Hocąk Text — The Arrows of the Medicine Rite Men, Version 2

Hocąk Text — The Arrows of the Medicine Rite Men, Version 2

narrated by Jasper Blowsnake

Jasper Blowsnake

The following are Greek letters used as morpheme abbreviations in Radin's text. The Culture of the Winnebago: As Described by Themselves can be used as a kind of Rosetta Stone for interpreting their values:

α β γ ε η θ

égi éja hą́bera gáją žésge jánąga

ρ σ τ ω F T ɕ

ánąga -kje gíži žegų hirakíware wąkšigo'ina -xjį

In the interlinear text where the translation is missing, it has been supplied whenever possible from the English text of The Road of Life and Death (see Source below). Where a missing translation has been supplied from other sources, it is enclosed in brackets, [ ].

In The Culture of the Winnebago: As Described by Themselves, Radin has used a dot (.) after the unvoiced terminal consonant of a stem to indicate its transformation into its voiced counterpart. Here that transformation has been directly expressed. I have not done this for such consonants preceeding a hyphen.

Key —

First Row "raw" text from Paul Radin, Notebook Winnebago II, #7: 213-215

Second Row analytic text from The Culture of the Winnebago: As Described by Themselves

Third Row revised text

Fourth Row English translation based on those of The Road of Life and Death and The Culture of the Winnebago: As Described by Themselves (CW)

English Translation

p. 213 (= CW p. 35, s. 647) —

hitcųcge gikarádjiréra waxopiniosdokíją waxopíni p'įná

hitcųcgé gikarádjirera waxopíni-hosdokì-hiją waxopini pį́ra,

Hicųšgé Gikarájirera waxopíniostokížą waxopini pį́na,

Nephew He whom we Call a spirit gathering place spirits the good ones

[θ]* wągerégiréra [θ]† maįhagerégi higiakijí

djánąga wą́gregi-hèrera, djánąga mą-hihágeregi hígiakìji

jánąga, wągerégiréra jánąga, mąįhagerégi, hígiakìži,

the various, above the various, these on top of the earth, these who are here,

*after this symbol an original "dj[ρ ́]" has been crossed out.
†before this symbol an original "dj[ρ ́]" has been crossed out.

waxopini p'įna hére[ρ ́] mąkų́hanégi waxopini

waxopini pį́ra, here-ánąga mąkú-hąregi waxopini

waxopini pį́na, here-ánąga mąkúhąnegi waxopini

spirits the good ones, [he had, and] underground spirits

p'į́na ([θ]ki)* jenúga hitcųcge gikarádjirera

pį́ra djanągáki, jénųga hitcųcgé gikarádjirera

pį́na, - žénųga Hicųšgé Gikarájirera

the good ones, [all of them,] [so] Nephew He whom we Call

*the parentheses are in the text and should indicate an interpolation on Radin's part.

hanątcį sdówahi[ρ ́] (T-na)* haé

haną́tcį sdówahi-ánąga. "wąkcig-ho'`įra haé

haną́cį stówahi ánąga, - haé

all of them he gathered together [and he said,] [life] "To discuss

*the parentheses are in the text and should indicate an interpolation by Radin's.

wą́gagigíregi (T-na)* p'į hių[σ ́]ra hanątcį[ɕ]

wagagigíregi, wąkcig-ho'į́ra pį hi'ųk-djéra hanątcį́xdjį

wagagigíregi, - pį hi'ųkjéra. Hanącį́xjį

if they do it with us, [life] well we might be. All

*the parentheses are in the text and should indicate an interpolation by Radin's.

haéwągágigír[ρ ́] [γ] djasgádją́ne [η] wągagiruxúrugiréra

haéwągagigire-ànąga; hą́bra djosgehádjąra jésge wą́gagiruxùrugirèra

haéwągagigirànąga; hą́bera jasgájąne žésge wą́gagiruxúrugirèra.

they talk it over with us; Light and Life as much as it is [that kind] they will obtain for us.

ep'į[ε ́] tcíra hoí[ɕ] djasgágere me[η ́]

e pįgádją. tcira hóixdjį djasgágere méjesge

E pįgáją. Cira hoíxjį jasgágere méžesge

It it will be good. The lodge full to capacity [that way]

mįkíji tciokiságera haną́tcį[ɕ] ([β]cana)* dją́bera

mįkgíji. tci-hokiságra hanątcį́xdjį edjácaną djąbra

mįkíži Ciokiságera hanącį́xjį - jąbera

it lay. The center of the lodge all of them [there only] the glance

*the parentheses are in the text and should indicate an interpolation by Radin's.

