Hocąk Text — First Contact
interlinear text by Richard L. Dieterle
Stylistic Features
hapaxlegomena: 'ųnigigi, "to land"; hawašu, "to pour on something"; hehere, "he was" (emphatic reduplication of the first syllable ?); skara, "the whites" used to denote white people; waruwuc, "to pour (rub ?) on someone" (cf. the stem wu, to apply pressure); wawanąk, "to be victorious"; wonąk, "to shake"; wošgara, "honors". |
rare words: hokisa, "battle", attested only by Jipson; kipahi, "to be sharp"; ta, "to ask for", attested only by Marino; warujox, "to make something explode" (attested only in Seboek); wogita, wogit'a, "to ask, tell, them". |
frequent use of -ke, "often". |
the use of a very odd construction: kanąknįžą, "a not-to-marry" ("not having made a marriage"); similarly, hiruxurukižą, "an obtainer". |
use of reduplication for emphasis: hehere, "he emphatically was"; hok'ųk'ų, "to give abundantly". |
a strong preference for the full -kjanaheną over the contracted -kjaneną. |
the use of hajire, "it is come (down)", in reference to a tradition. |
the use of Mą'ųra rather than Mą’ųna for Earthmaker. |
Words in brackets are those not found in the loose translation of Paul Radin (see below).
p. 1 —
Ao ttA KLe | K * liAi ni (?). | w Kdi K [...]L ‡ | de e. | mo K doAotto ‡‡ |
H?ocąkre | g[i]-pi[ni]† | wąkšik[-į]ra | žee | Mogašuc |
[The Hocągara] | they liked (?) | living (?) | [these] | Red Banks |
ay Le Ki di | e tt. | Ao ttAK | wi Ky Le Ki di. | w KdiKi i ne de. |
airegiži, | éja | Hocąk | wigairegiži, | wąkšik-įneže. |
[as they say,] | [there] | ["Hocąk"] | [as they called them,] | [they lived.] |
A Ke | dKe. | wi Lo Ko | w d | A ni L ni de. |
Hąké | ške | wirókų | wažą | haniranįže. |
Not | [also] | tool | anything | they did not have. |
m L. | m ttoKo L. | e Ki | di Ke. | leAe tti o. |
Mąra | mącgúra | égi | žigé | peji'ų |
Arrows | bows | and | [again] | fire-starter |
leAette | t e | Ai L n. | de de Ko | Ki L. |
pec | tae | hiraną. | Žežegų | kira |
[fire] | [to light] | they had. | [Thus] | [only] |
Ai Le de. | Ai Ke. | mr | wi Lo Ko | de rKe |
hireže. | Hįké | mąz | wirókų | žesge |
[they did.] | Not | iron | [tools] | [that kind] |
w d | A ni L ni de. | i ni L. | Ai d. | mr |
wažą | haniranįže. | Inira | hižą | mąz |
[things] | they did not have. | Stones | [one of them] | iron |
ni rKe. | A tty Le | deKe | w K ttAK deAe | ay L n K. |
nisge | hajaire | ške | wakącąkše, | airánąga |
like | they saw | [even] | it was holy, | they say, and |
p. 2 —
t ni | Ao Ki do | Ai L n de. | t ni L. | di Ke |
tani | hokižu | hiranaže. | Taníra | žigé |
tobacco | [with it] | [it was.] | Tobacco | [again] |
de e | A ni | w KidiKi i ne de. | e | w d |
žee | hanį́ | wąkšik-įneže. | E | wažą |
that | to have | [they lived.] | It | [something] |
ttAo ni L. | Ai Ki Le Le de. | e Ki. | A t Ki ntt tti L n K. | w K ttA Ki Le de. |
conira | higirereže. | Égi | hataginąciranąga | wakącąkireže. |
from the beginning | [it came to them.] | And | [they dreamt, and] | they were holy. |
e Ki. | wo dK L. | Ai d. | xeAe te Ki di. | wK w doAo deAe L |
Égi | wošgara | hižą | xetegiži, | wąkwašošera |
And | honors | [one of them] | it was great, | a brave man |
Ae Le de. | e rKe. | Ki r L | dA n | oyi Le de. |
hereže. | Ésge | kisara | šana | 'ųireže. |
it was. | [For that reason] | [fighting] | only | they did. |
tt tt n Ki di. | Aoyi diAili | Ki r K L Kttl nK ra de. | Al lK | |
Jająnągiži, | hoišip, | kisak | karakjąpnąks'aže. | Hąpak |
