Hocąk Text — The Story of the Thunder Names
narrated by Sam Blowsnake
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Sam Blowsnake |
p. 300 —
Uáñgᴇra | djop‘íwi | māⁿᵉúṇa | ë́dja | huwagigíra |
Wą́gera | jopíwi | Mą’úna | éja | huwagigíra |
Men | four | Earthmaker | here | he sent |
ᵉuañgếdja | hahúirega | ë́p‘a | hoixgốⁿṇa | djagú |
wągéja | hahúirega | é’pa | hoixgǫ́na | jagú |
from above | [as having come,] | [after that] | they came | what |
ᵉúiṇejê | hanā́ⁿtcîñxdjîⁿ | jêế | rajᴇra | erérënᴀⁿ. |
’úineže[,] | haną́cįxjį | žeé | ražera | eréreną. |
they did, | all | [these] | names | [there were]. |
Higû́ⁿ | haⁿp | dêế | wak‘andjára | hoixgôñxgốṇa |
Higų́ | hąp | teé | Wakąjára | hoixgǫxgóna |
Thus, | day | [this] | the Thunderbirds | the characteristics |
djagu | ᵉúnañgᴇrê | hanā́ⁿtcîñxdjîⁿ | jếê | rajᴇra |
jagu | ’únągere | haną́cįxjį | žée | ražera |
[what] | [which they did,] | all | these | the names |
ererếnᴀⁿ | djádjiga | hîñgénᴀⁿ. | Uáñgᴇra | djop‘íwi |
eréreną, | jájiga | hįgéną. | Wą́gera | jopíwi |
[there were], | my father | he told me. | Men | four |
uáñgᴇrêgi | hahúirera | jêê | rajíjaⁿ | herë́nᴀⁿ |
wą́geregi | hahúirera | žee | ražížą | heréną, |
from above | [the coming of them] | [this] | a name | there is, |
Uañgêdjáhuga; | ëgi | hínû́ñgᴇra | hijérêgi | rajᴇra |
Wągejáhuga; | egi | hínųgera | hižéregi | ražera |
"He Who Comes from Above"; | and | the women | [having them] | the name |
Uañgêdjahúwîñga. | Ëgi | uáñgᴇra | djop‘íwi | ᵉuáñgᴇrêgi |
Wągejahúwįga. | Egi | wą́gera | jopíwi | wą́geregi |
"She Who Comes from Above". | And | the men | four | from above |
māⁿᵉúṇa | huwagigíra | waxop‘íni | hik‘ískê | hahúirega |
Mą’úna | huwagigíra | waxopíni | hikíske | hahúirega |
Earthmaker | the ones he sent down, | spirits | like | since they came, |
ëskê | rajíjaⁿ | jêérenᴀⁿ, | Uañgwáxop‘iniga; | ëgi |
eske | ražížą | žeéreną, | Wągwáxopiniga; | egi |
[therefore] | a name | [this] there is, | "Spirit Man"; | and |
hínûñgᴇra | hijérêgi | hinûñg | Wáxop‘iniwîñga. |
hínųgera | hižéregi | hinųg | Wáxopiniwįga. |
the women | [having them] | [female] | "Spirit Woman". |
Ëgi | uáñgᴇra | djop‘íwi | ᵉuáñgᴇrêgi | māⁿᵉúṇa |
Egi | wą́gera | jopíwi | wą́geregi | Mą’úna |
And | the men | four | from above | Earthmaker |
ëdja | huwagigíra | nijuxotcgura | xi | hahúirejê |
eja | huwagigíra | nižuxocgura | xi | hahúireže, |
[there] | [the ones he sent down,] | the drizzling | fog | when they came, |
ë́skê | rajíjaⁿ | jêérenᴀⁿ | Ximánîñga, | Xigúga; |
éske | ražížą | žeéreną | Ximánįga, | Xigúga; |
so | [a name] | [this there is] | "Walking in Mist," | "Comes in Mist"; |
ëgi | hinûñgᴇra | Nijuxotcgêwîñga | airanā́nᴀⁿ. | Ëgi |
egi | hinųgera | Nižuxocgewįga | airanáną. | Egi |
and | the women | "Drizzling Rain Woman" | they would call. | And |
p. 301 —
tcëkdjinᴀ | derôk | airêgi | ëdja | djidjérêgi |
cekjina | Terok | airegi | eja | jijéregi |
the first | Térok | [as it is said,] | [there] | when they came, |
