Hocąk Syllabic Text — Journey to Spiritland, Version 8

Hocąk Syllabic Text — Journey to Spiritland, Version 8

narrated by a member of the Bear Clan

interlinear translation by Oliver LaMère


Winnebago V, #24: 75 (Hocąk)		Winnebago V, #24: 75 (English)

English Translation

	Stylistic Features
	hapaxlegomena: cak, fork (used as a noun); gihahap, "to cup" (the ancient medical procedure for drawing blood); jopa-jega, "the four"; mąnį́, "steps" (noun); regit’ųk , "to lie, dissemble"; roko, "to wish".
	rare words: hakregi, "in back, behind"; kunų, "to be lonesome".
	kisga for kisge, "like".
	warara for waraga, "relatives".
	all declarative sentences (52) except one end in -ną, which implies direct personal knowledge of their truth, as opposed to -že, which implies hearsay.
	use of hąké without the following negative particle nį, and the converse, the use of nį without the precedence of hąké (etc.).
	-kjaneną is always used for the future tense, and never the longer -kjanaheną.

p. 72 —

t ni L.	me e Le n.	e Ki.	te e	ttAo we tt
taníra	meereną,*	égi	tee	cowéja
The tobacco	here is it,	and	these	in front

*< mee-hereną.

p. 73 —

A diAi ni	m diAi ni Kette L.	t ni Ao L.	e Ki.	leAe ttL
hašįnį́	mąšínįkjera,	tanihúra	égi	pejra
you keep	as you go,	the pipe	and	the fire

A L K L di ni	m diAi ni Kette L.	e Ki.	w Lo ttL.	w d
harakárašini	mąšínįkjera,	égi	warujra	wažą
[that you have along with you]	as you go,	and	the food	things

w L K.	ni Ki oyi Le n.	de Le Ktt n A Le.	Ay ni Ki.
waraga	nįki’ųireną.	Žerekjanahare.	Haínigi,
your relatives	they have prepared for you.	[You will go.]	In the morning,

wi L xele Ao Ki.	deAe Le Ki di.	ttKe L	tti Ke Le K tt.
wiraǧéphugi,	šeregiži.	Cekra	jikeregają,
when the sun rises,	you will start.	[The first thing]	[to come to,]

ni Kowo xeAe te xitti d	Ao L tal	L ttidA nKi Ktt ne n.
nigu-woxetexjįžą	horat’ap	rajišanagikjanéną.
[a much beloved road]*	[you are stepping]	you will take.

*the translation has "a large road".

de e	Ao L w dAe Le Ki.	ttAe Kitti L.	doo	A L Ai K tt.
Žee	horawašeregi,	cekjįra	š’ų	harahigają,
Something	[as you go,]	the first*	you do	[when you get there,]

*"the first thing" is lined out.

p. 74 —

e tt	m L	Ki ttoKo x Ki Ktt ne n.	n m ttAe L.	Ai L Kow n K.
éja	mąra	gicguxagikjaneną.	Nąmącera	hiraguanąga
there	[the ground]	[you will cut across.]	Your Warclub	you take, and

Ao L tti Ktt ne n.	AK Le Ki	Ao L too deAe Le Ktt ne n.	A Ke
horajikjaneną.	Hakregi	horat’ųšerekjaneną.	Hąké
you will strike it.	In back	[you will cast it and go on.]	Not

A L Ktt lini.	di Ke	deAe Le Ktt ne n.	e tt	A doAo wo tti
harakjąbnį.	Žigé	šerekjaneną.	Éja	hašowoji
you will not look back.	[Again]	[you will go on.]	[There]	you will come upon something

L tti dA n Ki Ktt ne n.	w diAi diAi KL.	di Ke	AK Le Ki
rajišanagikjanéną,	wašišigra.	Žigé	hakregi
you will come,	[animals.]	Again	in back

Ao L too deAe Le Ktt ne n.	A Ke	A L Ktt lini.	di Ke
horat’ųšerekjaneną.	Hąké	harakjąbnį.	Žigé
[you will cast it and go on.]	Not	you will not look back.	Again

deAe Le Ktt ne n.	di Ke	dow L Ai K tt.	w noyi tteKe L.
šerekjaneną.	Žigé	žowarahigają,	wanoícgera
you must go on.	Again	as you go along,	animals

p. 75 —

A doAo wo tti Ktt ne n.	di Ke	Ai Ke	A L Ktt lini	A KeLe Ki
hašowojikjaneną.	Žigé	hįké	harakjąbnį.	Hakregi
you will come upon.	Again	not	you will not look back.	In back