hirakére híminógirèje [τ ́] tciokiságera [γ]

hirakére himiną́gireje giji. tci-hokiságra hą́bra

hirakére himiną́gireže giži. Ciokiságera hą́bera

it reached they were sitting [.] The center of the lodge Light and Life

rukírikíri mį́kce. [α] wą́gerégi wogų́zohúra

rukirikiri mį́kje. égi wą́gregi wogų́z-hohùra

rukírikíri mį́kše. Égi wą́geregi wogų́zohùra

sparkling and shimmering it lay. Then from above the creation came from

hatcį́djiregí [β] wajągų́zera wokúruxútc huhíje

hatcįdjéregi édja wajągų́zra wokúruxutc huhíje

hacįjéregi éja Wažągų́zera wokúruxuc huhíže

wherever it is there the Creator glance he sent it down

[ε ́] djágwaperézke jesgánąkce [τ ́] wakaraípįje

gadją. djagú-haperésge jesge-han`ąkje giji. wakaráipįje

gają. Jagwaperésge žesgánąkše giži. Wakaraípįže

[.] He knew what the way it was [.] He liked his own.

p. 214 (= CW p. 36, s. 654) —

wogų́zera xgícgunią́kiji [α] wagiwéwįje wają́niją

wogų́zra xgicguni-`ąkgiji. égi wagiwewį́je wają́-hiją

Wogų́zera xgíšgunią́kiži. Égi wagiwewį́že, wažą́nižą

The creation it was quiet. And He meditated about it, [something]

hokicgaínegi pįná hire[τ ́] wagiwéwį[ε ́] hipérezcé

hokicgą-iregi pį́ra hiregíji. wagiwéwįgadją hipéresje

hokišgaínegi pį́na hiregíži. Wagiwéwįgają, hipéresše

to have joined them* the good he thought. Pondering about this, [he knew]

*this is written above, "they followed", which has been crossed out.

hominógenǫka [β] waųjé mąxísgara kerátcora

hominą́gnąka. édja wa'ųjé mąxískara kera tcóra

hominą́genąka. Éja wa'ųžé. Mąxískara keracóra

where he was sitting.* There he did it. The white cloud the blue sky

*this is written above, "that seats", which has been crossed out.

hirokihapórokce [γ] wátco[τ ́] jésgadjinǫ[τ ́] [α]

hiroki hapórokje. hą́bra watcogíji jesge-hádjinąkgìji. égi

hirokihapórokše. Hą́bera wacokíži žesgájinąkìži. Égi

he rolled together. The Light and Life joyous and pleasant that way it became. Then

wą́gerégi húgigijé wogų́zotcira tcáwa húgigigí

wą́gregi hugigíje wogų́z-hotcira tcawa húgigigi

wą́geregi hugigíže. Wogų́zocira cawa húgigigi.

from above he sent. Creation Lodge towards he dispatched.

- wą́gerégi [γ] higighúk hujé

wą́gregi. wą́gregi* hą́bra higighúk hujé

- Wą́geregi hą́bera higiǧúk hužé

[from above] From above Light and Life he lengthened out† it came.

*this word occurs twice in CW but only once in the original text.
†the word "spread" has been crossed out and "lengthened out" has been written above it.

herécgera [θ] mąxíwicicigera* hanątcį[ɕ] wídjasą́djera

herécgera djánąga mąxíwicicígra hanątcį́xdjį wídj-has`ądjra

Heréšgera jánąga mąxíwišišígra hanącį́xjį wíjasą́jera

Even then as many as there were the evil clouds all that existed beyond the island.†

*/wi/ is inserted above the line with a caret.
†"he pushed aside" has been crossed out and "beyond the earth" has been written above it. The reading of CW has been preferred here.

howacgáp hujé [τ ́] [γ] kárapiésge

howacgáp hujé giji. Hą́bra karapiésgé

howašgáp hužé giži. Hą́bera karapiésgé

to crowd [he came] [.] The day it looked good

kiridjéhije wakírihókere ų́nacana djagú roikaráiresgé

kiridjéhije. wakirihókere 'ųracáną djagú roikaráiresge

kirijéhiže. Wakirihókere 'ųnašáną jagú roikaráiresge

he made it. The spider* as he makes [how] I wonder is he spreading it

*the text has, "a big spider" which is crossed out and above which is written, "(the web spreading)".

nąjį́je [γ]* [α] wogų́zotcíra acgé

nąjį́je gíji. égi wogų́z-hotcira acge

nąžį́že gíži. Égi Wogų́zocira ašge

it stood [.] And the Creation Lodge near

*this should be [τ]. The value of [γ] is hą́bera.

dji[ε ́] docónogéga wanįkxú waíhagera hipérezcé

djigádją docónogéga wánįk xu wáihagra hipéresje.

jigáją, Tošónogéga wánįkxu waíhagera hipéresše.