xoxawaídja | hadjidjérejê | gadjaⁿ | hanốⁿzogirèjê, | jếê |
xoxawaíja | hajijéreže | gają | hanǫ́zogirèže, | žée |
upon bushes | they alit, | and | they bent them down, | this |
rajíjaⁿ | herénᴀⁿ, | Xaⁿwiánôⁿzogewîñga. | Ë́gi | jigê |
ražížą | heréną, | Xąwiánǫzogewįga. | Egi | žige |
a name | there is, | "She Who Bends the Bushes". | [And] | [again] |
tcacgêgúijᴀⁿ | ëdjádjegi | ak‘aratcgếdja | hadjidjéregadjaⁿ | ak‘áratcgèra |
cašgegúižą | ejájegi | ak’arecgéja | hajijéregają | ak’áracgèra |
an oak tree | that stood there | on the limb | when they alit, | the limb |
hanôⁿzógirejê | rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ | Náⁿnazógêwîñga; | ëgi |
hanǫzógireže, | ražížą | heréną, | Nąnazógewįga; | egi |
they bent down, | a name | there was, | "She Who Bends the Branches Down"; | and |
jigế | náⁿdjega | ëdja | hadjidjérenᴀⁿ | ë́skê |
žigé | ną́jega | eja | hajijéreną, | éske |
[again] | on a tree | [there] | they alit, | [so] |
rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ | Náⁿdjidjega, | Naⁿdjidjêwîñga; | ëgi |
ražížą | heréną, | Ną́jijega, | Nąjijewįga; | egi |
a name | there was, | "He Who Alights on a Tree," | "She Who Alights on a Tree"; | and |
náⁿdjega | rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ | Tcacgêgúwîñga. | Airanấnᴀⁿ. |
ną́jega | ražížą | heréną, | Cašgegúwįga. | Airanáną. |
[the tree] | a name | there was, | "Oak Woman". | Thus, they would say. |
Náⁿdjega | tcacgëgúijᴀⁿ | heregế | ë́skê | ë́gi |
Ną́jega | cašgegúižą | heregé | éske | égi |
The tree | an oak | [because it was,] | [so] | [here] |
maíndja | hidjérejê | maiⁿdjidjérega | jêế | rajíjᴀⁿ |
maíja | hijéreže | maįjijérega | žeé | ražížą |
on the ground | they stepped, | from their being on the ground, | [this] | a name |
herénᴀⁿ, | Maiⁿdjidjéga, | ëgi | híjûñgᴇra | Maiⁿdjidjêwîñga |
heréną, | Maįjijéga, | egi | hínųgera | Maįjijewįga |
there was, | "He Who Alights on the Ground"; | and | the woman | "She Who Alights on the Ground" |
wigairesᵉā́jê. | Ëgi | jigế | wak‘ándja | wak‘íju |
wigaires’áže. | Egi | žigé | waką́ja | wakížu |
they would call her. | And | [again] | Thunderbirds | with |
hadjírega | jêế | rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ, | Wak‘andjága, |
hajírega | žeé | ražížą | heréną, | Wakąjága; |
since they came, | [this] | a name | there was, | "Thunderbird"; |
ëgi | jigế | hínûñgᴇra | Wak‘andjáwîñga; | ëgi |
egi | žigé | hínųgera | Wakąjáwįga; | egi |
and | [again] | the woman | "Thunderbird Woman"; | and |
jigế | Wak‘andjáskaga | hinûñgera, | Wak‘andjaskáwîñga; | ë́gi |
žigé | Wakąjáskaga; | hínųgera | Wakąjaskáwįga; | égi |
[again] | "White Thunderbird"; | the woman | "White Thunderbird Woman"; | and |
jigế | Wak‘andjásepga, | hínûñgᴇra | Wak‘andjásebîñga; | ëgi |
žigé | Wakąjásepga;* | hínųgera | Wakąjásebįga; | égi |
[again] | "Black Thunderbird"; | the woman | "Black Thunderbird Woman"; | and |
*this should be Wakąjásepka.
