Hocąk Text — The Beginning of the Winnebago
narrated by Stella Stacy
transcribed and translated from an audio tape
by Sheila Sigley
formatted by Richard Dieterle
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Stella (Blowsnake) Stacey |
00:27 | 00:37 | ||||||||
Cékjįną, | Hócą́gᵉra | Mógašùc | áiregi, | éja, | éja | nį’ą́bireže. | Giži, | éja, | Hócą́k |
In the beginning, | the Hócą́gᵉra | Red Banks | it is called, | in a place, | there | they came to life. | And so, | in that place, | Hócą́k |
00:53 | |||||||||
wigáiregiži, | egų, | wą́kšík | howacéhi | ną́ą́gre, | nįgéšą́ną, | mı̨́ną́gire | ho’ánąk* | cı̨́jašąną. | Nı̨́’ą́birege |
as they were called, | well, | human | the various other | [ones,] | here and there, | [they sat] | scattered | wherever. | Having come to life |
* Shigley adds, "[ho’éánąk?]".
01:13 | ||||||||||
éja, | hahúire | gážèsge. | Gi | Hócą́gᵉną̀kᵉra | žé’eja | heréireže, | Mógašùc | áiregiži. | Že’é, | wą́genų̀įgižą, |
in that place, | they came | like that. | And | those Hocąk | right there | it appeared, | Red Banks | it is called. | Thus it was, | an old man, |
01:15 | |||||||
éže | é | horákže, | wą́genų̀xjįįgižą̀,* | Xórápánį(k?)Ga† | higáireže. | Xórápánį(k?)Ga† | higáiregiži, |
[he said.] | [He] | as it is told, | a very old man, | "Little Bald Eagle Head" | they named. | "Little Bald Eagle Head" | as he was called, |
* this is followed by, "[wą́genų̀xjįnįgižą̀]".
† the ending sounds clearly like -ga, but leaves the meaning of the name obscure. It seems reasonable to conclude that the name intended was Xórápánįka, "Little Bald Eagle Head."
01:21 | ||||||||||
éže | é | Hócą́geną̀ka | jásgé | nį’ą́biregiži | hóráks’áže. | Giži | té’é, | ų̀sge, | wáhaną́kšąną, | Ną́ǧíGa |
[he said.] | [He] | the Hócą́gᵉra | how | they came to life, | he used to tell the story. | And so | this, | well, | what I’m saying, | Ną́ǧíga* |
* Ną́ǧí has been left untranslated here. It is a birth order name for the fourth son. The -ga suffix functions rather like "Mr.".
01:34 | ||||||||
éže | é | haną́xgųs’ágiži, | wą́genų̀įgižą. | Cégeréšgera | haną́ą́xgųxjįą́je, | žé, | wórágᵉnąka | égi |
[he said.] | [He] | I used to hear, | an old man. | In the beginning | I ought to have listened very well, | thus, | that story | [but] |
01:46 | ||||||||||
mą́ | kerepąną nąga sácą́šąną, | hoxji | éja | nįgé | wínéną, | éną. | Cégeréšgera, | jágú | horágenąka | haną́c |
[winters] | fifteen, | around | there | place | I am, | he said. | In the beginning, | whatever | stories | [all] |
01:53 | 01:57 | |||||||
haną́xgųxgi, | šųnųąje, | hésgé | yárén’.* | Nųnįgé | gųą́gáiraxjįšąną̀ | haną́xgųšųnų́ną, | éną. | Ną́ǧíGa |
I should have listened, | [always,] | I should have | I think. | However, | once in a great while | I used to listen, | he said. | Ną́ǧíga |
* a final /ą/ is contracted.
02:03 | 02:12 | |||||||||
éže | é | wáhaną́kšąną. | Ną́ǧí, | Pı̨́kík’ųną, | Ną́ǧí | Pı̨́kík’ųGa | hihįgáirešųnų́n’.* | Égìgé† | Ną́ǧí | “WánįhèGa” |
[he said.] | [He] | I’m saying. | Ną́ǧí, | Neat, | Ną́ǧí | Mr. Neat | they used to call him. | And also | Ną́ǧí | "He Who Is Hallooing"‡ |
* a final /ą/ is contracted.
† Shigley adds, "[égi žigé]".
‡ Shigley adds, "[the name of a Thunderbird]".
02:16 | |||||||||
šge | hįgairešųnų́ną,” | en’.* | Egi | Mą́įxete hoit’e | rážra | higé, | Ma Green | hįgáiren’,* | áną́kšąną,” |
also | they called me," | he said. | And | English [language]† | the name | [to call,] | "Ma Green" | they called me, | they call it," |
* a final /ą/ is contracted.
† literally, "Long Knife language".
02:28 | |||||
Ną́ǧíGa | éže, | že | e | horákže, | áiren’.* |
Ną́ǧíga | he said, | that | [he himself] | he told, | [they say.] |
* a final /ą/ is contracted.
Source: Stella Stacy, "The beginning of the Winnebago." Fraenkel, Gerd. Winnebago texts, [1959-07-12]. (Mss.Rec.29); audio: 7250; APSdigrec_0951; Recording Number: 02; Program Number: 12. Text given in Winnebago only, with an English introduction by the collector. Copy made by Gerd Fraenkel of an original tape held at the Archives of Languages of the World, Indiana University. This program is the original tape's program 526.10.