Hocąk Text — Testing the Slave, Version 2

narrated by Sam Blowsnake

Sam Blowsnake

English Translation

p. 82 —
’Éki wošką́ te’é Mą’ų́ra žeské hižé,
[And] religion this Earthmaker this he made,

 

 

p. 83 —
’aį́reną. Hižą́ horók’ ’ųkí, wošką́ te’é
they say. One he joins [if he does,] [rite]* this
*translated as "religion".

 

 

’éšąną hip’eresíkcanéną, ’aį́reną. ’Éki hą́k’orók’ųnį́nákre
the only one [he will know this,]* they say. [And] one who does not join
*Susman has, "who knows this".

 

 

hąk’é wošką́ téki hap’ahí wažárižą́
not [rite] this towards anything

 

 

p. 84 —
hip’eresnį́nąkšaną.* Hip’erés rokų́kcinákšąną. Hą́k’aka hižą́
he does not know. To know they want to very badly. [Never] [one]
*the text has hip’eresnį́nąksana.

 

 

honį́ke te’é hip’eresnį́kc’e, ’aį́reną. ’Éske
not free this he would not know, they said. So

 

 

hižą́ horok’ų́kcanéki, wesįwįxcį́ránaka p’įrá wokínikc’į̀
anyone if he is going to join, they look at him and very well [they scrutinize]

 

 

p. 85 —
hip’erésiránaka kacáka ’éki ’ų́kikíranąkà hakoreį́žą
to know and then [then] [they permit it and] sometime ago

 

 

wanįhížą wošką́ te’é hip’eréshíreki.
a slave [rite] this they let him know.

 

 

Nįkcą́k’ ’ųį́reže, ’aį́reną. Woxéte híreže,
Child they adopted, [it is said.] To love [they did,]

 

 

’éki waną’įksapšè. ’Éske horók’ ’ų́kikíreže.
and he was smart, good, right. So to join in they let him.

 

 

p. 86 —
Te’é t’ehíriną́ki ki’ųį́raną̀ną, wa’ų́céną. Hip’eréscéną,
[That one] they could kill and they could do it to him, [it was] They know it was so,

 

 

žeskéra. ’Éki huc’įc’į́ wonak’ woróhą
[as he was that kind.] [And] a bunch of bad group

 

 

wąųžé. Kixaį́ca nįké hironáreania híranąka
[they were.] Out there someplace they took way out to go and

 

 

p. 87 —
’éki ruskícirèną. ’Éki wap’ahí ’éki
[then] they tied him up. [And] something sharp [here]

 

 

hakanį́reže. "Hirap’éresaną, wanįhížą wa’ų́racéną. T’enį́
[they took.] ["You know it,] a slave you are. To kill you

 

 

ranǫ́nųnikenįrá ’ą́pracéną. ’Éki né rakik’ų́kcaníną.
[you know you should be] you are alive. And you you are going to do it to yourself.

 

 

Ccánąka nįkéške nirá’ąpikcéki — ’éki, Mąk’ą́’ųǫ`
You are dead and or* if you will want to live — [well,] the Medicine Lodge
*the interlinear has "also", but the free translation has "or".

 

 

p. 88 —
nįkikíreną̀. Že’é ’éca winį́kip’aǧikcanaháwiną. Hųrákišarakiki
they put you in. That about we are going to ask you something. If you tell us,

 

 

hąk’é t’enį́nįkcanaháni. Hąk’ó šaraknį́ki t’enį́kc’anaháwiną."
not we are not going to kill you. Not if you do not tell, we will kill you."

 

 

’Éki wežé, "Hų́hiwac’apįra* wa’ų́reki, nįá’ąpacéną.
And he said, "Our chief's will it is, I am alive.
*the text originally had hų́hiyą́c’apįra, but beneath the letters /hiyą́/ is written the correction /hiwa/.

 

 

p. 89 —
’Éki s’írecác’éną. Žeské yak’íske. ’Éki
And I am dead long ago. This I be so. And

 

 

hiské š’ák’iwiwáh’ira woxétewíreną. ’Éske Mąk’ą́’ųǫ
[truly] my foster parents they loved me. So Medicine Lodge

 

 

horók’ų̀ hįkikíreną. Cakú híkaį́rera haną́c
[to join] [they let me.] What they said to me all

 

 

p. 90 —
wąxkúną. Wąkšíko’į̀ c’owéreki, nąǧírak’ wąkšíko’įra
I understood. Life in the future, soul the life

 

 

hahikí, hį́k’aka c’ánį́kcane, ’aį́reną. ’Éske
after I get to, never I will not die, they said. So

 

 

ró wąkšíko’įą́nąka c’askéki c’ekcą́ne wá’ųącéną.
bodily life and anyway I will die [I will do it.]

 

 

p. 91 —
T’érakcanawiki, wowát’ekcį, nįkšaná nąǧírak’ wąkšíkóįra
If you are going to kill me, very easy, but soul life

 

 

hawanį́hira woc’éxìna. Hąk’ó tapníkcanéną. T’ewíwirè."*
to lose it is hard. Not I am not going to feel. Kill me."
*/rè/ is written above a crossed out /ną/.

 

 

Žekų́kiži wąkną́kre hok’irúǧuc nąžį́ną. Hąk’é
Then these men looking at each other they stood. Not

 

 

p. 92 —
xápiranį́ ruskíceki. Kiruškaį́ranakà nikówak’araį́reže.
they did not answer* to the one who was tied. They untied him and they went away.
*the interlinear has "silent", and the translation has "did not say a word", however, above the latter is written the word "answer".

 

 

"Hąhá hinį́k’haxcį́, te’é réske hąk’óraknį́ną.
"All right little brother, this one even he did not tell.

 

 

Te’é wirórakra heréną. Hą́k’aka c’ąkéca
This illustration it is. Never to outsiders

 

 

c’ąt’į́nįkce žeskéną.
not to be shown [this.]

 

Source:

Amelia Susman, Notebooks (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, January, 1939) Book 8:82-92.