Hocąk Syllabic Text — The Funeral Practices of the Thunderbird Clan

narrated by a member of the Thunderbird Clan

Original Texts: | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 |

English Translation

Stylistic Features

  hapaxlegomena: širíširíp, "striped" (an emphatic of širip).
  rare words: hagere, "to say" (found only in "The Brown Squirrel").
  he makes frequent use of the causitive -gigi.

Winn. 5.24.1.83        
Ai deKe te e. wo n xi Le w Kidi KL. Ao tee A ni Le L. Ae Le n. wo n xi Le
Hišgé tee woną́ǧiré wąkšigᵉra hot’é hanirera heréną. Woną́ǧiré
Also this: war the men death that they had it was. War

 

 

w Kidi Ktt ne. tteAeK wK diKi i Ki. w K tt. a n KLe de rKe tt
wąkšíkjąne cēk wąkšikį’igi,  "Waką́já" ánągᵉre, žesgéja
the man first when he lived, "Thunderbird" he is called, such as these

 

 

Ao w tti w o Ai Le de. e rKe. Ai d tee m. Ai d. Ao ni Ae e tt.
howáji wa’ų́hirežé. Ésge, hižą́ t’ē mą hižą́ honįhé éja
to come he had done it. Therefore, someone he dies ground someone group there

 

 

Ko Ko A Ly Le n. Ao Ki tee Ktte Ke. Lo Ki Ke w[e] Ki Ki Kette K.
gųgų haraíreną. Hokit’ekjege, rokikewegigikjega,
to come away (with him) they went. Because they would talk, he would put paint on his face, and

 

 

n m ttAe A K L ni Ki Ki Kette Ke. e Ki Ai d. w n xi xAe Kette L.
ną̄mą́ce hakáranį́gigíkjege, égi hižą́ wanąǧí xēkjera
warclub because he would have cause to take it with him, and someone body burying him

 

      Winn. 5.24.1.84      
m Le Ki Ae Ley[i] d. m n KLe e A ni Ke e Kee Kette Ke. de e
mąrégi, here[i]ža mąną́gᵉre e hanįgé, e k’ekjege, žee
in the ground, one belonging in* in the ground he because he owned it,† he because he digs, [this one]

* perhaps from heré meaning, "to be such-and-such, to be in a place, to belong in a place" (Miner, Helmbrecht-Lehmann).
† hani has several meanings all of which apply in this context: "to own, to have, to hold, to carry." 

 

w n xi leAe L* Ae Le n. e Ki. tti n. w n xi Ao Ki tee L. Ai Ko Lo Ao Ki Ki n.
wanąǧí pera heréną. Égi jíną. Wanąǧí hogit’era. Higų ruhogiginą.
corpse his face it is. Then he came. Body he was talking. Then he caused it to get ready.

* the initial letter is hard to read as it appears to have been written over.

 

n m ttAeyi d A ni Ki Ki n. e Ki. t ni w Lo diAi d. e Ki Lo Ki Ke wi Ki Ki n.
Nąmąceižą hanigiginą, égi tānį́ wārúšįža, égi rokikewegiginą,
A warclub they handed it over to him, and tobacco a bundle, and he applied paint,

 

 

leAe tt. A Lo ttAe. doAotto Ki Ki n. e Ki e tt. reAele Ki toolo dA n. de de rKe.
pēja harucé šūc giginą. Égi éja sēp kit’ųpšaną. Žežesge
forehead across red he made. Then there black he applied. Thus

 

 

diAi Li diAi Lili Ki Ki n. lA Ai rA w L Ai lA. e Ki. Ai L * lL. i L.
širíširíp giginą. Pā hisáwara hipá égi hirápara, ira
striped he made. His nose the end all the way to and the chin, his mouth

* at this point in the word a letter l has been smudged, presumeably an attempt at erasure.

                   Winn. 5.24.1.85        
doAotto Ki Ki n n. to xiAi L Ai L rA wi n Ai L.. A ntt. e Ki. te de tt ny xitti K tt
šūc giginaną. Toxíra, hirasa winąhira haną́c, égi te žejąnaíxjįgają
red he made. His throat, also his windpipe all, and he went thus far, and

 

 

A Ke Le n. w d w L L. n tteAeKe w L n. m Ai AK Le Ki. w Kidi Ko i L.
hagereną,* "Wažąwarara† nącge waraną́. Mąhihakregi wąkšigo’įra
he said, "Your relatives you have taken by surprise.‡ On earth life

* hagere, meaning "to say," is a rare word, hitherto found only here.
† the standard form should be wažąwaraga.
‡ according to Radin's translation. The expression, nącge waraną, would seem to literally mean, "it has worked (their) heart."

