Hocąk Text — The Journey of the Prophet’s Acolyte

by Stella (Blowsnake) Stacey, a.k.a. Mountain Wolf Woman
transcribed and translated by Sheila Shigley

Stella Stacy (Mountain Wolf Woman)

English Translation

First Line Position in the Audio
Second Line Transcription
Third Line Translation

Nota Bene: the positions indicated for the audio seem to vary from one reader to another, so they may require a quantity added or subtracted from the values presented here.

Timestamps show the exact point at which the Hocąk speaker begins speaking on each version of the track.

Part 1 — 7241 = OT 7697

00:00:21.90 = OT 01:50.36
Že, wą́gᵉną́ka wórágᵉnąka, éja, te wą́giyą́, hagoréižą
So, the man in that story, there, [this] a man, sometimes

 

  OT 02:08.87
waracgą́nąka, párášge rakųnų́gireánąga, hégų
who drank, his nose it had even been bitten off, [and] [yet]

 

  OT 02:14.19
[gišjakireanąga?], cówé t’éhíreną. [Giži,] wa’įóką́ną́k
he had been fooled, [and] almost they killed him. [So then,] to get clothed

 

 

hanįagíreže, é, cónįjega ánąk, že’é, hijá
they  took him, he said, the first one there he was saying, [this one] there

 

  OT 02:24.47
híže, ’ge wéže, "Méžésge ha’ų́húra, wákíkųnųnı̨́ną.
[he got,] again he said, "The reason for which I came, I have forgotten.

 

OT 02:29.98
Haną́cixjį hakaráigi’ųšąną, méžésge ha’ų́húra,
So many they are doing this on my behalf, for this reason that I should have come,

 

OT 02:35.17
Š’ų́šą́nągara, ésgé ha’ų́húra, hésgé ų́
O you sitting one, for this reason that I came, this to be done

 

  OT 02:45.11
hųįgigírera, haną́cixjį hakaráigi’ų́šąną. Égi, néižą́
[that they sent me for,] so very  many doing this on (my) behalf. And, for such as I,

 

 

  || 02:52.54
wı̨́néxjįr̨a wažą́ [ké hérenįn’]," éže. |
that should be done this [not it should not be]," he said. |

 

Part 2: 7207 = OT 7697

00:52.87 = OT 03:48.01
Egi hagágasgéižąxjį, wóną́cgeték hisgéxjį wanįgí’ų́įna nų́nįgé,
So this is terrible, to be upset like this, that I should cause you but,

 

  OT 03:58.26
hąké wažą́ ų pı̨́hįgają́, šurugújireireagają́, wąk
not something to do to do well, when it’s not possible, man

 

 

párá nįr̨akų́nųkjega, égi, honı̨́ną́kšąną.
your nose the one who bit off, well, they are hunting for him.

 

OT 04:06:42 OT 04:10.52
Hagoréižą, hacı̨́joware kéšąną hı̨́pereznįna[?]. Égi,
After a point, [where he went] nothing it could not be known. So,

 

  OT 04:15.58
hi’éregi, t’éhírekjanéną. Nųnįgé 'cįja ų́r̨ehi
when (or if) he is found, they will kill him. But where he has gotten to [?]

 

  OT 04:18.82
kížį̨̄́pereznı̨́ną. Nų́nįgé, égi, wą́gížą, hiroágᵉnį, t’é
not a single one knows. But, then a man, the one you shall kill, this one.

 

  OT 04:27.2
rára, že’é, hinų́gwacábᵉra hanįjá jírekjenén’.
the last one, this one, his sisters to see you they will come.

 

 

OT 04:33.02      
Hanįjájírekjanąhéra, wáinį hanįgí[ire?], jírekjanąhen’.
When they will come to see you, clothing they will bring you, they will come to see you.

 

OT 04:39.7 OT 04:5.44
R̨a, wąk t’e waragíjire, e wą́kcápirera." Éže,
So, the man to kill you came to kill, this their man." He said,

 

 

"Jágú wiragíšarara, nįgít’ų́naireánąga, égi, wąk t’éra
"What they dress you (in), they have forgiven you, and, [then,] man the dead one

 

  OT 04:54.42
aka* érenı̨́nekjaneną.† Hinų́k hajírekjanahéga že’é,
no more he will be. Women who come, those,

* a variant of hąká.
† < hérenı̨́nekjaneną, the initial /h/ having been lost due to external sandhi.

