Hočąk Text — The Nightspirits Bless Jobenągiwįxka

The Nightspirits Bless Jobenągiwįxka

narrated by Sam Blowsnake

Sam Blowsnake told the following story about his forefather Jobenągiwįxka as part of the ritual of the Thunderbird Warbundle Feast.

The text occurs only on even numbered pages. Uncertain translations are placed in brackets "[ ]".

Čok'agá	Jobenągiwįxga	hąbogúregi	Hok'áwas	Manína
Grandfather	Jobenągiwįxka	who are in the east	Darkness	the Ones who Walk

waxop'íni	wana'į	jok'arak'éreže.	Čok'agá	Jobenągiwįxga
spirit	that which has mind	they add.	Grandfather	Jobenągiwįxka

p'érez	na'iñgíži	tok'éwehi	iwús	t'ék'įže
to know	when he tried	to be hungry	to thirst	to death

uanąjojaį́sge	wa'ųže.	Ček'jína	hati-áginą̀čgi	jobą́hǫna
pitiable	he made.	The first time	he fasted	the four

gája	Hok'áwas	Manína	hagúiregi.	Rok'óno
and then	Darkness	the Ones who Walk	they came to him.	Much

gúireže	nihá	gu-ireže	higí	kirijéreže.
with noise	windpipe	with noise	to us	they came.

"Uañkšigé	iwust'é	rak'į́ge	nąjoniją́winą.	Hąhé
"Human	thirsted to death	you made yourself	we bless you.	Night

wigaírera	žésge	wahajáwiną."	Wonáǧirera	uañkšigo'į́na
they call	the kind	we who speak."	The war	with life

nąjirorájaną	higaírežé.	Woruxújgają,	"Jaguanášge
they blessed him,	they said to him.	Then he looked,	"How

te'e	Hąhé	wanágeną	híregi?"	Woruxúčgają	te
these	Nights	the ones who speak	could they be?"	So he looked at	these

wániñk	xonúniñk	hešépge	wánañkše.	Gišjahéregi.
birds	little	"hešépge (dark swans?)"	they are called.	They had fooled him.

Žige	hiraíčera	nąnčgéra	tékše.	"Čak'ó!
Again	a little more	his heart	sore.	"Well!

Žegu	čékje!"	hireže.	Žégu	hatiáginąjera
Then	I will increase!"	he thought.	And so	he fasted

žigé	p'ihí	hiwažáže	žégu	hañk'é
again	carefully	he rubbed it on	and so	not

wárujenìže.	Hak'éwehą	nañgája.	Égi	hąbogúregi
he did not eat.	Six times	he slept.	And	from the east

Hąhéra	hagú-iregi.	Rok'óno	hagú-ireže	nihá
the Nights	they came.	Much	they came	windpipe

gu-ireže,	égi	hijá	k'irijéreže,	"Uañkšigé
with noise	and	there	they came,	"Human

p. 430 —

nąjoniją́winą.	Íwus	t'érak'įñge	nąčgéra	nitégera.
we bless you.	Thirst	to death you have	the heart	yours is sore.

Nąčgéra	niñgitegwíną.	Wonáǧirera	uañkšigo'į́na	nąjirorájągi,"
The heart	you have made ours sore.	War	with life	we bless you,"

hiñgaíreną.	Giží	woruxúčše,	"Jaguáhąhé	wanáñgeną
they said.	When	he looked at them,	"How Nights	the ones who speak

hiregája?"	hireže.	Te	hąñk'é	Hąhé
they could be?"	he thought.	These	not	Nights

wanínąñkše.	K'awíšge,	čoxji,*	šík'ok'ok',†	žežésge
not those who were speaking.	(Unknown species of bird),	("very? blue," an unknown species of bird),	robin,	these kinds

*cf. čóxča, "a blackbird, bird on horses, cows."
†šík'ok'ok — this is equivalent to Dorsey's šiñkókogara, "robin."

wánañkše	gišják'e	wánañkše	kíži.	Éčą
those who were speaking	they were the ones who fooled him	those who were speaking	[these ?].	Instead

nąčgéra	tek'jíže,	"Čak'o!	Giži	ček'je,"
the heart	to feel sore,	"Well!	So	I will increase,"

hirežé.	Giži	hatáginąjera.	Žigé	p'ihį́
he thought.	So	he began fasting.	Again	carefully

hiwa žáže.	Hataginą́jenañk'a	haruwógahą	nañgája.	Égi
he rubbed it in.	He began that fast	eight times	he slept.	And

žigé	hąbogúregi	Hąhéra	nąwągú-ireže.	Nihàgú-ireže
again	from the east	the Nights	they came singing.	With great wind from their throats they came

higí	k'irijé	regi	wagaíreže,	"Hičųšgé,
to us	they came	there	they said,	"Grandson,

nąjoniją́winą.	Higų	k'íni	s'i	hiráǧagwìną.
we bless you.	Indeed	to continue	long	you cried to us.

Uañkšigé,	hiñk'agá	hižą́	nąjwajáwininą.	Wonáǧirera
Human,	never	one	we did not bless you.	The war

uañkšigo'į́na	jagú	gip'į́	š'uñk'jéną,"	higaíreže.
with life	what	you liked	you can eat it,"	they said.