Always, | at all times, | [killing] | they were always prepared. | [Every day] |
p. 3 —
Ai K K. | w di tt Ai L. | Ai d | K L Kttl li L ni de. | e Ki. | di Ke. |
hįkaga | wažįjahįra | hižą | karakjąpiranįže. | Égi | žigé |
[never] | [anything else] | [one] | [they were not prepared.] | [And] | [again] |
e dA n. | Lo xoAo LoKo | n i nK deAe. | Ai d. | to ttA n K. |
ešana | ruxuruk | na'įnąkše. | Hižą | tocąnąga |
[it alone] | [to accomplish] | [they tried.] | One | he went on the warpath, and |
Lo A | tee Ai Ktte | de rKe | Lo Ko nK ra de. | e Ki. |
rohą | t'ehikje, | žesge | rokonąks'aže. | Égi |
many | he would kill, | [this way] | [he would be great.] | [And] |
Ai d. | A t Ki ntt Ki di. | Lo A xitti n Ki di. | Al | Lo A xitti | Ai Ke |
hižą | hataginącgiži, | rohąxjįnagiži, | hąp | rohąxjį | hiké |
[one] | [if he dreamt,] | [if he did much,] | day | very many | not |
w Lo ttiniy n K. | e Ki. | t ni | wo Ki do Ke Ki di. | w xoAo liAi ni |
warucnįanąga | égi | tani | wogižukegiži, | waxopį́nį |
he did not eat, and | [then] | tobacco | if he offered it often, | spirits |
p. 4 —
w L tt[i] Le. | n tto tty Le Ki di. | de e. | Ao Ki ry tt. | Ai Ke |
waráj[i]re | nąjojaįgiži, | žee | hokisaija | hįké |
[the various ones] | if they blessed him, | [this one] | in battle | not |
tee Ai Ai Le | A liAini n Ki. | Ai leAe Le ri Le Ke. | de de rKe | Ai L. |
t'ehihire | hapinįnąki, | hiperezirege. | Žežesge | hira, |
they kill him | [it would not be easy ?], | they knew it. | This sort | they did, |
Lo K n | w oyi Le ra de. | di Ke. | w Ki Ko Ke | Ai Le de. |
rokana | wa'ųires'aže. | Žigé | wagigoke | hireže. |
[much] | [they would do it.] | [Again] | to give feasts often | they did. |
Ai d | w Ki Ko Ki di. | w xoAo liAi ni | w L tti Le. | t ni |
Hižą | wagigogiži, | waxopį́nį | warajire | tani |
[One] | if he gave feasts, | spirits | [the various ones] | tobacco |
Ao Ki do Ki di. | rA ni Ki. | w lA Ai L. | Ki lA Ai Ktte | t nK dAe. |
hokižugiži, | sanįki | wapahira | kipahikje | tanąkše. |
if he offers, | [one side] | their weapons | they will be sharp | they asked for. |
p. 5 —
rA ni Ki | w tee Ai Ktte | w K nK deAe. | e rKe | w Ki Ko Ke L |
Sanįki | wat'ehikje | wakanąkše. | Ésge | wagigokera |
[One side] | [they will kill them] | [they meant.] | That is why | to give feasts often |
Lo K n | Ai Le ra de. | Ki r L. | w w n Kette | a n K |
rokana | hires'aže. | Kisara | wawanąkje, | ánąga |
many | they would do. | [Fighting] | they will be victorious, | [and] |
w o nK n de. | w Ki Ko n Ki. | w xoAo liAi ni. | w L tti Le. | t ni |
wa'ųnąknąže. | Wigigonągi, | waxopį́nį | warajire | tani |
[they would do it.] | [If they give feasts,] | [spirits] | [the various ones] | [tobacco] |
Ao Ki do n K. | wo n xi Le | Ai Lo K n L. | wi K nK deAe. | de e |
hokižunąga | Wonaǧire | Hirukąnąra | wiganąkše. | Žee |
[they offered, and] | War | [the Controllers] | [they would call upon.] | [That] |
p. 6 —
e tt | de rKe | Ao Koo Ai Le Ki di. | Lo Ko n K | de rKe |
éja | žesge | hokųhiregiži, | rokonąka | žesge |
[there] | [that kind] | [after they gave it,] | [the great ones] | [this way] |
Ao Koo Ai Le Ktt n Ae Ke | w o nK dAe. | w Ki Ko n KLe. |
hok'ųhirekjanahege, | wa'ųnąkše, | [wagigonąkre.] |
if they would bless, | [they did it,] | [the feasts.] |
At this point in the story the narrator inserted the Tobacco Origin Myth, Version 1 (q.v.). It is omitted here. For the Hocąk text, see Hocąk Syllabic Text — Tobacco Origins Myth, Version 1.
