Hocąk Text — Migistéga’s Magic

narrated by John Fireman

interlinear translation by George Ricehill

This can be seen as an early text in Radin's collection because it predates the use of Oliver LaMère as translator, uses the n-tilde (ñ), lacks standardized abbreviations, and uses no ditto marks under the English translation of repeated Hocąk words.

English Translation

 

p. 86 —
Máhįxetéžą uáñkšik hínuñk kanuñgíže. Waruwį́žą.
One white man [Big Knife] Indian woman married. [A] trader.

 

 

Éja uañkšígere honihéžą hahíregi.† Wasé
There many Indians [a] gang of Indians* went to that place. Paint
* The word honihé usually means "herd."
† The expression hahí is crossed out just before this word.

 

 

gidaíreže. Waruwį́jega hañké ’úniže, égi
they say.* [The] trader not not to give (paint), and
* More properly, "they asked him for."

 

 

Migistéga* wëšgúni, "Waisgábera hisgé hunak’úñgi,
Migistéga answered, "Flour some if you give me,
* Throughout the MS this form of the name replaces an earlier Migistéga.

 

 

wasgé-ožu waséra hisgé ha’unúną." Égi
pan paint some [I will] make." And

 

 

waruwinjéga wë́že, "Waséra hisgé š’uñgíži,
[the] trader say, "Paint some if you make,

 

 

p. 87 —
worocíra honik’únaną." Égi Migistéga, "Hojá,"
the store [I am going to] give [it to] you." And — "All right,"

 

 

ešguní, "cañgéja uáñkšik hoci-éja ha’unúną."
[he] say[s], "outside Indian camp I'll do it."

 

 

Wasgábera* wasgéžą hoíxjį waruwinjéga Migistéga
Flour [a] pan full [the] trader Migistéga
* This should probably be waisgábera.

 

 

hok’únehìre. Ruzánañga. Égi Mącó Waši
handed to him. Take it.* And Grizzly Bear Dance

* It should be translated as "he took it." There is a stylistic tendancy to use expressions that are ambiguous between the imperative and declarative (see below).

 

 

ánañga wasgéjega jobóhą ruksúnksunc, égi
and [the] pan four times [he] shook [it],* and
* Dorsey translates this same term as "he shook it often."

 

 

wáperesèbenoñka ruxoñgáją wasgéjega wase
[the] black cloth when uncovered [the] pan paint

 

 

p. 88 —
šújera hoixjįjéže. Waruwį́niñka nañksígižą ruzánañga
[the] red [it was] full. [Little] trader [a] stick take*
* More properly, "he took it (and)."

 

 

hoikígaje haną́cį šújižą. Waruwíniñka: "Hunahíne,
stirred up all [of it] red paint.* [The] trader: "You beat me,
* More literally, "a red thing."

 

 

Mijistéra,* worócira niášinina; égi žigé
Mijistéra [the] store yours; and again
* The "g" has been crossed out and replaced by an "r". Instead of ending in '-ga', often the names of people will end with the definite article '-ra' in its place.

 

 

waisgábera wasgéjega hoixjį," wëšgúni.
flour [the] pan full," saying.*
* Or, "he said."

 

 

Égi žigé wašínihèga égi žesgé hišgúni:
And again dancing and same way:*
* Literally, "that way it went."

 

 

wasgéra žigé jóbohą ruksúñksunc gáją
[the] pan again four times [he] shook [it], and

 

 

p. 89 —
ną́tanižùra hoixjį́ješgúni. Égi žigé k’ąjúžą
maple sugar full it was. And [further]more [a] plum tree

 

 

maínja wazákere* égi wapéresebìžą hirarúką
in the ground [he put a] stake and [a] black-cloth covered it (tree) with
* Apparently what is meant is that he put a plum wood stake in the ground.

 

 

kerešgúni. Égi k’ąjujéga ruksúñksunc jobóhą,
[he put]. And [the] plum trees* [he] shook [it] four times,
* There is no reason why this should be plural.

 

 

k’anjerá šiberaíre. Warújere, gáją k’ánjera
the plums falling. Eat them,* and plums

* Or, "they ate them" (see this word in Lonetree). If the imperative is meant, then someone would have to be speaking, but there is no indication otherwise that this is the case. See above.

 

 

jaskanáñgere žesgaíreže. Égi Waxóxjeja hahíregàje.
what they are the kind they are.* And Iowa Indian came.
* Elsewhere Ricehill himself translates this word as, "they became like (something)."

 

 

Éja Mancó wašíregi. Égi Waxó-tunàñke,
There Grizzly Bear Dance [he] danced. And one of the Iowa,

 

 

Wanasúncga,* pë́ja hasájijehìže. Égi Migistéga
n?-m?e fire-head†
stuck it. And —
* Since the word ends in -ga, it is probably the man's name, but its meaning is obscure.
† Judging from the next sentence, this should be taken as "in the fire."

 

 

p. 90 —
macó-šagjèga gitúsguni. Égi žigé ’ųwašíšguni.
grizzly-bear claw take it out. And again [he] began dancing.

 

 

Canikérëšgehaìžą tanióžužą hanigíži cowéja
Fawn-hide tobacco-pouch belonging to him in front

 

 

hot’unegają, cowéja wašináñke canikérešgèžą
[after he] threw [it] into (while he danced), in front of the dancer [a] fawn-deer

 

 

hogigíñx hakirigáją. Žigé harášuni heréjinañkšgùni.
[to] walk around he comes to. Again skin came to (life).


Source

[1] John Fireman, "The Story of Migistéga," trs. George Ricehill; in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3892, Winnebago III, #11a, Story 7: 86-90.