp nųbóhą
Čowéja	hąbížą	wažį́perezšé;	čowéja	hąbenųbóhą
Ahead	one day	[he knew something;]	ahead	two days

wajiⁿ́perezsĕ́	tcowḗdjā	haⁿpdjobŏ́haⁿ	wajīⁿ́perezsĕ́	tcowḗdja	haⁿp
wają́ hipéresje.	-	-	-*	tcowédja	hąp
wažį́perezšé;	čowéja	hąp jobóhą	wažį́perezšé;	čowéja	hąp
[he knew something;]	ahead	days four	[he knew something;]	ahead	days

*omitted in CW only.

kerepŏ́naīja	jedjaiⁿ́xdjiⁿ	wajiⁿperezsĕ́	gīji	gip‘iⁿ́jĕ
kereponá-hiją	jedją́ixdjį	wają́ hipéresje	giji.	gipį́je.
kereponaížą	žeją́ixjį	wažį́peresšé,	giži.	Gipį́že.
[ten]*	that far	[he knew something]	[.]	He liked it.

*again mistranslated as "twelve" in CW.

dĕ́ĕ	p‘iⁿgā́djaⁿ	hīrējĕ́	wajiⁿskḗjaṇegā́djaⁿ	dĕ́jesge	hīrējé
dee	pįgádją	hirejé	wają́ hisgé-hijąregàdją,	déjesge	hirejé.
Tée	pįgáją	hirežé;	wažįsgéžąnegáją,	téžesge	hirežé.
This	good	he thought;	it was going to be a true thing	this	[he thought.]

jejeguⁿ́gījī	waⁿ́gĕrā	tcopī́wī	hipĕ́rezwī́gī	p‘iⁿ́jĕ
jejégųgìji	wągera	djopíwi	hipérezwigi.	pįje.
Žežégųgìži	wągera	jopíwi	hipérezwigi.	Pįže.
Now	people	four	they knew it.	He liked it.

ā́sgĕ	hīsgĕ́	hīpĕ́rĕz	rōgīgŭ́iⁿnējĕ	waⁿgera
ésge	hisgé	gipéres*	rogigų́-įreje	wągra
Ésge	hisgé	hipéres	rogigų́įreže,	wągera
Because	true	[to know]	they possessed,	the men

*this is apparently a misprint.

djṓp	hīpĕ́rezwī́gā	waⁿk	p‘iⁿnārēk‘ī́	waⁿgwógīzṓgerā́rek‘ī́
djop	hiperezwíga,	-	-*	wąk wogizógrarèki,
jop	hiperezwíga,	wąk	pįnarekí,	wąk wogizógerarèkí,
four	[as they knew],	man	who was all good,	man who was entirely righteous,

*omitted in CW.

p. 32 (= CW 68, s. 31) —

waⁿgwā́naiⁿk‘sā́p	rā́rēk‘ī	hīpĕ́rĕzk‘iⁿ́reje*	gidcaⁿt’djaxdjiⁿ	hīpĕ́rĕzk‘iⁿ́nējé
wąk wanąiksáp,	raréki	hipéres kįréje.	gídcąt’djàxdjį†	hipéres kįréje.
wąk wanąiksáp	raréki	hipéres kįréže.	Gíčąt’jàxjį,	hipéres kįréže.
man who was wise	completely	they made it known to each other.	Choosing by seeing,	they imparted knowledge.

*a terminal /e/ is put in parentheses and above it is written an /ī/, and the ī is circled.
†Radin adds, "(gitcaⁿt’iⁿ-djaxdjĭⁿ)".