p. 14 —
e Ki. | A Ko Leyi d. | te n tte tt | w di d. | A tti |
Égi | hagoreižą, | teną́jeja | wažį́žą | haji |
Then | [in the course of time,] | in the middle of the lake | something | to come |
A xele deAe. | Green Bay * | te | e tt. | Ai ttAe tte tt |
haxepše. | Green Bay | te | eja | hicejeja |
it appeared. | Green Bay | lake | there | on the edge |
ttAi | w o nK deAe. | e tt | tteAe Kitti | w xoAo liAi ni L. |
ci | wa'ųnąkše. | Éja | cekjį | waxopinira |
[lodge] | [it was it.] | [There] | [the first time] | [the spirits] |
wi Li tti Le de. | m Ai xAe te L. | e Ki. | A Ko Ley d. | a deKe |
wirijireže, | Mąhixetera. | Égi | hagoreižą, | aške |
[they came,] | [the Big Knives.] | [Then] | [finally,] | near |
p. 15 —
A tti Le de | w Kidi Kn KeLe. | t ni | A ni L n K. | e Ki. |
hajíreže. | Wąkšiknągere | tani | haniranąga | égi |
they came. | [The men] | tobacco | they had, and | [then] |
n li Lo x ttL. | ttA A rK. | A ni L n K. | te | Ai tteAe tte tt |
nąpiruxácra | cahaska | haniranąga | te | hicejeja |
the offerings | white deerskins | [they had, and] | lake | on the edge |
A Ai | n di ne de. | e Ki. | A o ni xitti | Ai Ko Lo Ao |
hahi | nąžįneže. | Égi | ha'ųnixjį | hikorohó |
to go | they stood. | [Then] | about to land | to get ready |
Ai Le K tt. | Ai do KL. | w Ke tt | A lA Ai | w Lo tto xi Le de. |
hiregają, | hižugra | wągéja | hapahi | warujoxireže. |
when they were, | guns | above | towards | [they made them explode.] |
w Kdi Kn KLe | w wi K L Ki | w oyi Le de. | no ni Ke. | w KidiKi n KeLe. |
Wąkšiknągere | wawikaragi | wa'ųireže, | nųnįgé | Wąkšiknągere |
The Indians | to salute | they were doing it, | but | the Indians |
p. 16 —
wy Le de. | Ao Ao. | w K tt | w o nK dA n | ay Le de. |
waíreže, | "Hohó, | Wakąja | wa'ųnąkšaną," | aíreže. |
they said, | ["Hohó,] | Thunderbirds | they are," | [they said.] |
Ai K K. | Ai do Koo | w n xoKo ni n Ki di. | e rKe. | w K tt |
Hįkaga | hižuk'ų | wanaxguninagžiž, | ésge | Wakąja |
Never | the report of a gun | they had not heard before, | that is why | Thunderbirds |
wi L n i ne de. | w ttL | o ni Ki Ki Le Ki di. | n lL. | w Ki w A |
wirana'įneže. | Wacra | 'ųnigigiregiži, | nąpra | wagiwahą |
they thought they were. | Their boats | after they had landed, | hands | to extend |
Ai Le Ki di | t ni | Ai tt | wo Ki do | Ai Le ra de. |
hiregiži, | tani | hija | wogižu | hires'aže. |
after they did, | tobacco | there | to put | [they would do.] |
n lL. | wo nK | n i | w o nK | no ni Ke. |
Nąpra | wonąk | ną'į | wa'ųnąk, | nųnįgé |
Hands | to shake | to want | they did it, | but |
Ai deKe. | w Le ni K. | A ni n K | deKe | Ai Ke |
hišgé | warenį́ka | haninąka, | ške | hįké |
[indeed] | [whiteman] | [as he held it,] | [also] | not |
p. 17 —
de rKe | Ai leAe Le rini tte Ke. | tt Ko | o Ktte ni reKe de. | Ai Ko |
