Hocąk Text — Bird Clan Origin Myth

Hocąk Text — Bird Clan Origin Myth

Narrated by J. W.

with an Interlinear Text by Paul Radin

This story is numbered 51 (the story before it, "Worúxega," is numbered 52). The initials (of the informant?) "J.W." occur at the top of the page to the right. Below them is the remark, "A Few lines] missing" (last word double-underlined) and is followed by "(Neb. nteb?)." Below the story number (51), a large numeral 10 has been crossed out by a wavy line. Given its size and position, this may have been an earlier story number. The page number 1 is centered above the first line.

The manuscript, which is in the hand of Paul Radin, is sometimes difficult to read. Every attempt has been made to check the text against other texts and word lists, but in cases where the reading is doubtful, question marks appear after illegible letters. About 30% of the hand written interlinear text has no English translation, but almost all of the untranslated words could be found elsewhere. Radin also used Greek letter abbreviations for common whole words or syllables some of which he interpreted here and in other manuscripts, although there are some whose values are unknown. The Greek symbols used in the text appear on the table below:

α	β	γ	ε	ɜ	λ	ρ	ϕ	τ
égi	éja	giži	ésge	šaną	žesge	ánąga	hąké	žegų

υ	ὐ	X	ω	2	ɕ	9	\|·	·\|	-	>
regi	nįk(a), nįg(a)	wąk	žigé	že/še	xjį	žą	nąk, nañk	ną	ra	gają

Words supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle) are found in brackets '[ ]'. It was also necessary for the editor to supply all punctuation and to determine the beginning and ending of sentences.

p. 1 —

[... ?]*	t’ewahíre[2]	hotcoñg[ara]	[β]	wa’ú[\|·][2]
[... ?]	t’ewahíreže,	Hocągara.	Éja	wa’únąkše.
[... ?]	they killed them,	[the Hocągara].	[There]	[he was.]

*at the top and center of the page, Radin has written, "A Few lines missing (Neb. nteb)".

uañg[-]	t’ewahí[υ]	hanaⁿtc´	daxú	wahíre[2]
Wągera	t’ewahíregi,	haną́c	taxú	wahíreže.
[Men]	[after they killed them],	[all]	they burned	up

[α]	hinuñg[éra]	hoda	wa-utcgónañge[\|·]i	hicgé
Égi	hinųgéra	hota	wa-ucgónągenąki	hišgé
[And]	[women]	[remainder, some]	who were pregnant	also

t’ewahir[ρ]	daxú	wahíres’á[2]	[α]	[ω]
t’ewahiranąga	taxú	wahíres’áže.	Égi	žigé
they killed them	[they burned]	[he caused them to be ?].	[And]	[so]

niñkdjóñge[ὐ][-]	dj[ρ]	uañgeniñgrági	hanaⁿtc´	waiságir[ρ]
nįkją́genįkera	janąga	wągenįgrági	haną́c	waiságiranąga
[the children]	[all]	[old men ?]	[all]	[they killed them]

daxú	wahíre[2]*	hotciⁿtciⁿ´niji[9]	[β]	rúzi[υ]
taxú	wahíreže.	Hocįcį́nižižą	éja	rúziregi
[they burned]	[up].	[A youth]	[there]	they took

*After this word there follows a set of words that have been stricken with a single line through them: "[β = édja] tcowé waníñgikikárodj— jenaⁿ´naⁿ[2 = je]" ("there the Bird Clan was almost ended").

niñkdjoñk tcúcguni[β]	hotcintciníñge[\|·]a	hiwáñγire[2]	jeé
nįkjąk cúšguniéja	Hocincinį́genąka	hiwą́ǧireže.	"Žeé
family without children.	That [boy]	they asked for him.	["This one]

djagúnigiaⁿne[2]	uañgeníñgiánegi	haníhuwire	aíre[2]	naⁿnoká
jagúnigiąneže?	Wągenį́giánegi?	Haníhuwire,"	aíreže.	Nąnoká
what is he?	It is a boy?	Bring him here,"	[they said].	[Naked]

hotciⁿtciⁿniñge[\|·]a	wagi’ú[\|·]i	réniñg[-]	heg[β]	hagirúsgapir[ρ]
hocįcįnįgenąka	wagi’únąki.	Rénįgera	hegéja	hagirúsgapiranąga
[that little boy]	they made him.	The penis	behind	they took ahold of*