[when it came,] Otter bird skins the last one he recognized it.

hipéres[τ ́] tcira hewą́gerégi dji[ε ́] hikip'á

hiperesgádją tcíra hewą́gregi djigádją hikipá

Hiperesgáją círa hewą́geregi jigáją, hikipá

When he recognized it the lodge over the top when it came, to meet

hanį́guje hanį́gu[ε ́] [γ] hogurap'ahí gisąsą́kce

hanį́guje. hanį́gugádją hąbra hogura pahi gisąsą́kje

hanį́guže. Hanį́gugáją hąbera hogurapahí gisąsą́kše.

he took it. After he took it, the light towards the east it shook.*

*the original "he was shaking" had "was" crossed out and "lay" written above it, but that too, along with "he", was crossed out and "it was" written in their place.

ksapk'įnípgi kikawau[ρ ́] djásgowaną́gere [ω] howákirí[ρ]

ksap-kįnįpgi kíkawa'u-ànąga djásge-howaną́gre jegų hówakiri-ànąga

ksapkįnįpgi kíkawa'uànąga jásgowaną́gere, žegų hówakiriànąga

When he became alive, he got up and the way they are talking, then he came back and

tciókiság[β]* hiwaóxdjire[ε ́] [γ] wą́gerégi húnihéra

tci-hoság-edja hiwa'óxdjiregadją hą́bra wą́gregi hu nihéra

ciókiságeja hiwa'óxjiregają, hą́bera wą́geregi hunihéra

in the center of the lodge making a guttural cough,† Light and Life from above that came

*just before this word, hioránih[β] kirigí has been crossed out. It is restored in parentheses in CW.
†the text has, "the sound of otter he made", under which is written, "snorting". CW has, "he made the sound one does when nauseated".

p. 215 (= CW p. 36, s. 666) —

gicóratcdjirehíje [γ] rugigís kírinǫ́kije

gicorátc djirehíje. hą́bra rugigís kírinąg-hìje.

gišorácjirehíže. Hą́bera rugigís kírinąkìže.

he threw it up. The Light and Life round [he made it appear.]

[α] hirahiroítcą ki[ρ ́] [α] ruhaínągígi [α]

égi hirahiróitcą ki-ánąga égi ruhá-hinągìgi* égi

Égi hirahiroícą kiánąga égi ruhaínągìgi, égi

And towards it he made himself, then he moved it on to the next place, and

*after this word Radin has written, "(-hanąkgigi? -hinąk-hígi?)".

hirakíware hiádjiarairegi* [γ] higighuk djiránąjį́je

hira-kíware hiádji-háràiregi hą́bra higighúk jiránąjįje.

hirakíware hiájiáraìregi, hą́bera higiǧúk jiránąžįže.

now in turn as it was passed from one to another, the Light and Life it became lengthened it went about.

*/re/ has been written above the line to be inserted before the last syllable /gi/. Just before this word, hiadji, followed by an illegible letter, has been crossed out.

hanątcį[ɕ] [F ́] hire[ε ́] tcíra hanątcį

Haną́tcįxdjį hirakíware hiregádją. tcíra haną́tcį

Haną́cįxjį hirakíware hiregáją. Círa haną́cį

All now in turn they did. The lodge all

hahí hąp mį́kce

hahí hąp mį́kje.

hahí hąp mį́kše.

as it went Light and Life it lay.

English Translation

Source:

Jasper Blowsnake, Untitled, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3887 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Library, n.d.) Winnebago II, #7: 213-215. This was published as a Hocąk text with numbered sentences followed by an English translation in Paul Radin, The Culture of the Winnebago: As Defined by Themselves International Journal of American Linguistics, Memoirs, 3 (1950): pp. 35-36, sentences 647-671. A free translation is found in Paul Radin, The Road of Life and Death: A Ritual Drama of the American Indians. Bollingen Series V (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1973 [1945]) 288-289.