jedjaiⁿ́xdjiⁿ	p‘āⁿ́	maⁿkaⁿ́ni	wocgaⁿ́gĕrē	epā
jedją́ixdjį	pa	mąką́ni	wocgą́gre	epá
Žeją́ixjį pa		Mąką́ni Wošgą́gere		epá
[Up to thusfar]		this Medicine Rite		from that time on

dīrḗjĕ	jedjaiⁿ́xdjiⁿ	p‘ā́	tcegĕ́djā	hijaⁿ́	kĕ́tcaⁿcgū́nī
diréje	jedją́ixdjį	pa.	tceg-édja	híjąkitcųcgùni,
tiréže;	žeją́ixjįpa.		Čegéja	hížąkičųšgùni,
it began to grow;	from that time forth.		In the beginning	there were only nine,

jedjaiⁿxdjiⁿ	waⁿkcī́go’ĭⁿjaⁿ*	hḗrēgĕ	ésge
jedją́ixdjį	wąkcíg-ho’į-hìją	heregé.	ésge
žeją́ixjį	wąkšígo’įžą	heregé.	Ésge,
[to that extent]	a life	it was.	[Therefore,]

*after waⁿkcígo’iⁿ, hijá has been crossed out and jaⁿ written after it.

ḗp‘ā	p‘iⁿnā́	hokīrā́gahūírējĕ	haⁿkā́ga	jedjāiⁿ́niⁿkdjḗna
epá	pįra	hókirak-hùireje.	hąkagá	jedją́ixdjįkdjèną
epá	pįna	hokirágahuíreže.	Hąkagá	žeją́inįkjèną.
from then on	this good	they tell each other, they come.	Never	it will not end.

woc’gaⁿ́	dĕĕ	maⁿū́na	ē	woc’gaⁿ́ninḗrēge
wocgą́	dee	mą’ų́ra	e	wocgánina heregé.
Wošgą́	tee	Mą’ų́na	e	wošgą́ninérege.
[Rite]	this	Earthmaker	[he]	his religion it is.

ésgĕ	huⁿkā́ga	jedjaiⁿ́nĭⁿkdjĕ	jĕsge	āírējĕ
Ésge	hųkaga	jedją́ixdjįkge,	jésge	airéje.
Ésge	hąkaga	žeją́inįkje.	Žésge	aíreže.
[Therefore,]	never	it will not end.	[Thus]	[they say.]

dḗjēsgĕ*	c’ā́gwanaⁿdjodjaiⁿ́sgĕrā	hīrak‘íwārĕ	hok‘irā́gadjírēgī
dejésge	c’ák wánądjodjąìsge	hirakíwari	hokírag-had-jìregi.
Težésge	š’ák wánąjojąìsge.	Hirakíwari	hokíragajìregi.
In this fashion	elders sort of blessed them.	From one to another	they began to tell.

*in the MS this word is followed by an asterisk, although there is no footnote that answers to it.

jesgĕ́nīcgĕ	huⁿk‘áragiragīr..érā	nīcgĕ́	wajiⁿsgḗjaⁿ	hīdānaⁿ’iⁿ	hisgĕ́gādjaⁿ
(jésge nicgé	hųkáragiràgirera;	nicgé	wają́ hisgé-hiją	hiraną’į.	hisgégadją
Žésge nišgé	hųkáragiràgirera;	nišgé	wažįsgéžą	hiraną’į.	Hisgégają
That kind I also	one they told;	I too	a truthful thing	I believe.	Indeed

p‘iⁿgā́djaⁿ	yārḗna*	c’ā́gĕnīwī́na	nekū́rūhiⁿ́djwī́na	jenuga.†
pįgádją	yaréną.)	-	-	-‡
pįgáją	yaréną.	Š’ágeniwína	nekúruhį́jwíną.	Ženuga.
it is good	I believe.	[The ancestors]	[I myself worship.]	[The end.]

*parentheses are superimposed around the final syllable /na/ of this word.
†after this word Radin writes, "[End of ceremonies of first night.]".
‡omitted from CW.

Source

Jasper Blowsnake, Untitled, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3876 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Library, n.d.) Winnebago II, #6: 28-32. his was published as a Hočąk text with numbered sentences followed by an English translation in Paul Radin, The Culture of the Winnebago: As Defined by Themselves International Journal of American Linguistics, Memoirs, 3 (1950): pp 67-68, sentences 1-39. A free translation into English is given 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]) 85-86.