Hocąk Text — Origin of the Decorah Family
interlinear text by Richard L. Dieterle
For stylistic features, see the first episode of this story ("First Contact").
p. 22 —
Ai d. | w ttAo do | Ai tte Ki di. | e tt. | Ai noKo Ki d |
Hižą | wacožu | hijegiži, | éja | hinųkižą |
One | leader | after he landed, | there | a woman |
K liAi de. | Ao Ki d. | Ae Le Ki di. | de e. | Ai noKo |
gipįže. | Hųgižą | heregiži, | žee | hinųk |
he liked. | A chief | [as he was,] | [this one] | woman |
Ai Ki di. | w Ki liAi de. | K n Ki Ktte | w wi Ke de. | xoo Ke L . |
higiži, | wagipįže. | "Kanąkikje?" | wawigeže, | x’okera. |
[as she was,] | he liked her. | ["May I marry her?"] | [he asked them,] | [the parents.] |
e Ki. | e | wK w tt lL . | no liAi wi wi Ki di. | e |
Égi | e | wąkwacąpra | nųpiwiwigiži, | e |
[And] | [they] | brothers | as the two of them, | her |
Ai Lo K n | Ai Le de | Ai Ky Le de. | e Ki. | wK n K |
hirokana | hireže, | higaíreže. | Égi | wąknąka |
[to be in charge] | they were, | they said to him. | And | that man |
w wi Ke de. | Ki oyi L e de. | e tt | Ai noK[o] | K nK deAe. |
wawigeže, | ki’ųireže. | Éja | hinųk | kanąkše. |
they said to him, | [they did it for him.] | There | woman | he married. |
e tt. | w d | w Ki L e de. | e tt. | wK tt ne. |
Éja | wažą | wagireže. | Éja | wąkjane |
[There] | [something] | [they said to him.] | There | the man |
rii | w Ki do | o de. | wi L o Ko n K. | Ai o L . |
s’i | wakižu | ’ųže. | Wirokunąka | hi’ųra |
[a long time] | to stay with | he did. | The tools | using |
w Ki Koro deAe. | e Ki. | Ai noKo | K nK tt ne. | KeAe L e ra de |
wagigusše. | Égi | hinųk | kanąkjane | keres’aže. |
he taught them. | [And] | woman | the one he married | [she would go home with him.] |
di Ke | tti ra de. | A Ko L ey d. | ni KttK | ttAo de. |
Žigé | jis’aže. | Hagoreižą | nįkjąk | cųže. |
Again | he would come back. | After awhile | child | it was born. |
w Ki d. | A K ni L e de. | Ai Ko | di Ke | Ai l |
Wąkižą | haganireže. | Higų | žigé | hipa |
[A man] | [they had.] | [Yet] | [again] | [since then] |
A K ni Le de. | no liAi wi. | w KL. | Ki ttAo | Ai Le de. |
haganireže. | Nųpiwi | wąkra | kicų | hireže. |
[they had.] | Two | men | to have themselves | they did. |
wK tt tt ne.* | e Ki. | A Ko L ey d. | ni Ktt Kn K. | xAe te L . |
[Wąkjane] | égi | hagoreižą | nįkjąknąka | xetera |
This man | here | in time | the children | the elder |
A K L ni Ke L e Ktte | e de. | e tt | A Ki | w KidiKi i Ktte Ke. |
hakaranikerekje, | éže. | Éja | haki | wąkšikikjege, |
he would take back with him, | he said. | [There] | [to arrive back] | [so as to live,] |
p. 25 —
e tt | Ai K K | w d L . | Ai d | n tteKe |
éja | hįkaga | wažąra | hižą | nącge |
[there] | [never] | [anything] | [one] | [heart] |
wo ttAi ni xeAe te Ktt n Ae Ke. | te e di. | w Kidi Kn KeL e. | tt tt n K. |
wocinįxetekjanahege. | Teeži, | wąkšiknągere | jająnąga |
[since it will not bother it.] | [But as it is,] | [the people] | [always] |
no w w Ke rKe | w Kidi Kii n Ke. | Ki oyi L e de. |
nųwąwąkesge | wąkšik’įnąge, | ki’ųireže. |
dangerous | [as they live their lives,] | [they make for themselves.] |
xoAo no L di. | e tt | Ai dKe | Ai o ni L . | A K L Ki do |
Xonuraži | éja | hišgé | hi’ųnįra | hakarakižu |
[In any case, the younger one] | [there] | [also] | his mother | [with her] |
wK KidiKi i Ktte | ay L e de. | e Ki. | A K L ni | Ke L e de. |
wąkšik’įkje, | aíreže. | Égi | hakarani | kereže. |
[he would live,] | they said. | Then | he took him | he went home. |
xAe te ni KL . | A ni Ki Ki di. | wK tte K. | da Kow Ai Ki di. | e tt |
