Hočąk Text — Shell Anklets Origin Myth

Hočąk Text — Shell Anklets Origin Myth

narrated by Jasper Blowsnake

The MS is written in ink. Both the English and Hočąk are written in the same hand, likely that of Paul Radin, which is reasonably clear and of good definition, although some of the smaller handwriting can be difficult to read. Near the top and centered, is "7. hinacax ruwiná" ("the acquisition of the jinglers"), which serves as a title. Above this title, written at a 30 degree angle in smaller handwriting, is "noise of jingling of [shells ?] tied around ankles" (the brackets representing a word that is off the paper in my copy). Immediately below the title and in line with it, is written "asá wajígere hi[ρ]´", which is crossed out by two horizontal lines.

As is the case with a number of other Radin interlinear MSS, this text is full of abbreviations for common word terminations. This is a list of them and their values:

α	β	γ	ε	ɜ	ρ	λ	2
égi	éja	ésge	gają	šaną	ánąga	žesge	-že/-še

ɕ	9	-	>	⨪	ὐ	\|
xjį	-žą	-ra	-gi	-nąk	nįk, niñk	-ną

English Translation

p. XV —

Mañkáni	tcegí[9],	mañkáni	xedé-,	hinacox
Mañkáni	čegíže,	mañkáni	xetéra,	hinašox
[Members of the Medicine Rite]	[young],	[Members of the Medicine Rite]	[the older ones],	to jingle

sikaį́dja	hirusgídjir[ρ]	wanáxdjagiréga	dówe
sikaį́ja	hirusgíjiranañga	wanáxjagiréga	tówe
[anklets]	they tie on and	when they tramp hard	on

nącácax,	heraírega	wagíp’įs’àje,	[ε]
nąšášax,	heraírega	wagíp’įs’àže,	gają
they jingled,	when they go	he used to like it,	[when]

hi[9´]	[λ]	giruwį́[2].	We[2´],	"C’agwaháwigi
hižą	žesge	giruwį́že.	Wežé,	"Š’agwaháwigi
[one]	[that kind]	[they shook?].	[He said,]	"My [ancestors]

etconí[ɕ]	Wakdjéxi	adjaíre[2].	[γ´]	hinącáxdjane
ečoníxjį	Wakjéxi	ajaíreže.	Ésge	hinąšáxjane
they first	[Waterspirit]	they saw.	[And so]	[The jinglers]

[β]	horúzire[2].	Wakdjéxiáka	haghébi[\|´][\|].*
éja	horúzireže.	Wakjéxiáka	haǧébikjeną.*
[there]	they got it from.	The Waterspirit	he will appear.

*haǧébináną.

De[⨪´]re	tcįwįdjire[2].	Waíxgira	haghépdjįdjįbire[2].
Tenañkre	čįwįjireže.	Waíxgira	haǧépjįjįbireže.
This lake	began to roar.	The wind	now began to appear.

Wainioítcge	xede[-]	wak’ą́	xederácge	ną’ų́sderácge
Wainioíčge	xetera	wak’ą́	xeterášge	ną’ų́sterášge
[Animal]	[the great one]	snake	[the great one, also]	embers [also]

hix’íxi	haghép	djįdjį́bire[2].	Ni[⨪]´re
hix’íxi	haǧép	jįjį́bireže.	Nináñkre
smoking	[to appear]	[they began].	The water

mącdjáñ[ɕ]	horupíni[2].	Rucdjadjikere[>´]	niná
mąšjáñxjį	horupíniže.	Rušjajikeregí,	niná
[with great power]	[it was in turmoil.]	When it stopped,	[the waters]

hadakdjį́	kiridjé[2].	Wasge	xónu[ὐ]	hogú
hatakjį́	kirijéže.	Wasge	xónuniñk	hogú
calm, quieted	it became.	A plate	small	it grew

kerérenísge	dé[⨪]a	mí[⨪][2].	[α]
kerérenísge	ténañka	mínañkše.	Égi
it filled within like	[this lake]	it was.	And

gádjuñga	hadjaíre[2].	’Uañgenóñka	wa[9]	djá[⨪]a
gájuñga	hajaíreže.	’Uañgenóñka	wažą	jánañga
and then	they saw it.	Man	something	that he saw

dérogigíñx	ną́genáñki	waghį́nacácaghináñke.
térogigíñx	ną́genáñki	waǧį́našášaǧináñke.
lake around	they're running	they were running with jinglers.

Horuxúdjire[>´]	waxoxgéra	sigóc’og[β´]	hip’á
Horuxújiregí	waxoxgéra	sigóš’ogéja	hip’á
[When] they looked at him	[the shells]	on the ankle	up to

hinącáraghe[⨪][2].	Jeé	éwagi’ų́
hinąšáraǧenañkše.	Žeé	éwagi’ų́
they were jingling.	[This]	for that reason

wa’u[⨪][ɜ].	[α]	horúzire
wa’unañkšaną.	Égi	horúzire
they do it.	[Here]	they take it from

p. XVI —

wa’ú[⨪][ɜ].	Dj[ρ´]	c’agwahíwi[-]
wa’únañkšaną.	Janañga	š’agwahíwira
they do it.	[All]	their parents

mąscócox	sįk’aį́dja	hinacughe[⨪´]i.	Hagoré[9]	hi[9´]
mąsšóšox	sįk’aį́ja	hinašuǧenáñki.	Hagoréžą	hižą́
small bells	at ankle	that they rattle.	[In time]	[one]

hinacąx´	niñgirùwiñgi	de[λ]	hiragekdjé[bar].
hinašąx´	niñgirùwiñgi	težesge	hiragekjéną.
rattle	he buys of you	[this way]	you may say to him.

Source:

Jasper Blowsnake, "Hinacax Ruwiná," in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Winnebago III, #2, Section 7: XV-XVI.