Hocąk Text — South Seizes the Messenger

narrated by Jasper Blowsnake

English Translation

The following are Greek letters used as morpheme abbreviations in Radin's text. Their values correspond, with the exception of γ, to those given in Radin's notebook Winnebago II, #6, on the interstitial page between 107/108:

α γ ε η θ ρ T 9
égi peǧ gáją žesge janąga ánąga wąkšigo’ina xjį

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

 

p. 257 —
wiórotcądjerégi wídjirawaséwexédera hijąną́kijí
Wiórocąjerégi Wíjirawaséwexétera hižąną́kiží,
In the south* Island anchorer one that is,†
*this is written above "at noon" which was later crossed out.
†before these words, "whenever" has been crossed out.

 

 

wiroragíją [γ] tcírirogíkonokí† kúruz[ρ´] rúx’ó
wiroragížą [peǧ]* círirogíkonokí kúruzánąga rúx’ó‡
[a messenger] gourd the one dwelling within the lodge he seized and to shake
*beneath [γ] is only the English word "gourd".
†below this word is written "gourd", which is crossed out.
‡the word "pinpoint" is crossed out as is the word below it, "raised". The translation is from The Road of Life and Death.

 

 

djiréje djobóhą rúx’o[ε´] hinųgrá héseretcį́ją
jiréže. Jobóhą rúx’ogáją hinųgrá héserecį́žą
[he began.] Four times he shook it and woman long haired

 

 

hérigimį́cdjirejé hinųbóhǫ́na djobóhą rux’ó[ε´]
hérigimį́šjirežé. Hinųbóhǫ́na jobóhą rux’ógáją,
horns almost touching the ground.* [For a second time,] four times he shook it and†
*the interlinear translation has "almost touching ground with horns" which is crossed out; The Road of Life and Death has, "almost touching the ground".
†the interlinear translation has "puff (?)", which was later crossed out.

 

 

[θ] wajo cicígera mątcucícik cicígera
janąga wažo šišígera, mącušíšik šišígera,
[immediately] things evil, dust* evil,
*"dirt" is crossed out and "dust" written above it. The interlinear has "bad dust".

 

 

djasgákiji hanątcį[9] howucgúninégi* hoisįtc´
jasgákiži hanącįxjį howušgúninégi hoisįc´
[as how ?] all of it in the bad place to sweep

 

 

rehíje tcíra karapiésge djínokce [α]
rehíže. Círa karapiésge jínokše. Égi
he pushed towards. The lodge it looked clean [it did suddenly.] Then

 

 

p. 258 —
hidanihǫna djobóhą rux’ó[ε´] hinugrá [T]
hitanihǫna, jobóhą rux’ógíži, hinugrá wąkšigo’ina
for the third time, four times when he shook it, woman life

 

 

hixdjį perácáraxdjį jesgádjirejé waxopíni
hixjį perášáraxjį žesgájirežé. Waxopíni
somewhat advanced (in years) bald to the head [she appeared that way.] Spirits

 

 

tcitcábiréra djasgágere hanątcį[9] hocicigera
cicábiréra jasgágere hanącįxjį hošišigera
[from everywhere ?] [?] everything evil

 

 

howucgúnina waísįtc reh[ρ´] hą́berikokíri djį́pce
howušgúnina waísįc rehánąga hą́berikokíri jį́pše.
in the bad place to sweep it [he pushed it towards and] the light sparkled and glittered [it became.]

 

 

aírera [η] djįpcéje tciokiságonąjį́na hodapį́nina
aírera. Žesge jįpšéže. Ciokiságonąžį́na hotapį́nina
[they say.] This way I wish it would be. He who Stands in the Middle of the Lodge [flames]*
*the interlinear has only the word "bent". Marino's dictionary has "blaze".

 

 

rotcą́ hąkiabozókp’į́ni djidjehíje mą́xicícigerá djásgakirècge
rocą́ hąkiabozókp’į́ni jijehíže. Mą́xišíšigerá jásgakirèšge
straight it can't be bent [it was made to stand.] The evil clouds [how they went and]

 

 

haną́tcį[9] howucgúninegí hoisį́tc rehíje
haną́cįxjį howušgúninegí hoisį́c rehíže.
all of them to the bad place sweeping he pushed them towards.

 

Source:

Untitled, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3887 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Library, n.d.) Winnebago II, #7: 257-258; an English translation exists 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]) 326-327.