jigế | wak‘andjánañgrê | kᵉónañk‘ê, | jêê | rajíjᴀⁿ |
žigé | wakąjánągre | kónąke | žee | ražížą |
[again] | the Thunderbirds | since they thunder, | this | a name |
herénᴀⁿ, | Kᵉónihéga, | ëgi | hinûñgᴇra | Kᵉonihéwîñga; |
heréną, | Kónihéga, | égi | hinųgera | Konihéwįga; |
there is, | "He Who Thunders," | and | for women, | "She Who Thunders"; |
ëgi | jigế | kᵉoírega | tcîⁿwîⁿhírañk‘ê | Tciⁿwîⁿdjik‘erêhiga, |
egi | žigé | koírega | cįwįhírąke | Cįwįjikerehiga, |
and | [again] | [as they thunder], | they make the noise cįwį, | He Who Makes Cįwį, |
airesᵉā́jê | ëgi | jigê | hodá. | Tciⁿwîñgúga |
aires’áže, | egi | žigé | hotá, | Cįwįgúga |
[they would say,] | and | [again] | some, | He Who Comes Making Cįwį |
*this word mistakenly has a period after it.
rajᴇra | airesᵉā́jê, | wak‘andjára | hagúirega | tcíⁿwîⁿañgùañk‘ê. |
ražera | aires’áže, | wakąjára | hagúirega | cį́wįągùnąke. |
the name | they would call, | the Thunderbirds | when they come | they come making the sound cįwį. |
Ëgi | jigế | wak‘andjánᴀñgᴇrê | nijú | manínañk‘ê |
Egi | žigé | wakąjánągere | nižú | manínąke |
And | [again] | the Thunderbirds | rain accompanies them | when they walk, |
rajíjᴀⁿ | je-érenᴀⁿ | Nijumániga, | hinûñgᴇra | Nijumaníwîñga |
ražížą | že-éreną, | Nižumániga, | hinųgera | Nižumaníwįga |
a name | [this] there is, | "He Who Walks with Rain," | the women | "She Who Walks with Rain" |
wigaíresᵉajê; | ëgi | wak‘andjánoñk‘a | mani-añgúirêgi, | jêế |
wigaires’áže, | egi | wakąjánǫka | mani-ągúiregi, | žeé |
they would call her, | and | the Thunderbirds | since they came walking, | this |
rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ, | Wak‘andjámanîñga; | ë́gi | jigê |
ražížą | heréną, | Wakąjámanįga; | égi | žigé |
a name | there is, | "Walking Thunder"; | and | [again] |
wak‘andjára | mani-añgúirêgi | maⁿcdjáⁿ | mani-añgúirêgi | rajíjᴀⁿ |
wakąjára | mani-ągúiregi, | mąšją́ | mani-ągúiregi, | ražížą |
the Thunderbirds | [since they came walking,] | [mighty] | [since they came walking,] | a name |
herénᴀⁿ, | Maⁿcdjaⁿmánîñga, | hínûñgᴇra |
heréną, | Mąšjąmánįga, | hínųgera |
there is, | "He Who Comes with a Mighty Tread," | the women |
Maⁿcdjaⁿmaníwîñga | wigairesᵉájê; | ëgi | jigê |
Mąšjąmaníwįga | wigaires’áže; | egi | žigé |
"She Who Comes with a Mighty Tread" | [they would call them]; | [and] | [again] |
wak‘andjára | maⁿni-añgúirega | maⁿṇá | giksûntc | hagúnôñk‘a |
wakąjára | mąniągúirega | mąná | giksunc | hagúnǫka |
the Thunderbirds | when they come walking, | the earth | to shake | [coming], |
rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ | Mañgíksûntcga, | hínûñgᴇra |
ražížą | heréną, | Mągíksųcga, | hínųgera |
a name | there is, | "He Who Shakes the Earth by Force," | the women, |
p. 302 —
Mañgiksûntcwîñga. | Wigaíresᵉajê. | Ë́gi | wak‘andjára |
Mągiksųcwįga. | Wigaíres’aže.* | Égi | wakąjára |
"She Who Shakes the Earth by Force," | they are called. | And | the Thunderbirds |
*this is not a sentence, but the last word of the previous sentence, sic, Mągiksuncwįga, wigaíres’aže.
hagúirega | maⁿṇa | nañksû́ntc | hagúiresᵉàjê | gíji |
hagúirega | mąna | nąksų́c | hagúires’àže | gíži |
when they came, | the earth | to shake | [they would come,] | and thus, |
jêê | rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ, | Maⁿnañksûntcga | hínûñgᴇra |
žee | ražížą | heréną, | Mąnąksųcka* | hínųgera |
[this] | a name | there is, | "He Who Shakes the Earth by Walking," | the women, |
*the text has in error, Mąnąksuncga.