žesge | hipereznįjege, | jagú | 'ųkjenisgeže. | Higų |
that | they did not know | what | he should do with it. | [Yet] |
Ao t deKe. | w w Ki oy Le de. | ttA lo ni A L. | t ni | w Lo wotto tti Le de. |
hotašgé | wawaki'ųireže, | cabónihára | tani | waruwujireže. |
some | they put it on them, | the top of their heads | tobacco | they poured it on them. |
wo n xi Le | w Ki t | w o nK deAe. | w Le ni K. | wo Ki ta * |
Wonąǧire | wagita | wa'ųnąkše. | Warenį́ka | wogit'a |
War | to ask | they did it. | [The whitemen] | to tell |
n i K dKe. | A Ke | Le dKe | w d | de rK n ni de. |
ną'įkaške, | hąké | rešge | wažą | žesganąnįže. |
[they tried repeatedly,] | not | [even] | [anything] | [they could not do.] |
A Ai. | w d L. | ttAo doKo ni | w o nK L. | w wi lAe Le ri Le Ki di. |
Hahi | wažąra | cųšguni | wa'ųnąkra, | wawipereziregiži, |
After awhile | [the things] | [perhaps to have] | [they were it,] | [they knew about them, and] |
p. 18 —
mr | wi o | w Ki Ko ri Le de. | w n K wy Le de | deKe. |
mąz | wi'ų | wagigųzireže. | Wanąkawaireže, | ške |
ax | to use them | they taught them. | They were afraid of them, | [even] |
e Ki. | w K ttAK | wi L n i n Ke. | di Ke. | Ai do Ki Le Ki |
égi | wakącąk | wiraną'įnąke. | Žigé | hižukiregi |
[then] | holy | as they thought. | Again | guns |
dKe. | Ai o L. | w Ki Ko ri Le de. | te e ttA | w K ttA Ki Le d[e] |
ške | hi'ųra | wagigųzireže. | Teecą | wakącąkirež[e], |
[also] | to use | they taught them. | [These indeed] | they were holy, |
a nK deAe. | e tt. | Ai dKe | w Le n[i] K. | w o de. |
anąkše. | Éja | hišgé | waren[i]ka | wa'ųže, |
[they said.] | [There] | [also] | [the whiteman] | [he did it,] |
w Kono ni Ki d. | t n[i] | Ai Ki di. | ni | A w doAo de. |
wąknunįkižą | tan[i] | higiži, | ni | hawašuže. |
an old man | to smoke | as he did, | water | he poured on him. |
p. 19 —
ta e nK deAe | e Ke. | tti | ni. | Ai Ke | t ni Ai |
Taenąkše, | ege | ji | ni, | hįké | tanihi |
It burned, | [as he thought,] | [to come] | [water,] | [not] | [he was smoking] |
Ai leAe Le ri L ni de | e tt. | Ke ni | t ni L. | Ai leAe Le ri L ni de |
hipereziranįže. | Éja | keni | taníra | hipereziranįže. |
they did not know. | [There] | [before] | [smoking] | [before they knew.] |
e Ki. | A Ai | o nK Koo | w o mK | ni rKe |
Égi | hahi | 'ųnąnk'ų | wa'ųmąk | niLge |
[Then] | after awhile, | [finally,] | accustomed to them | [like] |
Ai Le de. | A Ai. | Ai do Kn K. | w wi o L. | w wi lAe Le ri Le de. |
hireže. | Hahi | hižuknąka | wawi'ųra | wawiperezireže. |
[they were.] | After awhile, | the guns | [the use of them] | [they knew about them.] |
mr n K | deKe. | e tt. | di Ke. | w d |
Mąznąka | šge | éja | žigé | wažą |
AxeL | [alLo] | [there] | [again] | [thingL] |
p. 20 —
w wi Ki Lo ttA | Ai Le de. | w A. | de rKe | w wi Ki Lo ttA |
wawíkirucą́ | hireže. | Wahá | žesge | wawíkirucą́ |
