Hocąk Text — The Necessity for Death, Version 2
p. 59 —
Hagí | c’íra | hoik’éweže. | "Hąhą́, | k’únįk’a, |
There | the house | he went in. | "Now, | O grandmother, |
Hią́ñc’hara | warehúįñgigíra | tuxúrukšaną. | Wogų́ñzara | p’į́’ų |
my Father | [the] work he set me for | I have accomplished. | The creation | to make good |
húįñg igíra | haną́c | tuxúrukšaną. | Wąñkšígo’įná | hitégwahará |
that he sent me for | all | I have accomplished. | The life | my mother's brothers |
hiųnį́wahará | wiák’arak’iske’ų́įnekjanéną." | Égi, | "C’ųñškánų | žaskéranągá |
my mothers' | they will have like my own." | And, | "O grandson | how did you make and |
hitégwaragá | wąñkšígo’įná | wirák’iske | žaskékježe? | K’ežeskánįną." |
your mothers' brothers | the life | like your own | how could you? | It is not so." |
"Hią́ñjįhiwíra | žegų́ | gųñské | žegų́ną. | Hąñk’é |
Our Father | thus | because he created | it is thus. | Not |
žegų́x igíp’įnį́ną. | K’únįk’ága | wažą́wahigų́nį | éske | hąñk’é |
it is not good to do to him thus. | My grandmother | must be something to them | therefore | not |
p. 60 —
gip’įnį́ge | waną́k’ųnį | t’ewágigíra," | hiraną́kše. | "Hąñk’á’a |
because it is not good for her | she must be saying | that I killed them for her," | he thought. | "No |
c’ųñškánų | hąñk’eže | žéske | yaré | wahanį́nąkšaną́. |
O grandson, | not | like this | I think | I am not saying. |
C’ųñškánų | rorá | hok’ąné | higųñsšáną. | Warúc |
O grandson, | the body | the fall | he created with. | Food |
hik’irújis | k’į́nekjanegéjįnį | éske | hok’ąné |
to fall short of | because they would make each other | therefore | the fall |
c’ų́wahige | wa’ų́ną. | Mąną́gare | hak’į́nįk’į́nekjanegéjįnį |
to make them have | he made. | This earth | because they would crowd each other |
wa’ų́ną | hot’é | c’ų́wahigí. | Égi | hiskexcį́ | Wašcįñgéga, | "Hąñk’é |
he made | death | that he made them have. | And | really | Hare, | "Not |
gip’įnį́nąk’ają́ | éwažą́wahigé | wak’árašíganąk’ają," | hiraną́kše. | "K’á’a |
it is not good for her | because she is something to them | she is taking their part," | he is thinking. | "No |
c’ųñškánų, | k’ežeskánįną. | Hagáwožą́ñgają́nąįžą | nąc’kéra | nįtegížą |
O grandson, | it is not so. | For a long time | the heart | you ache and ache |
c’ak’ó | hitégwaraga | hinį́waragá | wąñkšígo’įnaži | hip’ąnąį́nekjaną. |
nevertheless | your mothers' brothers | your mothers' | the life at least | they will have enough. |
Hoš’agará | hirahíxcįnekjéną, | wageže. | "Hąhą́, | c’ųñškánų, |
The old age | they will surely reach," | she said to him. | "Now, | O grandson, |
nąñžį́ne. | Hiróįk’ąnąk’ųįnánįhekjanéną, | égi | hironį́k’ąnąį́ñkjanįhéną. | Cųñškánų, |
stand up. | They will keep on following me, | and | I will keep on following you. | O grandson |
hitajé | wa’ųą́ñje. | Wą́ñgaranį́ną. | Hąñk’é | hakją́mbanįą́je." |
mightily | do. | You are a man. | Not | do not look back." |
Hogįñgį́ñx | rawígi | hąñk’é | hakją́mbanįšiákše. | K’unįk’ága |
Around | as they started | not | she was telling him not to look back. | Grandmother |
p. 61 —
jagú’ų | wegų́nį | hiregéjįnį. | C’owéxcįnįk’ | hoirác’keja |
why | she said it | because he thought. | Just a little | to the left |
hakją́mpgają́ | hágohúra | horuxą́nąjik’éreže. | "C’ųñškánų, | hagágaskéžąñxcį, |
he looked back and then | the place they had come from | suddenly caved in. | "O grandson, | alas, |
wą́ñgaranįgáją | wažąnók’ąną | hanįk’átažįñxcį́gają́. | C’ųñškánų, | te’eréške |
you are a man | something great | I urged it upon you strongly. | O grandson, | this even |
hąñk’é | k’urustuxúruganįną." | Hok’ąną́jąne, | hot’ájąne | wagákše, |
not | I can't take back." | This fall, | this death | she meant, |
aíreną. | Hogįñgįñx´ | haraíregi, | p’ejic’éjara | hogíwe |
it is said. | Around | as they went, | the edge of the fire | to go around |
wa’ų́įneže, | aíreną. |
they did, | it is said. |
Source:
William Lipkind, Winnebago Grammar (New York: King's Crown Press, 1945) 59-61.