Hocąk Text — Thunderbird Clan Origin Myth, Version 3


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

This is one of the earliest texts in which Radin uses Greek letter abbreviations for Hocąk words. There is in fact only one: α = 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 —
Hahą, hisuñgejíwina. "Jagu (h)įt’ekjenawi?"* "Hocuñg
[Yes,] [the coming of the younger brothers.] "What will we speak?" "Winnebago
* Radin put /h/ in parentheses. This phoneme was lost in external sandhi.

 


 

hįt’ekjeniháwiną." "Hisgéwašéna, žesge hįt’ekjenáwina." "Jágu
we will speak." "You are right, [that kind] we will speak." "What

 


 

hinuji’kjenáwina?" "Wanioícge hižą hajáwigi hinujíkjenáwi."
shall we eat?" "Animal [one] if we see we will eat it."

 


 

"Wotúǧuctekjéną. Caížą haniañki’úną. Hinujíkjenawi." Peja
"I will go and look. A deer I have brought here. We will eat it." Fire

 


 

t’ų. Nagawasuñgnúnešgúne. Rújirešgúne. Warújirešgúne. Gają
they built. They broiled it. They cooked it. They ate it. And then

 


 

p. 24 —
wažą nąxgųnešgúne. Hanañxgų́wine. Rešgúne. [α]
something they heard. They listened to it. [They started to head out.] [And]

 


 

<
uañkšígera nųp jiwíšgune. "Hąhą́ hagéjaminúgere,
persons two they came. "[Yes] opposite you that sit,

 


 

jagúįnákjenéže?" "Jagú niñkje?" "Huñknicaípjenéną."
what relation will you be to me?" "What should I be to you?" "You shall be my chief."

 


 

"Ranañxgų́wine, hisge wažą ánañkšaną." "Hąhó,
"Listen, [some] things are saying something." "Well,

 


 

hicokáro hiwahíwira hajiréną." "Agéja minógere,
friends our they've come." "Opposite you that sit,

 


 

p. 25 —
hąháo jajaíñxjį p’a uañkšíg-hiíñgi, péj
[yes] as long as [it has been] we live, fire

 


 

honiñgipakhákjonéną." "Anáñxgųwine hicakáro hiwahíwira, hit’at’ánañkše."
I will attend to it for you." "Listen friends our they are speaking."

 


 

"Hąhaó, agerégi minogwíre." Minógiréšgune. "Ho žee,
"Yes, opposite me sit." They did sit down. "You,

 


 

Wakcexíkikárajera, hicakáro, minógere." "Jáguihįnakjéneže?"
Waterspirit Clan, my friend, [sit.]" "What relation will you be to me?"

 


 

"Jagú niñkje?" "Huñgenicábikjonéną." "P’į." "Hanañxgų́wine,
"What should I be to you?" "You shall be my chief." "Good." "Listen,

 


 

p. 26 —
šuñgižą honiheną. Hagipekjáwiną." Waką́ja hagipérera.
a dog is howling. Let us wait for him." [Thunderbird] waited for him.

 


 

"Híñgekjawína." "Hąhą́, hicakárowíra, uañkšíge hunųp
"Let us call him." "Yes, my friends, people on two legs

 


 

himanína howážąhiwagigúįstenáwi. Hocáñgera težegų
walk we will teach them something. The Hocągera thus

 


 

airánihekjéną. Uañkšígera hisgé uañkšik’įregi žeesge
they will ever say. [The people] some if they live [this also]

 


 

airešo?nokjéną." "Hanañxgų́wine, hižą́ wažą́ éną."
they shall say." "Listen, someone something has said."

 


 

Uañkšígera nųpíwi jiwíšgune. "Cekikárajera hiñgaírekjeną." //
People two came. "Buffalo Clan it shall be called."

 


 

Source:

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