*Connected to this by a line is the following: "[x to make him look like a woman]

wahaíre[2]	de[λ][·\|]	hinuñgeniñgánena	aíre[2]	hotciⁿtciⁿ´niñk
wahaíreže	težesgeną.	"Hinųgenįgánena	aíreže.	Hocįcį́nįk
they showed to the public	this way.	"A little girl he is,"	[they said].	[Boy]

jée	[ϕ]	t’ehírani[2]	[X]	hodaxú
žée	hąké	t’ehíraniže.	"Wąk	hotaxú
[this one]	[not]	they did not kill him.	["The people]	where they burned them up

hi[\|·]a	hóradj[-]	deséxededjédja	nobozaídja	higaíre[·\|]
hinąka	hórajera	teséxetejéja	nobozaíja,"	higaíreną.
[find ?]	none of it	that long leg	at the post,"	[they said it to him].

hatcíndja[ɕ]	[X]	daxuhírega	wa’úinegi	higuⁿ´ mé[τ]negi
Hacínjaxjį	wąk	taxuhírega	wa’úinegi	higų́ méžegųnegi
Wherever it is	[people]	where they burn	they did it	up to the present time

p. 2 —

worucík	[β]	hi-éres’á[2]	[ω]	x’ex’écge
worušík	éja	hi-éres’áže.	Žigé	x’ex’éšge
wampum	[there]	they often would find.	[And so]	ear knobs

[X]waíni	hi-éres’á[2]	[X]	daxuhírega	pedjokére[ra]	[ϕ]
wąkwaíni	hi-éres’áže.	Wąk	taxuhírega	pejokére[ra]	hąké
Indian calico	[they often would find].	[People]	[where they burn]	the fireplace	[not]

x’áⁿwiñdjadjí[\|·][ɜ]	puⁿzákexdjínañk[ɜ]	[α]	[β]
x’ą́wįjajínąkšaną.	Pųzákexjínąkšaną,	égi	éja
grass does grow.	A very sandy spot it is,	[and]	[there]

uañg[-]	ruhoⁿ´	hiniánukóziregi	warusgídjir[ρ]	waíniañkaraíre[2]
wągera	ruhǫ́	hiniánukóziregi.	Warusgíjiranąga	waíniąkaraíreže.
[people]	lots	they took prisoners.	They bound them	they took them home.

uañgi[9]	we[2]	[ha]karaire[>]*	hitcáwina	wagejé
Wągižą	weže,	"Hakarairegają."*	Hicáwina	wagežé,
[A man]	[he said],	"They've gone home (they're taking me along)."	[His wife]	he said to her,

*The brackets around 'ha' are supplied by Radin.

maⁿséγiⁿwi	djobóhañgi	maⁿs’idjédja ?	hagi[·\|]	[β]
"Mąséǧįwi	jobóhągi	mąs’ijéja ?	haginą.	Éja
name, "Earth Shaking" [making noise with a club]*	four days from now	at a spring	I will return.	[There]

*Brackets are Radin's.

hiⁿpiádji	e[2]	[ε]	hinúñkdjega	[β]
hįpiáji,"	eže.	Ésge	hinų́kjega	éja
wait for me,"	[he said].	[And so]	[that woman]	[there]

hagiáp’ejé	[α]	djobóhoⁿna	háⁿbakirigí	uañkdjega
hagiáp’ežé,	égi	jobóhǫna	hą́bakirigí.	Wąkjega
she waited,	[and]	[four]	[lights arrived ?].	[That man]

wagaíre[2]	rakére[·\|][2] hice[-]	djadjónañgi	rakére[·\|][2]	higaíre[2]
wagaíreže,	"Rakérenąše hišera.	Jajónągi	rakérenąše?"	higaíreže,
[they told him],	"You will go home, you said.	When	are you going?"	[they said to him].

[γ]	we[2]	wirajépdjinañkí	hakére[·\|]	e[2]
giži.	Weže,	"Wiražépjinąkí	hakéreną,"	eže.
[.]	[He said],	"When she comes up	I [will go back],"	[he said].

waixdjaíre[2]	Rusgídje[\|·]i	[ϕ]	niñgiówákere	ruxúrugení
Waixjaíreže.	Rusgíjenąki.	Hąké	nįgiówákere	ruxúrugení,
They laughed at him.	They tied.	[Not]	any home	he was unable,

wanáñke	waixdjaíre[2]	wiraγéphugi	hakeré[·\|]	hidokéniñka
waną́ke.	Waixjaíreže.	"Wiraǧéphugi	hakeréną.	Hitokénįka
he was saying.	They laughed at him.	"When the sun commenses to come up	[I will go back].	My old woman

p. 3 —

maⁿiódjedja	hakípeácira	hiñkarakgoⁿd?enañkuni	y’arége	hakeré[·\|]
mąiójeja	hakípeášira.	Hįkarakgǫt?enąkuni,	y’arége,"	hakeréną.
at the spring	she is waiting for me.	She must be waiting for me,	[I think ?],"	[he said to them].

