Hotcâk Text -- The Nightspirits Bless Tciwoit'éhiga

narrated by Sam Blowsnake


English Translation


p. 456 --

Hok'áwas Manína honihára tcok'agá djasge
In the Night Those who Walk their breath grandfather what, how


gik'ererégi Tciwoit'éhiga Hok'áwas Manína wawíp'erez
they placed within the reach Kills within the Lodge In the Night Those who Walk to know how to sing


na'iñgíji. Hâtáginâdjànâga iwust'ék'iñgi hitcók'ehiwahìwira mâ'ák'i
when he tried. He fasted and he thirsted himself to death what our grandfathers spread out for him beyond the earth


wana'î´ñgik'erèregiji. Tcok'agá Tciwoit'éhiga wéje, niñgi-owadjíjâ
they placed within the grasp of his consciousness. Grandfather Tciwoit'éhiga he said, where he came from


herejé hik'igéje hâboguregináñgere Hâhé hiyuñgíwinâ
he thought he came from those from the east Nights chieftainess


e 'unihéje. Egi jige sániñk
she she was. And again beloved


yoiréregi Wak'ándja huñgra hiniñkhígi e
[] Thunderbirds chief son to us he


anâ´tc híje. Ésge mâ'ák'i c'agwahi.
all he did. Thus beyond the earth his parents.


Nunigé wagínâtcgi p'îhí nâdjodjaíneje. Ésge
However, when he borrowed [fasted] carefully they blessed him. Thus

hagaréjâ t'egijí mâ'ák'i horak'djék'djoneje, eje,
anytime should he die from beyond the earth he would be able to visit, he said,


airénâ. Ésge honihá gû´se, Hâhé
they said. Thus their breath he was taught, Nights


nâwâ´na, djagúxdjî egíji, jésge tuxúruik'djawìje.
the song, [just how ?] they said, that way we will try to sing it.


English Translation


Source:

Sam Blowsnake, The Warbundle Feast of the Thunderbird Clan, in Paul Radin, The Winnebago Tribe (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990 [1923]) 399-481 [456-457].