Maⁿnañksûndjêwîñga; | ë́gi | jigế | wak‘andjára | hagúirega |
Mąnąksųjewįga; | égi | žigé | wakąjára | hagúirega |
"She Who Shakes the Earth by Walking," | and | [again] | the Thunderbirds | when they come, |
maⁿᵉé | hagúirecᴀnùnᴀⁿ | jếê | rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ |
mą’é | hagúirešanùną | žée | ražížą | heréną, |
wind and hail | they always come, | [this] | a name | there is, |
Maⁿᵉêmanîñga. | Ë́gi | jigê | wak‘andjánañk‘i | hijáⁿ |
Mą’emanįga. | Égi | žigé | wakąjánąki | hižą́ |
"He Who Comes with Wind and Hail".* | And | [again] | Thunderbirds | one of them |
*this is normally translated as, "Storms as He Walks".
tconi | djéjê | hagúirega | ë́skê | jêế | rajíjᴀⁿ |
coni | jéže | hagúirega | éske | žeé | ražížą |
first | [he stood] | since he came, | [so] | [this] | name |
herénᴀⁿ | Tconimániñga; | wak‘andjánañk‘a | hijᴀ́ⁿ |
heréną, | Conimánįga; | wakąjánąka | hižą́ |
there is, | "He Who Walks First"; | [the Thunderbirds] | one of them |
tconídjega | hawáᵉûⁿ | jigế | jêê | rajíjAⁿ |
coníjega | hawá’ų | žigé | žee | ražížą |
first | since, | [again] | [this] | a name |
herénᴀⁿ, | Wak‘andjátconîñga, | hinûñgᴇra | Wák‘andjatconìwîñga. |
heréną, | Wakąjáconįga,* | hinųgera | Wákąjaconìwįga.* |
there is, | "Thunderbird Leader," | the women | "Thunderbird Female Leader". |
*in the text, neither name is capitalized nor italicized.
Wak‘andjánañgrê | djáⁿbirega | wákcañkcaⁿ | djirêhínañgrê | jêê |
Wakąjánągre | ją́birega | wákšąkšą | jirehínągre | žee |
[These] Thunderbirds | since they flash, | in every direction | [these point], | [this] |
rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ, | Djaⁿbwakcáñkcañga, | ëgi | hinû́ñk |
ražížą | heréną, | Jąbwakšą́kšąga, | egi | hinų́k |
a name | there is, | "Flashes in Every Direction," | and | woman |
rájᴇra. | Wak‘andjánañgrê | hañk‘ế | hiwadjáwini-ā̀nañga |
rážera. | Wakąjánągre | hąké | hiwajáwini-ànąga |
the name.* | [These] Thunderbirds | not | we do not see, but |
*the female counterpart is not given by the narrator.
djaⁿbᴇra-cᴀnᴀⁿtcsⁿtᵉî́ⁿnañk‘ê | jêê | rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ, | hinûñk |
jąbera-šanącąt’į́nąke | žée | ražížą | heréną, | hinų́k |
we see only their flashes, | [this] | a name | there is, | woman |
rajíjᴀⁿ | Djaⁿᴇrácᴀnᴀⁿ-tcaⁿtᵉîⁿwîñga; | ë́gi | wak‘andjánañgrê | djaⁿp |
ražížą | Jąberášanącąt’įwįga; | égi | wakąjánągre | jąp |
a name | "Only a Flash of Lightning Woman"; | and | [these] Thunderbirds | lightning |
djicêhínañk‘a | rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ | Djaⁿpdjirêhíga; | ë́gi |
jišehínąka | ražížą | heréną | Jąpjirehíga; | égi |
the streaks, | a name | there is, | "Streak of Lightning"; | and |
jigế | wak‘andjánañgrê | mañxíwi | manínañkcᴀnᴀⁿ | mañxiwíxdjîñgàcᴀnᴀⁿ |
žigé | wakąjánągre | mąxíwi | manínąkšaną | mąxiwíxjįgàšaną |
[again] | [these] Thunderbirds | clouds | walking, | cloudiness |
ë́dja | máni-añgunàñkcᴀnᴀⁿ, | jêê | rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ |
éja | máni-ągunạ̀kšaną, | žee | ražížą | heréną |
[there] | it is caused by walking, | [this] | a name | there is, |
Mañxíwimànîñga; | ë́gi jigế | wak‘andjánañgrê | ahúra | seretcinâñkcᴀnᴀⁿ |
Mąxíwimànįga; | égi žigé | wakąjánągre | ahúra | sereciną́kšaną |
"He Who Walks in the Clouds"; | now | [these] Thunderbirds | wings | they are long |
jêê | rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ | Ahúseretcga; | ë́gi |
žee | ražížą | heréną | Ahúserecka;* | égi |
[this] | a name | there is, | "He Who has Long Wings". | And, |
*the text has Ahúserecga in error.
