The Great Lodge

by Joseph LaMère, Bear Clan

"After all the clans had originated and gathered at the Red Banks, then the chief of the people built a big lodge that they might all live in it. So they did, but the clans had a fight within the lodge and even killed one another. So the lodge was abandoned and after that anyone could live in it that cared to."¹

Commentary. "Red Banks" — this is on the shore of Green Bay (Te Rok) in Wisconsin and is the site where the animal progenitors of the clans gathered to form the Hocąk Nation (the Creation Council).

Comparative Material. This sounds a little bit like the story of the Tower of Babel from the Hebrew Bible, save that the nations have been replaced by the Hocąk clans. This is told as an incident in history, as it may have been for all we know, although that is highly unlikely, since it is set in the primordial times of foundation.²

Links: The Creation Council, The Redhorn Panel of Picture Cave. An American Star Map.

Stories: set at Red Banks (Mógašúc): The Creation Council, Annihilation of the Hocągara II, Thunderbird Clan Origin Myth (vv. 1, 2, 3, 5), Bear Clan Origin Myth (vv. 2a, 3, 8, 11, 12), The Winnebago Fort, The Beginning of the Winnebago, Blue Bear, Waterspirit Clan Origin Myth, The Hocąk Arrival Myth, The Creation of Man (v. 10), Hawk Clan Origin Myth, Pigeon Clan Origins (fr. 1), Eagle Clan Origin Myth, Elk Clan Origin Myth (v. 1), Deer Clan Origin Myth (v. 1), Buffalo Clan Origin Myth, Blessing of the Yellow Snake Chief, Šųgepaga, Gatschet's Hocank hit’e ("St. Peet," "Hocąk Origins"), The Shell Anklets Origin Myth (v. 1), The Seven Maidens, First Contact, Big Thunder Teaches Cap’ósgaga the Warpath.

Themes: ...

Notes

¹ The original text (it was told in English) is found in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3862 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) Winnebago I, #3: 79.

² Genesis 11:1-10.