Giži	woruǧičše	te,	"Jaguánašge	Hąhé
So	he looked	at these,	"How	Nights

wanágeną	hiregi gają?"	Te	hañk'é	Hąhé
the ones who spoke	they could be?"	These	not	Nights

waniną́kše.	P'ačo,	gį́sge,	wį́ǧera,	janąga
not those who were speaking.	Bluebird,	("squeaking ones," birds of unknown species)	duck,	as many as there were

čap'oxgéra	šépgi.	Žesge	wánąñkše	janąga
breasts	dark.	That kind	who were speaking	as many as there were

waniñk	šišígeniñgera	k'iži.	"Híkšakšà-ire,"	hirežé
birds	little bad ones	[these ?]	"They have abused me,"	he thought

Jobenągiwįxga.	"Čak'o!	Hataginą́jeregi	žégų	čék'jé,"
Jobenągiwįxka.	"Well!	I will begin a fast	and so	I will increase,"

hereže.	Hataginą́jera	žigé	p'ihí	wažaže
he thought.	He fasted	again	carefully	he rubbed

žéjuñga	mąšją́	akše.	Tanína	nąbák'i
and then	strength, to be loud	he cried.	Tobacco	in both hands

hožú	Hąhiówak'irirèją	hop'áhi	nąži-ánąga	tanína
he placed	in the direction from which the Nights came	[he pointed himself ?]	he stood and	the tobacco

nąbóžu	ejop'áhi	tanína	wagiwáhą	nąbák'i
the held in hand	there [pointed]	the tobacco	[open ?]	in both hands

nąži-ánąga	nąjok'ijáxjį	akše.	Žéjuñga	mąšją́
he stood and	most piteously	he cried.	And then	strong

nąčgéra	tekše.	Giži	k'éreponą̀ižą	nągája.
his heart	sore.	So	ten times	he fasted.

Égi	haguajíreže.	"Uañkšigé,	haniñk'oájiną."	Hironą́gireže
And	they came to him.	"Human,	I have come to you."	He followed them

hąbogúregi	hap'áhi	howániak'araìreže;	Hąhé	činǫ́gera
the east	towards	they took him;	Nights	the village

hačínjanañk'i	éja	hani-ą́girèže.	Hąhé	huñgera
where, whither	there	he took back with him.	Nights	the chief

e	hagúhi	wagigíže.	Činoñk'iságeja	čiserejížą
he	to come after him	he sent.	Village there	a long lodge

hąbogúra	hap'áhi-àkše.	Éja	hani-ó-ik'awraìreže.	Hąhé
the east	towards-[it faced?].	There	they took him.	Nights

jánąga	xete-ák'i	wažįruk'ónonoñk'ìži	žénuñga	čiroixji-ą̀kše.
as many as there were	great blessings	these many there were	that's all	the lodge was full.

Hok'awáregi	wahisǫ́sgara	si	koš'ógeja	hip'á
When he entered	white feathers	feet	knee	up to

hiną́p'ogerèže.	Či-ák'a	wohǫ́na	p'ejerá	janagák'i
he walked.	Across the lodge	kettles	the fire	as many as there were

wohǫ́na	gojowaíreže	hajaže.	Égi	čehára*
kettles	reaching a great distance	he saw.	And	buffalo hide

*The text says čahára, "the bucksin"; but the Hočąk seems more likely a misprint than that the English translation is in error.

čisániñk	čowéra	'uniną́že.	Égi	wagaíreže,
entire lodge	across	it stretched.	And	they said to him,

"Uañkšigé,	higųk'íni	s'iarawéną;	higųk'íni	nąčgéra
"Human,	indeed you have persevered	long have you gone around;	indeed you have persevered	the heart

p. 432 —

nitékše.	Ha'éninèna	janisgék'jera	či-óžu-àgere	mežénųga
you hurt.	They talked about	what is to happen	this lodge full of	[the end of them?]

haną́čį	Hąhé	wa'uáñkšana.	Égi	ne	Hąhé
all of them	Nights	they did.	And	I	Nights

wiruk'ónaną	'uinéną.	Wogųzočíra	hašjašónañgre,
the one who is in control	the ones who do it.	The Creation Lodge	just as you see it

te'e	honik'ú-ineną.	Wohǫ́na	jasgágere	hañk'agá
this	I give to you.	Kettles	[what is left in ?]	never

šuruš'ágeniñk'jonèną.	Čahá	nąbiruxájera	janągášjare	težénųga
you will fail to have.	Buckskin	the offerings	as many as you see	[this end ?]

tani-ówaxu	rak'eréranišek'joneną.	Hoišíp	jasgágere	žesgánihek'janèną.
tobacco offerings	[for all time ?]	Always	[what is left in ?]	[thus it will be ?].

Hąhé	činǫ́geregi	Wogųzočíra	honik'ú-ineną.	Wonáǧirera
Nights	the village of	the Creation Lodge	I give you.	Warpaths

jagú	š'unanaš'į	š'uñk'jonéną;	égi	uañkšigo'į́na
however many	you want to go on	you can swallow;	and	with life

jajaį́xjį	p'a.	Tani-ówaxų̀na	'unánihègi	žejaį́xjį
as far as	it has been.	The tobacco offerings	[that saying done ?]	thus far

p'a	hoišíp'jį,	tanína,	wohǫ́na,	čahá
it has been	as many as there are,	the tobacco,	the kettles,	buckskins

nąbiruxájera,	mašų́	šujerá,	hoišíp'jį,	Wogų́zočira
the offerings,	feathers	the red ones,	as many as there are,	the Creation Lodge

hašjare.	Égi	ji-ą́gik'jonèną	hoišíp	hiniñgi
they will be present.	And	we will accept them	always	if sons

p'erez	hiranihék'jonèną."	Čok'agá	Jobenągiwįxka,
to be conscious	they would be."	Grandfather	Jobenągiwįxka,

téžesge	hįgaíregi.	E	éže.
thus	they did speak.	He	he said.

English Translation

Source:

Sam Blowsnake, The Warbundle Feast of the Thunderbird Clan, in Paul Radin, The Winnebago Tribe (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990 [1923]) 399-481 [428-433].