Hotcâk Text -- Wanihéga Becomes a Sak'î

narrated by Sam Blowsnake


English Translation


p. 480 --

Hitcók'e waháwigi wa'û´ines'àje hoicípdjî hijâ´
Our grandfathers they would show more than once they used to do always one


wanaghírak hok'áratcgas'àje p'î hip'érezirege. Hitcóke
ghost would take a chance to become good they would consider it. Our grandfathers


waháwigi hijâ´ Wanihéga higaíregi hoicípdjî
they would show more than once one Shouts in the Distance they would say of him always


ë wanaghírak horatcgâs'áje. Wanaghírak horatcgâ´djega
he ghost he used to guess at, conjecture. Ghost stood at risk


Wanihéga higaíregi. Wanaghírak horatcgâ´djega uañgîk'î´je.
Shouts in the Distance they would say of him. Ghost stood at risk become the same as a man.


Ésge p'ínâ hip'érezireje. Wanihéga higaíregi
Thus a good thing they would consider it. Shouts in the Distance they would say of him


uañgwácoce xetejé. Hañk'é hik'ísge p'inâ
a brave (warrior) a great one. Not equal a good one

wa'ûjé. Togijâ´djane totcóna hik'áwakcanâ roghíres'aje
he was. In the summer the war the going on the warpath they used to forbid it.


hañk'é hop'ini howaíres'àje. Ésge roghíres'aje.
not good they would go. Thus they used to forbid it.


Nunige Wanihéga togíjâ totcóna djobô´hâ
But Shouts in the Distance a summer the war four times


hik'awákcaje airecanúnâ. Ésge wanghírak hok'aratcâ´djega
he went on the warpath it is said. Thus ghost stood at risk


ë wañgik'ik'úruxurukce. Hahí wak'âtcáñkce. Hahí
he man - clothe himself in - someone who could For this reason he was holy. For this reason


Sak'î jécge. Ésge hoicípdjî hijâ´
a Warbundle Bearer thus. Thus always one


wanaghírak hok'aratcgâs'áje. Hijâ jésge hak'djonáwinâ
ghost would put himself at risk. One of this kind we will do


wohâ´ tconíxdjî djáwine. Ë édja horok
kettle the very first we attempt. It there amongst them


nâdjonágidjâwîgi hidjórogeniñk 'uñk'djége. Jéjesge niñgitáwînâ.
may they bless us join with them they will partake. That sort of thing we ask for.


English Translation


Source:

[1] Sam Blowsnake, The Warbundle Feast of the Thunderbird Clan, in Paul Radin, The Winnebago Tribe (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990 [1923]) 399-481 [480].