 

xeAe te Ai xitti doAo Lo K dA n. e Ki. L Ke Le Ktt n A Le m doAo liAi L. tt n K L.
xetehixjį šuruką́šąną. Égi rakerekjanahare, mą̄šų̄́ pįra janągara,
much you have left behind. And as you go home, feathers good every,

 

 

xA wi liAi L tt n K L. Ai Ki Ko Lo riKi ttL L A Ktt ne n. m Kx liAi L.
xą̄wį́ pįra janągara, hikikúrusgijᵉra rahąkjaneną. Mą̄káx pįra
plants good every, [?] as you will be going along. Clay good

 

        Winn. 5.24.1.86
ni Ke dA n Ai n n KeLe. m ni ttAo L. doAo ttL. [m] Kx rA L. x wi lA n liAi L.
nįgéšąną hinąną́gᵉre, mą̄nį́cora, šujᵉra, mą̄kaxsara, xąwįpąnąpįra,
here and there scattered around, blue clay, red ones, white clays, good smelling plants,*

* this is how meadow rue is termed.

 

w Kidi Ko i L. te de rKe L t Ktt ne n. e Ki. L Ke Le Ki. w d L. Ai d ttAo we L A ni Ki Lo ttAe Ki.
wąkšigo’į́ra, težesge ratakjaneną. Égi rakéregi, wažąra hižą́ cowéra hanį́girucégi,
Life, for these you will ask. And as you go on, anything if it crosses your path,

 

 

A Ke A L Ktt lini A KLe Ki Ao L too deAe Le Ktt ne n. e Ki. tto l A Ki L Ke Le Ktt ne n.
hąké harakjąbᵉnį hakregi horat’ųšerekjaneną. Égi jōpąhagirakerekjaneną.*
not do not look around behind you will throw it. And in four (days) you will depart.

* the words jōpąha and hagirakerekjaneną have been elided.

 

wi Lo LK. Ai doo Kette L. ni Ki o Ai Le Ktt ne n. A Ae L tto l A
Wirorak hiš’ųkjéra nįgi’ú hirekjanéną. Hąhéra jōpąha
Mediator [you will use] to be furnished to you they will be. Nights four

 

    Winn. 5.24.1.87    
wo ni Ki L Ki Le Ktt ne n. e Ki. A Ki. n w L. ttA ni tii Ki. ne w dA dA w KL.
wonįkirakirekjaneną. Égi hagi nąwąra cą̄nį́t’įgi, ne wašašáwągᵉra
they will tell you what to do. And [on the way] singing when they hear, you [who has spoken]

 

 

Ai leAe Le ri Le Ktt ne n. e tt Ki w KidiKi dii Ktt ne n. n ni Ki w Ktt n A Le e Ai doo L
hipérezirekjanéną. Éjagi wą̄kšík š’ikjaneną. Nąnįgiwąkjanahare e hiš’ų́
they will know. There to live you will do. You are going to sing them you are going to use

 

 

ni deAe Ktt ne n. a n K n Ki w n. e Ki. wo xeAe Kee L Ki Li n.
nišekjaneną. Anąga ną́kiwąną. Égi wōxé k’era kiríną.
you will do. And [they sang for one another]. And grave having dug he returned.

 

 

wo xeAe L de Ko Ai Ki Le n. e Ki. ttoAo we tt A ni m ni ne n. e Ki w Ki tee L
Woxera žēgų́ higireną, égi cōwéja hanį́ maníneną. Égi wagit’era
The grave finished [it was time,] and in front he was taken they walked. Then the mourners

 

 

Ai Lo nK Ai Le n. wo xeAe tt. Ao too li Le n.
hironą́k hiréną. Woxéja hot’ųbireną.
to follow they did. In the grave they laid him.

 

Source:

Paul Radin, "Funeral practices of the Thunderbird Clan," Winnebago Notebooks (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) Winnebago V, #24: 83-87 (syllabic text). English translation published in Paul Radin, The Winnebago Tribe (Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1923) 146.