Ao L too deAe Le Ktt ne n.	de e.	m Ai A KeLe Ki.	Ao w	Ao w L Ki Ki
horat’ųšerekjaneną.	Žee	mąhihakregi	howa	howaragigi
you will throw and go on.	[These]	on this earth	[here]	they come

w doo Ktt ne n.	wo n xi Le L.	w KidiKi	w d ni Le L.	wy noyo ttKe L.
waš’ųkjaneną,	wonaǧirera,	wąkcik	wažąnirera,	wainoícgera,
[you will do it,]	wars,	[men]	[possessions],	animals,

w Lo ttL.	e Ki	e tt	dAe Le Ki di	Ai Ke	A Li dA L ni Ktt ne n.
warujra.	Égi	éja	šeregiži,	hįké	harišaranįkjaneną.
food.	[And]	[from there]	when you go,	not	you will not have gone far.

e tt	ttAi lAo Lo Ke d.	A doAo wo tti L tti dA n Ki Ktt ne n.
Éja	ciporokežą	hašuwojirajišanąkikjaneną,
[There]	[an oval lodge]	you will come,

Ai to Ke ni Ki d	w o n Ki Ktt ne n.	e	de e.	wo ni Ki L Ki Kette L
hitokenįkižą	wa’ųnąkikjaneną.	E	žee	wonįkirakikjera
an old woman	there will be.	She	[this one]	she will inform you

p. 76 —

w o nK dA n.	Ai ttAo deKe	tt Ko	Ai ni Ky Le de	e Ktt ne n.
wa’ųnąkšaną.	"Hicųšgé,	jagú	hinįgaireže?"	ekjaneną.
she is the one.	"Grandson,	what	it is your name?"	she will ask.

w L Ke Ktte n.	Ko ni K.	Ao y Ko Lo Ao L.	te e.	wi Lo LK
Warakikjeną,	"Kunį́ka,	hoyakuruhora,	tee	wirorak
Then you must tell her,	"Grandmother,	when I was about to start,	these	mediators

y o Kette	ay Le n.	t ni Ao L.	i	Ke Le L Ki Ki Ktt ne n.
ya’ųkje,	aíreną."	tanihúra	i	kereragigikjaneną.
I was given,	[it is said."]	The pipe	mouth	you will put.

Ko ni K	daK w A L.	w Ki no lL.	Ao Ki K L tt ni L.	Ao tt
"Kunį́ka,	š’akwahara,	wakinųpra,	hokikarajanira,	hoją́
"Grandmother,	my parents,	my brothers,	my relatives,	[even now]

wo w rili	w K L Ki Ke.	wo n xi Le L.	tt rKe.	woyo to Ki Kii L.
wowázip	wakarágige,	wonaǧirera	jasgé	woitokík’įra
lonesome	I have made, therefore,	[the wars]	[what]	honors

Lo Ko	Ai Le n.	Ao tt.	w n tto tty rKe	w K L Ki Ke.
roko	hireną.	Hoją́	wanajojaisge	wakarágige
to wish	I do.	[Even now]	low in spirits	[I have made, therefore,]

p. 77 —

w Kidi Ko i L	tt rke	wy dtt Ao L.	de e.	ty Le n.
wąkšigo’įra	jasgé	waišjąhúra,	žee	taireną.
life	[what]	I left behind,	[that]	they asked.

e Ki.	A Ke	A K	Ai Lo tti	e Ki	Ai d
Égi	hąké	haga	hiroji	égi	hižą
And	not	[any time]	[very soon]	here	[one of them]

tti n Kette	ay Le n.	e Ki.	w KidiKi	w d ni Le L.
jinąkje,	aíreną.	Égi	wąkšik	wažąnirera
they might travel,	they said.	And	people	such things

tt n K	to Kd Ki.	di Ke	de e	t
janąga	tokšagi,	žigé	žee	ta
[all]	[as in summer ?],	[again]	[these]	to ask

Ai Le n.	te de rKe	Ko ni K	Ai Ky Le n.	Ao y Ko Lo Ao L.
hireną.	Težesge,	kunį́ka,	higaireną,	hoyakuruhora
they did.	This,	grandmother,	they said to me,	when I was about to start

n Ko L.	Aoyi tte L.	tto liAi wi	m ni	ttAo
nagúra	hoijera,	jopíwi	mąnį ´	co
[the road]	[stepping,]	four	steps	blue

