Hotcâk Text -- Thunderbird Clan Origin Myth, Version 4


The top of the page reads "Clan Origin Myth," below which is written, Uáñkcigo-î Wórak (Life-Story).

This is one of the earliest texts in which Radin uses Greek letter abbreviations for Hotcâk words. There is in fact only one: alpha = égi ("and"). Brackets '[ ]' are used for words supplied by the redactor (Richard Dieterle) in places where the English part of the interlinear translation was left blank.


English Translation


p. 23 --

Hahâ, hisuñgedjíwina. "Djagu (h)ît'ekdjenawi?"* "Hotcuñg
[Yes,] [the coming of the younger brothers.] "What will we speak?" "Winnebago

* Radin put 'h' in parentheses.


hît'ekdjeniháwinâ." "Hisgéwacéna, jesge hît'ekdjenáwina." "Djágu
we will speak." "You are right, [that kind] we will speak." "What


hinudji'kdjenáwina?" "Wanioítcge hijâ hadjáwigi hinudjíkdjenáwi."
shall we eat?" "Animal [one] if we see we will eat it."


"Wodúghutcdekdjénâ. Tcaíjâ haniañki'únâ. Hinudjíkdjenawi." Pedja
"I will go and look. A deer I have brought here. We will eat it." Fire


t'û. Nagawasuñgnúnecgúne. Rúdjirecgúne. Warúdjirecgúne. Gadjâ
they built. They broiled it. They cooked it. They ate it. And then


p. 24 --

wajâ nâxgûnecgúne. Hanañxgû´wine. Recgúne. [Alpha]
something they heard. They listened to it. [They started to head out.] [And]


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uañkcígera nûp djiwícgune. "Hâhâ´ hagédjaminúgere,
persons two they came. "[Yes] opposite you that sit,


djagúînákdjenéje?" "Djagú niñkdje?" "Huñknitcaípdjenénâ."
what relation will you be to me?" "What should I be to you?" "You shall be my chief."


"Ranañxgû´wine, hisge wajâ ánañkcanâ." "Hâhó,
"Listen, [some] things are saying something." "Well,


hitcokáro hiwahíwira hadjirénâ." "Agédja minógere,
friends our they've come." "Opposite you that sit,


p. 25 --

hâháo djadjaíñxdjî p'a uañkcíg-hiíñgi, pédj
[yes] as long as [it has been] we live, fire


honiñgipakhákdjonénâ." "Anáñxgûwine hitcakáro hiwahíwira, hit'at'ánañkce."
I will attend to it for you." "Listen friends our they are speaking."


"Hâhaó, agerégi minogwíre." Minógirécgune. "Ho jee,
"Yes, opposite me sit." They did sit down. "You,


Waktcexíkikáradjera, hitcakáro, minógere." "Djáguihînakdjéneje?"
Waterspirit Clan, my friend, [sit.]" "What relation will you be to me?"


"Djagú niñkdje?" "Huñgenitcábikdjonénâ." "P'î." "Hanañxgû´wine,
"What should I be to you?" "You shall be my chief." "Good." "Listen,


p. 26 --

cuñgijâ honihenâ. Hagipekdjáwinâ." Wakâ´dja hagipérera.
a dog is howling. Let us wait for him." [Thunderbird] waited for him.


"Híñgekdjawína." "Hâhâ´, hitcakárowíra, uañkcíge hunûp
"Let us call him." "Yes, my friends, people on two legs


himanína howájâhiwagigúîsdenáwi. Hotcáñgera dejegû
walk we will teach them something. The Hotcâgera thus


airánihekdjénâ. Uañkcígera hisgé uañkcik'îregi jeesge
will ever say. [The people] some if they live [thus?]


aireco?nokdjénâ." "Hanañxgû´wine, hijâ´ wajâ´ énâ."
they shall say." "Listen, someone something has said."


Uañkcígera nûpíwi djiwícgune. "Tcekikáradjera hiñgaírekdjenâ." //
People two came. "Buffalo Clan it shall be called."


English Translation


Source:

"Clan Origin Myth," in Paul Radin, [unpublished] Winnebago Notes, Winnebago V, #8, Freeman #3881 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1908) 23-26.