A Prophecy
Interlinear text by Thomas A. Sebeok
English Translation
This text comes from an Ediphone (wax) cylinder recorded sometime well prior to 1945. In that year it was forwarded to Indiana University to be transcribed. A native Hočąk speaker, Mitchell Redcloud, Sr., of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, listened to the text three times, then repeated it from memory. The text was slightly redacted by Alvin Stacy, who described it as "archaic" and "awkward." [1]
Expressions appearing in brackets, [ ], are supplied by the editor (Richard Dieterle).
p. 169 —
| Hiragra |
mayžą |
žejanągiži |
'egi |
wokanąk hirasanągre |
| After |
a year |
at this time |
and [or, here] |
people with hats on |
| hiwanimįgwigi |
hįwakara |
ǧewigi |
janąga |
| when we attack them |
shouting |
the war cry |
all things [or, as many as there are] |
| wągregi |
mąxi |
hozų́naki |
žigé |
hą́pjanerèšge |
| above |
the clouds |
full |
again |
even the day[s] |
| janąga |
žige |
hąp |
hamanįra |
herèaki |
| all |
and [again] |
day [or, light] |
those who walk (birds)* |
those possibly† |
*parenthetical expression added by Sebeok.
†Sebeok has "possibility," which I take to be a typographical error.
| hereanąga |
'egi |
žige |
janąga |
mą́haxkiràgra |
| besides [or, also, likewise] |
and |
again |
all [or, as many as there are] |
things that move on the earth |
| 'egi |
hohuhinągre |
hijobíhike |
žige |
wągregi |
| and |
the winds |
all four |
and [again] |
above |
| wągšig |
hišča |
sane |
hačawira |
hanąčį |
| people |
face |
white |
whom we had seen |
all |
| hįgijèrirékjinena. |
Žežegųgiži |
manągre |
hixkąxką́kjinena. |
Žežegųgiži |
| they will help me. |
If [or, when] this is done |
the earth |
it will shake. |
In this case [or when this is done] |
| Máyxetera |
hižugra |
hijàjire |
wahíreške |
hąke |
| white men [lit., Big Knives] |
guns |
aim |
even if |
not |
| warujox |
ruxuruk |
hiranį́kjinena |
higų jasge |
waninegi |
| make explode |
could |
they will not be able to |
no matter |
hold |
| hižugra |
žegunąkhikčanena. |
Hąke |
hixkąruxuruk. |
hiranį́kjinena. |
| guns |
they will be as they were. |
Not |
move |
they will be able to. |
| Žežegųgiži |
gisagrašana |
hiųwigiži |
Žežegųgiži |
žeją |
| When this occurs |
only knock unconscious |
if we do. |
When this happens |
end |
| hį́hįwìgi. |
Manągre |
ne'e |
hokarayxkąwigi |
'ineki |
| if we do. |
The earth |
we |
if we move in it |
alone |
| žežegųhįhiwìgiži |
wąkšiǧoinra |
pįhį'ųjinihawįna. |
Mežesge |
wagi'ųhajina |
| if we do this |
our lives |
we shall get along very well. |
For this |
I came for this purpose |
| megi. |
Hinuš'ak |
wianąga |
žeže gųgiži |
manągre |
| here. |
Fail |
if we do |
if this occurs |
the earth |
| jaskexčį |
nągre |
wokanąk |
hirasánągre |
hahi |
| all |
of it |
hat |
with attached |
in time |
| hoyxčį́kjinena. |
Hoyxčįgiži |
hahišge |
hegų |
nįgičira |
| it will be fully occupied. |
If it is filled |
in time |
even |
someplace we live |
| hinuš'akhikjinihàwina. |
Žigenige |
hįčìkjinihawigíške
| hįhohįwahiwianąga |
| fail we will. |
And any place |
if we shall camp |
we must ask permission |
| 'ųwągaširawigšana |
'eja |
hįčwínana. |
Žige |
nąkisgra |
hižą |
| only if they give us permission |
there |
we shall camp. |
Again |
stick |
one |
| čišu |
hįgičgísnikjinihàwiške |
hį́hohįwahįwianąga |
| for framework of wigwams |
if we are about to cut |
we must ask for permission |
| hižą |
hįgičgíswinana. |
Žežegųkčanahena. |
Hąke |
hoyxčį́pini |
| one |
we shall cut. |
Thus it shall be. |
Not |
be filled |
| hirewahinųnįgi |
manągre |
hahi |
hakinírekjinena. |
| we would not think |
the land |
in time |
they will be overcrowded. |
English Translation
Source:
Thomas A. Sebeok, "Two Winnebago Texts," International Journal of American Linguistics, 13 (1947): 167-170; Text II — A Prophecy, 169.