Ai n teeKe tte Ki.	n Ko L.	m ni	ttAo
hinat'ekjegi,	nagúra	mąnį ´	co
[if you could direct me ?]	[the road]	steps	blue

Ao do tte Ki	e	w w te Ktt ne	A Ky Le n.	Ko ni K.
hožujegi,	e	wawatekjane	hakaireną,	kunį́ka."
as they are imprinted,	[these]	[I will go in]	they told me,	grandmother."

p. 78 —

A A.	Ai ttAo dKe niKi A xitti	nixAo no ni K tt.	w n ni Kr ld n.
"Hąhą́	hicųšgenįkhaxjį,	nįxununįkają,	wananįksapšaną.
"Well	[my dear grandson,]	you are young, but	you are wise.

e liAi n.	wo ni Ki A Ktte n.	a n K.	wo A L
Epį́ną.	Wonįgihakjeną,"	ánąga	wohą́ra
It is good.	I will boil something for you,"	she will say, and	the kettle

Ai tt Ke Le Ktt ne n.	riAi	Ao A Ktt ne n.	Att ttiKi di.	n roAo L
hijakerekjaneną.	Sį	hohąkjaneną.	Hajajigiži,	nąsúra
she will put it on.	Rice	she will boil.	If you eat,	head

ni te Ki Ktt ne n.	e Ki.	w ni Ke Ktt ne n.	Ai ttAo dKe	n roAo L.
nįtekikjaneną.	Égi	wanįgekjaneną,	"Hicųšgé,	nąsúra
you will have an ache.	Then	she will say to you,	"Grandson,	head

ni teKe dA n.	ni Ki A A li Ktte n	e Ktt ne n.	ni Ki A A liKi	e tt.
nįtekšaną.	Nįgihahapikjeną,"	ekjaneną.	Nįgihahapigi,	éja
you have an ache.	Let me cup it for you,"	she will say.	[After she cups it,]	[there]

n roAo L.	ni Ki xoAoxo x n K.	n roAo Lo Ko lL	ni Ki Lo ri Ktt ne n.
nąsúra	nįgixuxanąga	nasurugopra	nįgirusikjaneną.
skull	she cracks, and	the brain	she will take them out of you.

p. 79 —

de de Ko Ki.	m	e Ki	Ao dA L Le.	w L K.*
Žežegųgi,	mą	égi	hošarare.	Waraga
Then,	earth	here	you will forget.	[Relatives]

*the period after the word is written so high that it appears to be an /i/, giving w L Ki, but in the next instance of the word below it is clear that the /i/ is actually a period, and that the standard form of the word, w L K, is meant.

Ko no ni Ktt ne n.	w d	w L K.	Ai Ke	n ttKew wo L
kunųnįkjaneną.	Wažą	waraga	hįké	nącge wawora
[you will not be lonesome.]	[Things]	relatives	not	to worry

ttAi ni Ktt ne n.	w xAo liAi ni	w L tti Le.	Ai L	Ki rK
cinįkjaneną.	Waxopį́nį	warajire	hira	kisga
[you will not live.]	Spirits	[the various ones]	[being]	like

L tti tte Ktt ne n.	m Ai A KLe Ki.	wo we wi L.	e tt	Ai lA
rajijekjaneną.	Mąhihakregi	wowewira	éja	hipá
you shall become.	Just to the earth	your thoughts	there	any further than

Ai ni Ki Le Ktt ne n.	w xAo liAi ni	w L tti Le	L ni Ktt ne n	e lA.
hinįkirekjaneną.	Waxopį́nį	warajire	ranikjaneną.	Epa
[you will think.]	[Spirits]	[the various ones]	[you shall be.]	[From then on]

riAi	Ao A K.	Ae.	w Ki o n.	e rKe.
sį	hohąga,	he	waki’ųną.	Ésge,
rice	which she boils,	lice	[she made it.]	For this reason,

p. 80 —

e tt.	w d	diAi di KL.	A ntt	Ao Ly diAili dA n.	e Ki.
éja	wažą	šišikra	haną́c	horaišipšaną.	Égi
[there]	things	bad things	[all]	you will be through with.	Then

deAe Le Ktt ne n.	Aoyi tte	tto l tte K.	w wo Ly tte Ktt ne n.	e tt
šerekjaneną.	Hoijé	jopajega,	waworaijekjaneną.	Éja
you will go on.	Steps	the four,	[you will step them.]	[There]

n Ko L.	ttA Ki d	Ke	tte n.	m ni	ttAo
nagúra	cakižą,	ge	jeną.	Mąnį́	co
the road	a fork,	that is why	[to step.]	[To walk]	blue

