Hocąk Text — Winnebagos Go to See the Prophet

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


Stella Stacy (Mountain Wolf Woman)

English Translation


Stylistic Features

hapaxlegomena: háesge as a variant of hḗsge, "like this"; žéesgéšge, as a variant of žeežesge, "it was in order to."  

First Line Tape 7245 from the American Philosophical Society
Second Line Transcription
Third Line Translation

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


00:14.9*
Hócą́gᵋra, wáireže, hacı̨́ja že, Žáwánu, Wórágᵋnąka, nąki hajáirekjawiną, áireánąga.
The Hōcąks, they say, wherever there, Žawanų the Prophet (is), there they would see him, they say as well.

* this = OT 07:38.9.


00:26 00:31
Wąk, Hócą́k wąk, eówaráireže. Žáwánų Wórágᵋnąka, hacı̨́ja cígi eówaráireže.
A man, a Hōcąk man, they went there (to him), it is said. Žawanų the Prophet, wherever he lived they would go there.

 


00:37.1
Eówaráiregi, ’gu, žéesgéšge [yáreže?], wąk hajá jásgéxjįižą herekjégi, hḗsge
When they were to go to him, [well,] it was in order, I think, the man to see and exactly how he might be, that’s what

 


  00:45.3 00:50.1
hiráireánąga. Hegų hajáirekjera hahúhúre, haráireže. Giži
they were thinking as well. So as they were going to go see him they were nervous, (that’s how) they went. So

 


  00:58.3
hiráhī́reže, hiráhī́regíži, te, éja nąkže, giži, wą́gᵋrá nųpíhiwiže, [ewą?] Žáwánų Wórágᵋnąka[k__ ] égų wąk
it seems, it seems, there,* there sitting, [and] men it was two it seems Žawanų the Prophet and man

* or, "this one".


  01:05.8
hijąnéra hirasa [giži ų́nąk?]. Giži že, wéžé, Žáwánų Wórágᵋnąka, "Hagágásgéižąxjį, te, éja hižą
a different also [there it seems?]. Well there, he said, Žawanų the Prophet, "This is terrible, here,* there someone

* or "this".


  01:19.2 01:24.7
wórágᵋnąkšąną, áiregíži. Hacá tékje, wą́khaja jásgéxjįižą wa’ųną́kgi, hacákjé. Hiráráireánąga,
he is telling stories, as they say. I must go see, to see for us what kind he might be, I must see. What they think as well,

 


  01:29.4 01:33.9
méžénąga šúwígają. Howáréra, rají(w)ireanąga, hı̨́sjáwigają. Hąke wą́kšígᵋrašge horoǧójᵋra [owe]
[as you have come this far?]. Truly, you have come, you have seen us. Not a person whose appearance ?

 


  01:39 01:41.6
yákisgánįn'.  Hišjá sánįkírašge hanı̨́iyąn'.* Gážeesga, nųnįgé, žéesgé ha’ų́kjé hı̨́gáirege,
it is not equal to mine. Face only half he is one who has. Like that, but, it I must do because they have told me,

* < hanı̨́-hizą́-ną.


  01:47.2 01:54.16
ḗsge wa’ųną́kšąn'. Horoǧójᵋra jáisgegi, ų žegų, wóré te’é méžésge ha’ų́kjé hı̨́gáirege, égi,
for that reason I’m doing it. My appearance whatever it is, well, job this in this way I should do they told me, and,

 


  02:01.3
hižą́ wóigirakra háesge* éną. Jágú hihékjąnéra, yákárahekje, éną. Jágúkjąnąhégi cówéja,
one the telling of stories like this he said. Whatever I say, I must return, he said. Whatever will be in the future,

* < hḗsge.


  02:04.6
hų́gírak jen'. Wažį̄́ža hų́gírak, e hų́gírak jen', égi méesge hotágᵋną́kšąną.
to be told [to me] he did. Something he tells me, he he is telling [me] he did, and for this reason I am telling it.

 


02:09.5 || 02:13.4
Te’e hı̨́šjá rajíwira pı̨́ną," éže.  
So to see me you came it is good," he said.  

 


Source:

Stella Stacy, "Winnebagos Go to See the Prophet" (current APS title: "Winnebagos go to see the prophet Shawanoworak"), reading by Sheila Shigley, from audio tapes in the American Philosophical Society. Fraenkel, Gerd. Mss.Rec. 29, recorded 12 July 1959, 1 .mp3; 00:00:14.9 - 00:02:13.4. 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 526.9. APS accession number 7245; APSdigrec_0950; Recording Number: 02; Program Number: 11.