Xetenįkra | hanįkigiži, | wąkjega | š’agowahigiži, | éja |
The oldest boy | his own, | the man | his parents, | there |
p. 26 —
Ki de. | Ai Ke | Ai noKo | K n Kini d | w o tte de |
giže. | Hįké | hinųk | kanąknįžą | wa’ųježe, |
he got home. | Not | woman | [he did not make a marriage] | he did it, |
n K. | e Ki. | wo dK. | Ai L o K ny d | Ae Ae L e. |
nąka | égi | wošga | hirukanaižą | hehere. |
and | then | [in his affairs] | a leader of men | he was. |
e rKe. | Ai lK | de rKe | tt | o ni Ae ra de. |
Ésge | hąpak | žesge | ja | ’ųnihes’aže. |
[So] | [every day] | [this way] | [to exert] | [he would do continuously.] |
m dtt | wo xtt | Ai L e de. | A tt | deKe |
Mąšją | woxja | hireže. | Haja | ške |
[Very] | to be liked | they were. | To see | also |
tt tti L e ra de. | w d | deKe | Ao Koo Koo | Ai L e ra de. |
jajires’aže. | Wažą | ške | hok’ųk’ų | hires’aže. |
they would come. | Things | also | to give him | they would do. |
wi dK tto Ki L ttL | Ao Koo | Ai Le de. | de rK | no ni Ke |
Wišgajokirajra* | hok’ų | hireže. | Žesga, | nųnįgé, |
Many toys | to give | they did. | In spite of all, | however, |
p. 27 —
Ao Lo daK deAe. | x KL. | A lK | a nK ra de. | a nK o |
horuš’akše. | Ğakra | hąpak | anąks’aže. | Anąk’ų, |
he was homesick. | Crying | every day | he would say. | [While he said,] |
Ai Ko | e tt | n ra de. | x Ki L | dotto w K. |
higų | éja | nąs’aže. | Ğakira | šjųwąga, |
[still] | [there] | he would fall asleep. | He cried all the time | as he got sleepy, |
Aoyi diAili | de de rKe | Ai de. | Ai Ke | deKe |
hoišip | žežesge | hiže. | Hįké | ške |
always | [this way] | [he did.] | Not | [also] |
w Lo ttini ra de. | e rKe. | Ai Ki Ke Le | Ao | ay Le de. |
warujnįs’aže. | Ésge, | higikere. | "Ho," | aíreže. |
he would not eat. | [Therefore,] | he should go home. | "Ho," | they said. |
o nK Koo | Ao w d Ki di | tee Ke. | ai Le Ke. | e rKe. |
’Ųnąk’ų, | howažágiži, | t’ege, | aírege. | Ésge, |
Finally, | having become sick, | he would die, | they said. | [Therefore,] |
Ai Ko | xA lee niKi | Ai Ki Ke Le tti de. | e Ki. | de rKe |
higų | xap’enįk | higikerejiže. | Égi | žesge |
[then] | before long | he brought him back. | [And] | [this way] |
e de. | Ai miKi w A L. | w Ki Le K tt. | de Ko | e Ki |
éže, | "Hinįkwahara | wąkiregają. | Žegų | égi |
he said, | "My sons | they are now men. | [So] | here |
p. 28 —
w KidiKi i ne Ktte n. | e de. | e Ki. | tt rKe. | wK diKi |
wąkšik’įnekjeną," | éže, | égi, | "Jasgé | wąkšik |
they will live," | he said, | and, | ["What way] | men |
dii wi Ki di. | Ai dKe | de rKe | w KidiKi i Lni Ae Ktte n | e de. |
š’įwigiži, | hišgé | žesge | wąkšik’įranihekjeną," | éže. |
as you intend to do, | [indeed] | [that way] | they will be raised," | he said. |
e Ki. | A t Ki ntt | w Ki Ki | Ai Le ra de. | de e |
Égi | hataginąc | wagigi | hires’aže. | Žee |
And | fasting | to make them | they would do. | [This one] |
A Ko L eyi d. | xeAe te niKi n K. | Ay ni xitti. | Ki K w | a Ki di |
hagoreižą | xetenįknąka | hainixjį | kikáwa | ągiži, |
[once] | the eldest one | early in the morning | he got up | [pulling himself up, and] |
Ai Ke | A t Ki ntt ni de. | de Ko | Aiy n K. | w Al. |
hįké | hataginącnįže. | Žegų | hianąga | wahąp |
not | he did not fast. | So | he did, and | corn |
p. 29 —
Lo tti Ko Lo Ao K tt. | Ai te KL. | xeAe te Ki di | w o de. |
rujikuruhogają, | hitekra | xetegiži | wa’ųže. |
when he got ready to cook, | uncle | older | he did this. |
n deAey n K. | o xiAi ni d. | w ttAo l n K. | Ai dtt L. |
Našeanąga | ’ųxįnižą | wacopanąga | hišjara |