E[γ]	waixdjaíre[2]	s’i[-]	acgeki[ɕ][ὐ]	rusgítc
Egiži	waixjaíreže,	s’ira.	Ašgekixjįnįk	rusgíc
[And]	[they laughed at him]	[long].	Very close together	tied

wa’uáñk[γ]	tcowé[ɕ]	s’i[-]	waxúruxúrutc	karahé[2]
wa’uą́kiži.	Cowéxjį	s’ira	waxúruxúruc.	Karahéže,
they were.	Very little	[footprints]	he could move.	He's going along

[γ]	hicdjaíragicanaine[>]	[ϕ]ainajíni[2]	horujúdjerehiwire	wajañgé
giži.	hišjaíragišanainegają,	hąkéainažíniže.	"Horužújerehiwire.	Wažągé,"
[.]	when they overlooked him,	he was not there.	"Go look for him.	He must be something,"

we[γ]	keregicge	aírege	horuγutcrehíra[>]	teenaⁿdjedja
wegiži.	"Keregišge,"	aírege.	Horuǧucrehíragają.	Teenąjeja
he said.	"If he's gone home,"	they said.	They went and looked for him.	This one more than half

karahé[2]	huⁿdji[9]	ninámani	karahé[2]	kiré[·\|]
karahéže.	Hųjižą	ninámani	karahéže.	"Kiréną
he was going.	A bear	walking on the water	[he was going].	"He's gone,"

aíre[2]	hanaⁿtc´	horuγúdjire[2]	ag[β]	hagíaⁿdji[\|·]i
aíreže.	Haną́c	horuǧújireže	agéja	hagíąjinąki.
[he said].	[All]	[looked]	on the other side	there he landed.

sirá	horuγudj	hahíre[2][> ?]	sí[ra]	hadjaíre[2]
Sirá	horuǧuj.	Hahíreže[gają ?]	sí[ra]	hajaíreže.
Track	they looked at.	They went	[tracks]	they saw.

huⁿtsí[9]	deagíogináñk[2]	[α]	hag[β]	hagaré[9]
Hųcížą	teagíoginą́kše.	Égi	hagéja	hagaréžą
A bear track	there he went through running.	[And]	later on	[after this]

tcináñgidja[\|·]a	wakídjaire[>]	tcináñgidjanóñka	dokéwehi[-]	rukónonañk[2]
ciną́gijanąka	wakíjairegają	ciną́gijaną́ka	tokéwehira	rukónonąkše,
this other tribe	when they met together	the other tribe	starving	very much they were

[γ]	hotcintcíniñk	[ϕ]	t’ehirenínihe[-]	uañk
giži.	Hocincínįk	hąké	t’ehirenínihera.	Wąk
[.]	[Young man]	[not]	that they had killed.	Man

rusgídjaniaⁿkaraíre[>]	wakcánihe[-]	hitcuⁿcgé	higiére[2]	[γ]
rusgíjaniąkaraíregają.	Wakšánihera	hicųšgé	higiéreže	giži.
they found him and took him home with them.	The-one-who-turned-back	he was the nephew of him*	they found [for] him (among the other tribe)	[.]

*the word hicųšgé only means "nephew" — the rest is interpretation by Radin.

p. 4 —

karadá[2]	[>]	wagaíre[2]	raj[-]	radjir[ρ]
Karatáže.	Gają	wagaíreže.	Ražera	rajiranąga.
He asked for him.	[Then]	they told him.	Name	they called.

Haninúka?zir[ρ]	teag[β]	ragiás	cgu[-]	sironídúxutc
Haninúka?ziranąga	"Teagéja	ragiás.	Šgura.	Sironítúxuc.
They had taken him prisoner.	"Across the lake	you ran away.	You came home.	We saw your back.

hadjíne[>]	huⁿtsí	rakíricgú[-]	[ε]	huⁿdj[ijaⁿ]
Hajínegają	hųcí	rakírišgúra,	ésge	hųjižą
When we came	the bear track	you came with,	[and so]	[one bear]

niñge	hadjwígi	hitcuⁿcgéragá	rakúruzikdje[·\|]	higai[υ]
nįge	hajwígi.	Hicųšgéragá	rakúruzikjeną,"	higairegi.
apiece	we like to eat.	Your nephew	you can take him back,"	[they said to him].