  OT 05:01.22
wą́gᵉnįcábirekjanéže, hésgé áiren'. [Öne?], égi hinų́gᵉną́ka,
they will be your relatives, that’s what (how) they say. ? and these women

 

  OT 05:0.5 OT 05:09.3
hajíreže, hajíregi hišjárá giružáireánąga, égi, šgúré
they came, (and) when they came his face they washed for him, [and,] clean

 

 

híreánąga, égi, wagucą́, waxúwagucą́, wagujé, wóną́žį,
they made it, and [then] leggings, leather footwear, shoes, shirt,

 

  OT 05:24.24
wa’ı̨́ higigíre[ánąga], éja cásı̨́c wákéré, cáxšébᵉrokéré
blanket* they gave him, [as well and], there deertail roach, [an eagle feather?]

* or robe.

  OT 05:31.83
hakérégigíreže, wą́kwóikíkáǧra haną́c ų́gigí[yą?]. Égi, "Wanąǧíérehi"
they put on him, a man’s outfit entire they did for him. So, "Replacing the Ghost"

 

  OT 05:36.01
áirešųnų́n žéesge gigíreže, wą́giyą́ t’e
as they used to say, in this way they did it for him, a man when has been killed

 

  OT 05:41.21
wagigíre,* écą́ herehíreže. Égi že’é 'nųgᵉną́ka
a(nother) man in his place they put. And there these women

* or wagigíra.

  OT 05:44.76
e wą́kcápireže. Égi, e hocágíwe wakérékjé,
they they took him for a relative. So, he to go back he might go,

 

 

  || OT 05:50.14
rágų́ rékjanąhégiži, higáireže. |
it is desired that he would go, they said. |

 

Part 3: 7254 = OT 7697

00:28.57 = OT 06:22.34
Že’e wą́k, pára kųnų́kra hanįhéga, hégų́, nı̨́ná
There man, his nose being cut up as long as it was, well, the water

 

  OT 06:35.51
hégų́ harekú žégų réšgų́nį. Wác éjaxjį
[well] downriver [thus] he must have gone. Boats right there

 

  OT 06:38.82
homı̨́ną́k wa’ųną́kšgųnį. Ų́ną́k’ų̀, hégų́, hokíkúruš’àkže,*
[to ride in] there must have been. Going along, then, he was exhausted,

* although -š’akše is phonologically correct, she seems to be using -š’akže.

  OT 06:44.7
hokíkúruš’àkže, égų́ róra haną́c t’égianą̀ga, cówé
he was exhausted, and his body entire it hurt as well, nearly

 

  OT 06:49.7
t’éhíireaną̀ga* ḗsge, égi pá horakų́nųkra égašge
they had killed him because, and his nose where they had bitten [he would say]

* t’éhí-hire-aną̀ga.

  OT 06:54.16
égų́ t’égiraroką́ną(kjį?). Hégų́, jágú ų́kjénı̨̀sgè hégų́,
[now] they were extremely painful. So, what he should do then,

 

 

jásgéxjįahánąka, wą́kšígᵉnąkaį [?], wą́kšík’įge, yá’énąke,
how on earth, a person who is to live,* one who is to find it (life?),

* or, "to survive".

OT 002.03
gáesge hégų́, éja Wą́kšík cíną́k, éja, éja
[and so] [then,] [there] [Indian] village, [there] [there]

 

  OT 07:07.17
égu, t’ą́pžé, wájᵉra ų́na hižą́(na_?) éja égu,
then, he jumped, into a boat to to use it, ? there then,

 

  OT 07:10.43
tą́pže. Gų éja égų́ ną́žı̨́kja’ų́, hinų́giyą́ cíną̀ka
he jumped. So [there] then [standing ?] a woman that house

 

  OT 07:18.5
éja hihiną́p ną̨̄̀ka, nı̨́na howáhùže. ’Gí,
[there] to come out that one [the water] [she went over.] And

 

  OT 07:20.45
nı̨́céc jiánąga wóróǧòǧòc gają wą́k ją̀ne hajážé.
the shore when he came to, and he was looking around, when man that he saw them.

 

OT 07:22.89
Giží hákjá, hit’áre hihíže, cí éja
But [in turn?], to talk to them [?] he did, house there

 

OT 07:27.72
wokít’are hí, gają, éja, wą́gᵉrá nų́p hihiną́p hì ánąga
to speak to them he did, when, there, men two to come out he did, and

 

  || OT 07:31.93
égų́ hóirežè. |
and they approached. |

 

Part 4: 7227 = OT 7697

This part, having been processed quite some time ago, has been correlated with the APS audio rather than the OT audio.

00:31.30 = OT 08:04.00
Že’é wą́k pára kųnų́gną̄ką, že’é, gisák hireánąga,
And  so man noses those chopped, these to kill* they did, and

* gisák has connotations of a blow to the head.

    00:44        
nı̨́éja hot'ų́náiren'. Že'e nı̨́éja hocárará nąka hi'éja†
in the water they threw him. So there in the water ?* that one thereat

* a hapoxlegomenon. For what this word might mean, see the Commentary to the translation.
† xe'eja ? 

