Hotcâk Text -- Shell Anklets Origin Myth

narrated by Jasper Blowsnake

 


The MS is written in ink. Both the English and Hotcâk are written in the same hand, likely that of Paul Radin, which is reasonably clear and of good definition, although some of the smaller handwriting can be difficult to read. Near the top and centered, is "7. hinacax ruwiná" ("the acquisition of the jinglers"), which serves as a title. Above this title, written at a 30 degree angle in smaller handwriting, is "noise of jingling of [shells ?] tied around ankles" (the brackets representing a word that is off the paper in my copy). Immediately below the title and in line with it, is written "asá wadjígere hi[rho]´", which is crossed out by two horizontal lines.

As is the case with a number of other Radin interlinear MSS, this text is full of abbreviations for common word terminations. This is a list of them and their values:

alpha
beta
gamma
epsilon
backward epsilon
rho
lambda
2
égi
édja
ésge
gadjâ
canâ
ánâga
jesge
-je/-ce

6
9
-
>
bar over dot
rocker-dot
verticle bar
xdjî
-jâ
-ra
-gi
-nâk
nîk, niñk
-nâ


English Translation


p. XV --

Mañkáni
tcegí[9],
mañkáni
xedé-,
hinacox
Mañkáni
tcegíje,
mañkáni
xedéra,
hinacox
[Members of the Medicine Rite]
[young],
[Members of the Medicine Rite]
[the older ones],
to jingle


sikaî´dja
hirusgídjir[rho]
wanáxdjagiréga
dówe
sikaî´dja
hirusgídjiranañga
wanáxdjagiréga
dówe
[anklets]
they tie on and
when they tramp hard
on


nâcácax,
heraírega
wagíp'îs'àje,
[epsilon]
nâcácax,
heraírega
wagíp'îs'àje,
gadjâ
they jingled,
when they go
he used to like it,
[when]


hi[9´]
[lambda]
giruwî´[2].
We[2´],
"C'agwaháwigi
hijâ
jesge
giruwî´je.
Wejé,
"C'agwaháwigi
[one]
[that kind]
[they shook?].
[He said,]
"My [ancestors]


etconí[6]
Wakdjéxi
adjaíre[2].
[Gamma´]
hinâcáxdjane
etconíxdjî
Wakdjéxi
adjaíreje.
Ésge
hinâcáxdjane
they first
[Waterspirit]
they saw.
[And so]
[The jinglers]


[beta]
horúzire[2].
Wakdjéxiáka
haghébi[verticle bar´][verticle bar].*
édja
horúzireje.
Wakdjéxiáka
haghébikdjenâ.*
[there]
they got it from.
The Waterspirit
he will appear.
*haghébinánâ.


De[dash over dot´]re
tcîwîdjire[2].
Waíxgira
haghépdjîdjîbire[2].
Denañkre
tcîwîdjireje.
Waíxgira
haghépdjîdjîbireje.
This lake
began to roar.
The wind
now began to appear.


Wainioítcge
xede[-]
wak'â´
xederácge
nâ'û´sderácge
Wainioítcge
xedera
wak'â´
xederácge
nâ'û´sderácge
[Animal]
[the great one]
snake
[the great one, also]
embers [also]


hix'íxi
haghép
djîdjî´bire[2].
Ni[dash over dot]´re
hix'íxi
haghép
djîdjî´bireje.
Nináñkre
smoking
[to appear]
[they began].
The water


mâcdjáñ[6]
horupíni[2].
Rucdjadjikere[>´]
niná
mâcdjáñxdjî
horupínije.
Rucdjadjikeregí,
niná
[with great power]
[it was in turmoil.]
When it stopped,
[the waters]


hadakdjî´
kiridjé[2].
Wasge
xónu[rocker-dot]
hogú
hadakdjî´
kiridjéje.
Wasge
xónuniñk
hogú
calm, quieted
it became.
A plate
small
it grew


kerérenísge
dé[bar over dot]a
mí[bar over dot][2].
[Alpha]
kerérenísge
dénañka
mínañkce.
Égi
it filled within like
[this lake]
it was.
And


gádjuñga
hadjaíre[2].
'Uañgenóñka
wa[9]
djá[bar over dot]a
gádjuñga
hadjaíreje.
'Uañgenóñka
wajâ
djánañga
and then
they saw it.
Man
something
that he saw


dérogigíñx
nâ´genáñki
waghî´nacácaghináñke.
dérogigíñx
nâ´genáñki
waghî´nacácaghináñke.
lake around
they're running
they were running with jinglers.


Horuxúdjire[>´]
waxoxgéra
sigóc'og[beta´]
hip'á
Horuxúdjiregí
waxoxgéra
sigóc'ogédja
hip'á
[When] they looked at him
[the shells]
on the ankle
up to


hinâcáraghe[bar over dot][2].
Jeé
éwagi'û´
hinâcáraghenañkce.
Jeé
éwagi'û´
they were jingling.
[This]
for that reason


wa'u[bar over dot][backward epsilon].
[Alpha]
horúzire
wa'unañkcanâ.
Égi
horúzire
they do it.
[Here]
they take it from


p. XVI --
wa'ú[bar over dot][backward epsilon].
Dj[rho´]
c'agwahíwi[-]
wa'únañkcanâ.
Djanañga
c'agwahíwira
they do it.
[All]
their parents


mâscócox
sîk'aî´dja
hinacughe[bar over dot´]i.
Hagoré[9]
hi[9´]
mâscócox
sîk'aî´dja
hinacughenáñki.
Hagoréjâ
hijâ´
small bells
at ankle
that they rattle.
[In time]
[one]


hinacâx´
niñgirùwiñgi
de[lambda]
hiragekdjé[bar].
hinacâx´
niñgirùwiñgi
dejesge
hiragekdjénâ.
rattle
he buys of you
[this way]
you may say to him.


English Translation


Source:

Jasper Blowsnake, "Hinacax Ruwiná," in Paul Radin, Notebooks, Winnebago III, #2, Section 7, pp. XV-XVI.