jigê | wak‘andjánañgrê | djáⁿbirega | naⁿṇa | hijᴀ́ⁿ |
žigé | wakąjánągre | ją́birega | nąna | hižą́ |
again, | [these] Thunderbirds | since they flash | the tree | one of them |
ë́dja | djidjêhíranânᴀⁿ | ë́skê | rajíjᴀⁿ | jeérenᴀⁿ |
éja | jijehírananą | éske | ražížą | žeéreną* |
[there] | they will strike, | [so] | a name | [this there is] |
*< žee-hereną.
Nodjôⁿpga; | ë́gi | jigê | wak‘andjándjánañgrê | naⁿnijodjíṇega |
Nojǫpka; | égi | žigé | wakąjánągre | nąnižojínega |
"He Who Strikes a Tree"; | and, | again, | [these] Thunderbirds | for the action of hitting a tree, |
naⁿhodjínôñk‘a | rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ | Nódjîñga, | ë́gi jigê |
nąhojínǫka | ražížą | heréną | Nójįga,* | égi žigé |
[this striking of trees] | a name | there is, | "He Who Hits a Tree"; | now |
*this name is not put in italics in the text.
hinûñgᴇra | Nodjíwîñga. | Wigaíresᵉājê, | aírera. | Ë́gi jigế |
hinųgera | Nojíwįga. | Wigaíres’aže, | aírera. | Égi žigé |
the women | "She Who Hits a Tree". | They would say it, | so it is said. | Now |
wak‘andjánañgrê | hagúirega | rudjáxᴇra | rok‘ốnô | waᵉúiṇenᴀⁿ |
wakąjánągre | hagúirega | rujáxera | rokóno | wa’úineną |
[these] Thunderbirds | when they come | thunder crashes | [many] | [they do it] |
aírecᴀnùnᴀⁿ; | uañkcî́gᴇra | djā́nañga | maⁿṇégi-añk‘i | é |
aírešanùną; | wąkšígera | jánąga | mąnégi-ąki | é |
[they would say]; | the people | as many as there are | on the earth | [they] |
jêê | hererā́nᴀñga | djā́nañga | wani-oítcgera | maⁿnégi-añk‘i |
žee | hereránąga | jánąga | wani-oícgera | mąnégi-ąki |
[these] | there are, and | as many as there are | the animals | on the earth |
here-ā́nᴀñga | xawinanấnᴀⁿ | djānañgā́k‘a | hanā́ⁿtcîñxdjîⁿ | niju |
hereánąga | xawinanáną | janągáka | haną́cįxjį | nižu |
there are, and | the plants | as many as there are | everything | rain |
p. 303 —
hirā́nᴀñga | wak‘andjánañgrê | máⁿnañgrê | é | jêê |
hiránąga | wakąjánągre | mą́nągre | é | žee |
[they cause, and] | [these] Thunderbirds | the earth | they | [this] |
wárudjaxᴇnàñkcᴀnᴀⁿ | ë́skê | wánañkcᴀnᴀⁿ | warudjáxega | ā́nañgrê |
wárujaxenạ̀kšaną | éske | wánąkšaną | warujáxega | ánągre |
thunder crashes, | [so] | [they say it] | the thunder crashes | [they say] |
rajíjᴀⁿ | herénᴀⁿ, | Warudjáxega. |
ražížą | heréną, | Warujáxega.* |
a name | there is, | ["Crashing Thunder".]† |
*this is left untranslated in the text, but a footnote to it reads, "This is the narrator's name. It signifies 'terrible thunder-crash'." The narrator was Sam Blowsnake. This name was originally that of his brother, Jasper Blowsnake.
†this is the translation of the name that came to be conventional.
Paul Radin, "Personal Reminiscences of a Winnebago Indian," Journal of American Folk-Lore, 26, #102 (1913): 293-318 [300-303]. Informant: Sam Blowsnake, Thunderbird Clan.