Ao do tte K.	liAi Le Le n.	w d	w L K	e tt
hožujega	pįrereną,	wažą.	Waraga	éja
[the ones filled]	it is best,	[thing.]	Relatives	[there]

A ntt	A Ai n Kd n.	e Ki	to w	deAe Le Ktt ne n.
haną́c	hahinąkšaną.	Égi	towa	šerekjaneną.
[all]	[they went.]	[And]	on	you will go.

dow L Ai K tt.	e tt	leAe ttL.	Ki ttoKo x	Ki Ktt ne n.
Žowarahigają,	éja	pejra	gicgúx	gikjaneną,
As you go along,	there	fire	across	[it will go,]

m L	Ai L o ni.	e tt.	n xA m ni L.	A Ke
mąra	hira’uni.	Éja	nąxąmąnįra	hąké
the earth	from one end to the other.	There	the bridge	not

p. 81 —

A m ni	liAi ni	Ki Ktt ne n.	n xA m niy K.	Ao w Lo Low Ki Ktt ne n.
hamąnį	pįnį	gikjaneną.	Nąxąmąnįąka	howarorowagikjaneną,
to walk	not easy	[it will be.]	The bridge	it will swing,

no ni Ke	L doKo ni	Ly deAe Le Ktt ne n.	A ni ni oyi Le Ktt ne de
nųnįgé	rašguni	raišerekjaneną.	Hanini’ųirekjaneže.
but	safely	you shall go on.	[They will take you over.]

Ao ni Ki L Ki Le L.	de e	A ni ni A Lo ttAyi Le Ktt ne n.	liAi xitti
Honigiragirera,	žee	haniniharocairekjaneną.	Pįxjį
The ones they told you about,	[these]	they will take you over and care for you.	Good

wo ni Ki tK wi n.	w n xi L	Ai d	mno ni K.
wonigitakwiną.	Wanąǧira	hižą	mąnųnįga,
we have told you of it.	[The souls]	[one of them]	[if he leads them astray,]

Ai L.	wo Ki L KL.	Le Ki too Ki Le K.	e tt.	dAi leLe K.
hira	wogiragra	regit’ųkirega,	éja	šiprega,
[to mind]	[telling it to them]	if they lie,	there	as he falls,

n xi L KL.	t xoAo tte n.	te e di	liAi xitti	Ly deAe Le Ktt ne n.
nąǧirakra	taxujeną.	Teeži	pįxjį	raišerekjaneną.
the soul	it burns.	But you	very well	you shall go on.

p. 82 —

e Ki.	deAe Le Ki.	e tt	Ao ni K L w tti Le Ktt ne n.
Égi	šeregi,	éja	honikarawajirekjaneną.
[And]	as you go on,	there	they will come to meet you.

ttiAi nK n K	e tt	L Ai Ki.	wi Lo K n n K	e tt
Cinąknąka	éja	rahigi,	wirukananąka	éja
The village	there	you go, and	the chief	there

L Ai Ki.	tt Ko	Ai n Ki wi Le.	wo t L	e tt.
rahigi,	jagú	hinągiwire,	wotara	éja
you go, and	[what]	[we want ?]	[requests]	there

Ai deAe Ktt ne n.	t ni L.	w Lo ttL	w diAi diAi KL.	Ai tt
hišekjaneną.	taníra,	warujra,	wašišigra	hija
you will say.	The tobacco,	the food,	the animals,	there

L Ki do Ktt ne n.	tt KoL A L	di Ke	de rKe	Ai deAe Ktt ne n.
ragišųkjeną.	Jagúrahara	žigé	žesge	hišekjaneną.
[you may attend to.]	[Whatever]	[again]	[that kind]	you will say.

e tt.	w d	w L L	tt n K.	tee L.
Éja	wažą	warara	janąga	t’era,
There	everyone	relations	[as many as there are]	who died,

e tt	ttAi rAe Le tti d KL.	e tt	Ao L Ke we Ktt ne n.
éja	ciserecižągra,	éja	horakewekjaneną.
there	[the long house,]	there	you will enter.

Ao.	A.
Ho-o-o-o!	Ha-a-a-a!
Ho-o-o-o!	Ha-a-a-a!

Source:

Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3897 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) Winnebago V, #24: 72-82 (Hocąk syllabary), 72-82 (English translation). This has been published in English translation in Radin, The Winnebago Tribe, 95-96.