Hočąk Text — The Completion Song Origin

narrated by Jasper Blowsnake

English Translation

 

p. 135 —
Mąxi wągerégi čoré [h]ajaną́gwire, éja
[Sky] [up above] blue that we see, [there]

 

 

p. 136 —
Wak'aį́čuna sgaxjįžą*, š'ak wanąjojaį́sgera nąj wojągíži,
[Wood Spirit] [a very white one,] [ancestor] [the poor one] he pitied,

*the interlinear text indicates the termination in the indefinite article -žą, which is omitted in the other two copies.

 

 

"Wąkšigé, nąjonijáną. Wažągų́zera* hąbirukónaxete† hįgų́saną.
"Human, I bless you. [The Creator] in charge of much life he created me.

*just before this word, mą'úna ("Earthmaker") has been crossed out.
†this is the interlinear version. The copied versions have, hąb hirk'óna xete.

 

 

Hą́bera nąjirónijáną, higųk'íni s'ira ǧákšaną,
[Light and Life] I bless you, inasmuch as long you have cried,

 

 

iwust'érak'iną. Wąkšigé Hąp janeréšge tujanáną.
to thirst yourself to death. [Human,] [Light and Life] even I bless you.

 

 

Wąkšígera, hagaréžą* hižą́ hąbirok'aragúinanąga égi
The people sometimes [one] one they wished life for, and then

*for hagoréžą.

 

 

honihánina hiš'ųgíšge, wąkšígo'į hirorágų wašegíži,
my [breath] if you use even, [life] you used for it if you desire,

 

 

žesgékjaneną," éže, aírera. "Honihára e
[thus it will be,"] [he said,] [they say.] ["The breath] [it]

 

 

čąt'į́ wahekjáwira. Wíruhinč hi'unánihekjanègi," éže,
[it is visible] [we will sing.] Life-engendering greetings* they will forever use it," [he said,]

*from the English translation in the Road of Life and Death.

 

 

aíreną. E čąt'į́ hiyahikjáwira. (Hiraisųjera)
[they say.] [It] [it is visible] [let us go.] (Completion Song)

 

Source:

The original interlinear MS is found in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) Winnebago III, #1: 103-104; a handwritten phonetic text is found at Winnebago II, #1: 128-129; its typed version is at Winnebago II, #5: 135-136. A loose English translation is found at Paul Radin, The Road of Life and Death: A Ritual Drama of the American Indians. Bollingen Series V (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1973 [1945]) 136-137.