hidok’éra	wowát’ekdjiniñk	hitcuⁿcgehi[-]	hakáraniñ[·\|][>]	e[2]
"Hitok’éra	wowát’ekjinįk	hicųšgehira	hakáranįnągają,"	eže.
"My old woman	very easy	our gr. son [nephew]	we're going to have him back,"	[he said].

haíninegi	haini[ɕ][ὐ]	maⁿná	kuruz[ρ]	hihínop[2]
Haíninegi	hainixjįnįk	mąná	kuruzanąga	hihínopže.
In the morning	very early	the arrow	[he picked up]	he went out.

tciótcakénaiⁿdja	niñkdjoñge[ὐ]	moc’ogiáⁿ	hacgaⁿtc	hires’áji
Ciócakénaįja	nįkjągenįk	moš’ogią́	hašgąc	hires’áži.
Not far from the camp	[children]	a mound	was playing on	they used to.

[β]	wa’uⁿ[2]	moc’óge[\|·]a	hihag[β]	naⁿtcitcip[2]
Éja	wa’ųže	moš’ógenąka	hihagéja	nącicipše
[There]	[he did this]:	[that mound]	on top	he stamped it.

[>]	huⁿdjí[9]	[β]	hadjíhi[\|·]p[2]	[γ]
Gają	hųjížą	éja	hajíhinąkpše,	giži.
[Then]	[a bear]	there	he came out	[.]

aγúkaⁿxdji[β]	maíñgutc[2]	[γ]	t’ehí[2]	[α]
Aǧúkąxjiéja	maį́gucše,	giži.	T’ehíže.	Égi
Right under the (left) arm*	he shot them with an arrow	[.]	[He killed him].	[And]

*Connected to this by a line is a note at the bottom of the page: "they mean under the left arm because it is near the heart."

hitcuⁿcgé[-]	hatcíndja	hanínañkiⁿ	[β]	hi[ρ]
hicųšgéra	hacínja	hanínąkį	éja	hianąga,
[nephew]	[wherever]	they had him he was	[there]	he went, and said

hitcuⁿ´cgehára	huñkaraiⁿk’uináne	huⁿdj[-]	[>]	niñgíhahañgwi[·\|]
"Hicų́šgehára	hųkaraįk’uináne.	Hųjera	gają	nįgíhahągwiną,"
"My nephew	give him back to me now.	[A bear]	[?]	it is over there,"

wige[·\|]	hokaraík’uiⁿn[ρ]	huⁿdj[-]	hakáragwahíre[>]	de	woíraki
wigeną.	Hokaraík’uįnanąga.	Hųjera	hakáragwahíregają	te.	Woíraki,
[he said to them].	They gave him back.	[The bear]	they went after	[lake].	Unexpectedly,

p. 5 —

tciótcikénaiⁿ´dja	moc’ogi[9]	niñkdjoñge[ὐ]	hacgádje[\|·]conú[·\|]
ciócikénaį́ja	moš’ogižą	nįkjągenįk	hašgájenąkšonúną.
near the house	a mound	[children]	they used to play on it.

[β]	huⁿdjí[9]	t’ehí[2]	xiγiré[2]	hisge[ɕ]
Éja	hųjížą	t’ehíže.	Xiǧiréže	hisgexjį.
[There]	[a bear]	[he killed].	They thought he was wonderful holy	[some (of them)].

wak’aⁿtcáñk[>]	aíre[2]	tcowécge	[β]	wakaⁿdjaíkikáradj[era]
"Wak’ącą́kają,"	aíreže.	Cowéšge.	Éja	Wakąjaíkikárajera.
"Holy he was,"	[they said].	It was near there (they almost made a mistake).	[There]	[the Thunderbird Clan].

jedjuⁿna[2]	uáñge[ὐ]	hakdjá	kuruze[\|·]a	éjee
žejųnaže.	Wą́genįk	hakjá	kuruzenąka.	Éžee.
was almost ended.	Boy	back	that they took.	Him

waniñgikikáredj[era]	x’iⁿ´ne[2]	tcowé	jedjónaⁿ[2]	aíreconu[·\|]	jenúñga
Wanįgikikárejera	x’į́neže.	Cowé	žejónąže,	aírešonuną.	Ženų́ga.
the Bird Clan	took their origin.	Almost	it was at an end,	[they said].	[That's all.]

English Translation

Source:

J. W., Untitled, in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society) Notebook 73, Story 51: 1-5.