  00:49       00:52
hiráixàk'ų. Wažı̨́ža wą̀kižą eja, "Heeeeeei! Jágú
while it poured over him. Someone a man* there, "Heeeeeei! What

* not necessarily a human being, as wąk may mean, "male, man, human, supernatural being."

  00:53         00:55.6
nį'ų̀že? Jágú'ų̀ éja hišgáinı̨́šge [?] šąnąk? "Jágú
it is the matter with you? Why [there] fooling around - you are? "Whyever

 

          1:01
š'ų́naoš'ų́rá jagu wárákikųnųnį." hižą́įk èže. "Gają
you're doing what [you're doing,] you've forgotten." the one he said. "And

 

        01:06
éja, ną́ną́k'ų, raxı̨́gire žeesgíkisgéiže." Giži,
then, when you were asleep,* they woke you up, that's what it seems."† [And then,]

* or, "when he was asleep".
† uncertain reading.

        1:11
"Ahóhó, wažą́ ’óho [’ųho?] gigiránįše."* Ēsgíreže.†
"Ahóhó, [something] ’óho you have to give." This is what he planned to do.

* uncertain reading.
† ēsge híreže? 

    1:14.5     01:17  
Ésgé èže. É hokikít'e wánąkše. "Jágú'ų ké
This is what he said. There to talk together they did. "Why not

 

  01:19  
pı̨́nákik'ųnį? Éja hožéesgášąnąkže?"*
you have not healed yourself up? [There] are you going to remain within that way?"

* < ho-žéesge-hášąnąk-že, from ho-, the inessive applicative suffix: "in, into"; žéesge, "that way"; hášąnąk, "you remain"; and -ze, a suffix expressing hearsay.

01:21   01:23        
Žá* higéže. Giži ḗsge žéesge hìže. Pı̨́kík'ų̀že.
To rub clean he told him. [And] so that he did. He healed himself up.

* ža means, "to make plain, clear; to rub clean" (Marino).

01:26          
"Rórégų̀* haną́c mą́nukųnųkųnųk hireánąga, šíbréšge, hegų,
"His body all to be slashed to pieces it was, and fallen down, and

* < róra égų̀.

      01:33.8  
nı̨́xára ešge mą́páražìže.* Egų nı̨́éjàk† žegų,
his stomach [thus] it had been ripped open. And lying in the water there [thus]

* < mą́páraš hìže.
† < nı̨́-éja-àk.

          01:39
šíbrá wašáraráigų, hahi nı̨́éja [gožu’o]gųnįgi, hóǧuą́įcga
his intestines the fat of,* and there in the water [...] he became, trying to cough

* Miner defines wašará as "supplementary fat between intestines, used for wrapping roast." This should be the omentum.

  01:39          
jíreànąga, hóǧuą́įcga éja, egų,* egų wašį́ rújᵉną̄kše,
he started, and trying to cough there, and, and fat he consumed,

* éja egų is elided as éjegų.

  01:46        
gáigų. 'Gi’egų* nı̨́xára egų, wašáranąka karáigoǧoǧenąka
in that way. And so his stomach then, the fat he gathered together

* < égi-egų.

      01:54    
nı̨́xá-ejokawas* [xjį?]genąką egų, hégų pı̨́kík'ų̀že, hacı̨́jašąną,
where it was dark - and then he fixed himself up, wherever,

* < nı̨́xá eja hokawas, meaning "deep in his belly"? 

      02:01    
hegų higišą́nąnįge'ų pı̨́kík'ų̀že. T'éhireánįhera* higé pı̨́hı̨́
[still] he was injured, he healed himself. They had killed him and again he renewed

* T'éhire-hánįhera, the second /h/ having been lost through internal sandhi.

  02:04     02:06.6
wą̀kšík’į.* Jágú'ų [ho]gira[k?], hiróǧéireže.† Eja
his life. Why to tell they did after (behind) him. There

* wąkšik-’į or -ho’ı̨́?
† hiróǧéirege?

      02:08.5    
raxı̨́gireánąga [ǧoe] ų́ną̀kže. Te'é, "Jágú'ų̀ ke
they woke him up, and ? they were. These, "Why not

 

 

pı̨̀nákìk'ų̀[nįšųnųn?]," higáiregi, ḗsge žéesge hìže,
you were not healing yourself?," they said to him, so that he did,

 

          02:20  
gają hišjásúrašgeižá, hirásá gijóx ireže,† giží. "Hégų́
but one of his eyes also to knock out* they did . "Well,

* gijóx, "to break something pulpy by striking it" (Lipkind and Miner).
† the initial /h/ has been lost through external sandhi.