to trade | they did. | Furs | [that kind] | to trade |
Ai Le de. | Ai do KL. | m rL. | m Ai L. | no ni Ke. |
hireže, | hižukra, | mązra, | mąhira, | nųnįgé |
they did, | guns, | axes, | knives, | but |
Ai Ko | w K ttA Ki Le de | Ai L nK dAe. | e Ki. | A Ko Ley d. |
higų | wakącąkireže, | hiranąkše. | Égi | hagoreižą, |
still | they were holy, | [they thought.] | [Then] | [in time,] |
Ai do Kn K. | w wi o L. | Ai leAe Le ri Le Ki di. | m dtt | Ki liAi Le de. |
hižuknąka | wawi'ųra | hipereziregiži, | mąšją | gipireže. |
the guns | the use | they learned, and | very much | they liked. |
e tt. | w o nK deAe. | A Ae Le Ki | deKe. | leAe tto too Ai L n K. |
Éja | wa'ųnąkše. | Hąhéregi | ške | pejot'ųhiranąga |
[There] | [they did it.] | At night | [also] | they woud build fires, and |
p. 21 —
e tt | Ai do Ki o tt | Ai Le de. | A Ke | Ay ni | A leAe | Ai L ni de. |
éja | hižuki'ųja | hireže. | Hąké | haíni | hapé | hiranįže. |
there | to try their guns out | they did. | Not | morning | to wait | they could not. |
rii xitti | Ai L n i ne de. | Ay ni Ki | A leAe L. | e tt. |
S'ixjį | hiraną'įneže. | Hainigi | hapera | éja, |
[For a long time] | [they thought about it.] | [When morning] | [that they waited for] | [there,] |
Ai do KL | w Lo de n | Ai Le Ki di. | A ttiy K Ly Le de. | di Ke |
hižukra | waružena | hiregiži, | hajiakaraireže. | Žigé |
[guns] | [taking them apart] | [after they were,] | [they went home.] | Again |
A tti Le Ktt n Ae de. | w wi Ky Le de. | Ai Ko K tt K. | wi Ko Ko rL |
hajirekjanaheže. | Wawigaireže, | higų gająga, | wigųgųsra |
they would come. | [They said to them,] | by this time | making signs |
dKe. | tt Ko | e | w o Ai Le K. | w wi Ki leAe Le leAe Lere wi de. |
ške | jagú | e | wa'ųhirega, | wawigipereperezwiže. |
[also] | [how] | [it] | [as they did it,] | they learned to make themselves understood. |
p. 22 —
e Ki. | e tt. | Ai no l A L. | A tti Le Ki di. | w d L. |
Égi | éj | hinųpáhąra | hajíregiži, | wažąra |
[And] | there | the second time | when they went, | [the things] |
A ntt. | A ni | A tti Le de. | e tt | dKe. |
haną́c | hanį́ | hajireže. | Éja | ške |
all | possessing | [they came.] | There | [also] |
w Lo ttA KL. | w Ki Ko ri Le de. | mr | wi o L | dKe. |
warucakra | wagigųzireže. | Mąz | wi'ųra, | ške |
sewing | they taught them. | Ax | how to use it, | and |
m Ai | wi o L | dKe. | e tt. | Ae Le de. |
mąhi | wi'ųra | ške | éja | hereže. |
knife | how to use it, | and | [there] | [they did.] |
Paul Radin, "Winnebago Contact with the French," Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3897 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) Winnebago V, #17, 1-6, 14-22. A loose translation is found in Paul Radin, The Winnebago Tribe (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990 [1923]) 17-19.