 

ké wàkíkųnųnį, že'é hišjásúra ke pı̨́k'ų́ gają, hiráréxjįgają,
not I have not forgotten, [this] my eye not healed and in a little while

 

 

'géišge* hišjásúra pı̨́ąkarak'ų̀, 'gų†[?] žégųwą́'ųkjera žégų́gų́,
besides my eye I will fix, and then I will have made in that manner

* a front clip of žigéišge (< žigé-hišge, "again also").
† if this reading is correct, it appears to be a front clip of egų.

    02:35      
hišjásúra* ha'ų́kjéra. É wą́kšígᵉra hı̨́pérezirekje, péžéga
my eyes they will be pure. Those men they will know me, whoever

* są́kíra? 

 

wá'ųnągᵉra, wówą́kižą wá'ųnągᵉra, žé'éja* (gi?)t'é
they are who did it, a wicked one doing it, that one there to die

* < žé'e-éja.  

  02:44        
horágeną́įkjeną. Gažēsge ánąk* hišjású są́įgiyáké,† pı̨́kárak'ų(į?)nįgi.‡
it will be said. Thus saying eye other side, not if it is not fixed up.

* uncertain reading.
† sánįgiyáké?
‡ -ųįnegi?

02:49       02:54    
Žé'é heréže, wą́k wórágᵉnąką. "Wą́k wówą̀k, jágú'ų̀
That he did, man the wicked one. "Man wicked, why

 

 

hoišíreánąera, [?] wákíkųnųnį,* hají né wówą́gᵉra hižą́ wínéxjį,
they have been bothering me, I have forgotten, so I the wicked ones one I will do,

* sounds like wákík'ųnųnį.

  03:04      
gážēsge. Hąké méesge hįgígíre-anįgi,* hąkága
like that. Not like this they have done to me, which he had, never

* < hįgígíre-hanįgi, the second /h/ having been lost through internal sandhi.

    03:09      
yákípèreznįn(ą). Gáesge, pı̨́gigī́reagáją, wą́k wa'ų́ną̀ka cówé
I never knew. For that reason, if they did well, men enemy nearly

 

  03:14    
t'éwíre-aną́nąką, pı̨́gigí, wa'ų́įnegáją, kága
they killed me, ... if they do good, after they are done, never

 

 

esge-įgírainįgi,* hąkàga yàkí'ènį, kágá-iyą(ha)ną́kìxgųnįšguną,"
thus I never said to myself, never I never ... never I never ...,"

* < esge-hįgírainįgi, the /h/ having been lost through internal sandhi.

 

    || 03:22
gáesge éže. |
and so he said. |

 

Sources:

Part 1 — Stella Stacy, "Forgiveness for a Killer [2 of 4]," reading by Sheila Shigley, from audio tapes in the American Philosophical Society. Fraenkel, Gerd. Mss.Rec. 29, recorded 13 July 1959, 1 .mp3; 00:00:21.90 - 00:01:20.79. Copy made by Gerd Fraenkel of an original tape held at the Archives of Languages of the World, Indiana University. This program comes from original tape 528.13. APS accession number 7241; APSdigrec_2189; Recording Number: 02; Program Number: 41.

Part 2 — Stella Stacy, "Forgiveness for a Killer [1 of 4]," reading by Sheila Shigley, from audio tapes in the American Philosophical Society. Fraenkel, Gerd. Mss.Rec. 29, recorded 20 July 1959, 1 .mp3; 00:00:52.87 - 00:02:54. Copy made by Gerd Fraenkel of an original tape held at the Archives of Languages of the World, Indiana University. This program comes from original tape ?. APS accession number 7207; APSdigrec_2190; Recording Number: 02; Program Number: 42.

Part 3 — Stella Stacy, "Forgiveness for a Killer [2 of 4]," reading by Sheila Shigley, from audio tapes in the American Philosophical Society. Fraenkel, Gerd. Mss.Rec. 29, recorded 20 July 1959, 1 .mp3; 00:00:28.57 - 00:01:38. Copy made by Gerd Fraenkel of an original tape held at the Archives of Languages of the World, Indiana University. This program comes from original tape 529.2. APS accession number 7254; APSdigrec_2191; Recording Number: 02; Program Number: 43.

Part 4 — Stella Stacy, "Forgiveness for a Killer [3 of 4]," reading by Sheila Shigley, from audio tapes in the American Philosophical Society. Fraenkel, Gerd. Mss.Rec. 29, recorded 20 July 1959, 1 .mp3; 00:00:31.30 - 00:01:03:22. Copy made by Gerd Fraenkel of an original tape held at the Archives of Languages of the World, Indiana University. This program comes from original tape 529.2. APS accession number 7227; APSdigrec_2191; Recording Number: 02; Program Number: 43.