He took it away from him, and | a piece of charcoal | he mashed it, and | his face |
Ai Ki w d n K. | ttA KL. | Ao too ne de. | m L. | A K L ni Ki Kiy n K. |
hikiwažanąga | cakra | hot’ųneže. | Mąra | hakaranigigianąga |
he rubbed it, and | outdoors | he threw him. | [His arrow] | [he made him take, and] |
de Ko | Ki xA L. | Ao w Le de. | e tt | Ao no xA w |
žegų | gixara | howareže. | Éja | honųxawą |
[so] | the wilderness | he went. | There | secret place |
liAi Ki di. | e tt | no xA w de. | e Ki. | Ao K L ni Ai L |
pįgiži, | éja | nųxawąže. | Égi | hokaranihira |
[as it was good,] | [there] | he hid. | And | they searched |
no ni Ke. | A Ke | Ai e | Ai L ni de | e Ki. |
nųnįgé | hąké | hi’e | hiranįže. | Égi |
but | not | to find | they did not do it. | [And] |
p. 30 —
Ko no K. | w Ky Le de. | Ai Ke | de rKe | Ai liAi ni |
Kunuga | wagaíreže, | "Hįké | žesge | hįpįnį |
[Kunu] | [they said to him,] | "Not | [this way] | you did not do good, |
no ni Ke | w o de | Ai Ky Le de. | Ai deKe | Ai Ki l |
nųnįgé | wa’ųže. | higaíreže. | Hišgé, | hikipá, |
but | it is done," | [they said to him.] | In reality, | to meet, |
no ni Ke | de Ko | o Ki ni K tt. | Ai a ttL | n Ke we |
nųnįgé, | žegų | ’ųginįgają, | hi’ącra | nąkewe |
however, | thus | as he already did, | his father | he was afraid |
w nK deAe. | de Ko | xA w ni de. | wi d. | A r r xitti. |
wanąkše. | Žegų, | xawanįže. | Wižą | hasasaxjį |
he was. | [Thus,] | [he disappeared.] | A month | a full one |
e Ki | A Ko Ley d. | Ki Li de. | A te de. | e Ki. |
égi | hagoreižą | kiriže. | Hateže. | Égi |
then | [in time] | he came home. | He had dreamt. | And |
n Lo Ki ri d. | A ni Ki Li de. | Lexe ttA ttA ri d. | de e | A ni Ki Li de. |
nąrugisižą | hanįkiriže. | Reǧ cacasižą, | žee | hanįkiriže. |
a circle of wood | he brought back. | A small drum, | this | he brought back. |
p. 31 —
de | n tti Lo tt | Ai Le de | e de. | Ai Ke. |
"Že | nąjiroją | hireže," | éže. | "Hįké |
"[This] | [to bless me] | [they did,"] | he said. | "Not |
wo n xi Le tt. | Ai o ni de. | w Kidi Ko i. | Ai Lo xoAo Lo Ki d. | Ae Le de |
wonąǧireja | hi’ųnįže. | Wąkšiko’į | hiruxurukižą | hereže," |
in war | it is not to be used. | Life | an obtainer | it is," |
e de. | e Ki. | de e | wo Ki A Ktt n Ae Ki di. | m o L. |
éže. | Égi | žee | wogihakjanahegiži, | Mą’ųra |
he said. | And | this | if there were a feast made, | Earthmaker |
e | de e | n tti Lo tt Ki di. | e | w Kidi Ko i |
e | žee | nąjirojągiži, | e | wąkšiko’į |
he himself | this | to be blessed, and | he | life |
A ni Ki di. | w KidiKi | n Lo K w | wi Ky Le Ki di. | e |
hanįgiži, | wąkšik | narukawa | wigaíregiži, | e |
he had, and | [people] | to serve | he was called, and | [he himself] |
p. 32 —
w ni o Kette | Ai Ke de. | e rKe | de e | Ae Le de. |
wani’ųkje, | higeže. | Ésge | žee | hereže. |
[he will take care of them,] | he said. | Therefore, | this | he was. |
Ai n di | Ai Le de. | tt Ko L. | Ai d | Ae Le Ki di. |
Hinąžį́ | hireže. | Jagura | hižą | heregiži, |
To depend on | they did. | Whatever | one | when it was, |
ttAo we tt | A ni oyi Le de. | w xAo liAi ni n K | Ai Ky Le de. | Ai roAo KL. |
cowéja | hani’ųireže. | Waxopininąka | higaíreže. | Hisųkra |
foremost | they undertook. | "The Spirit" | they called him. | His younger brother |
ttA loAo. rK K | Ai Ky Le de. | Ao w Le L. | de rKe de. | w xoAo liAi ni. |
Capo-skaga | higaíreže. | Howarera | žesgeže. | Waxopį́nį |
"White Throat" | they called him. | [As a result] | that way it is. | Spirits |
w Kidi Ki i L. | e | Aoy diAili | Ai d | AoKo |
wąkšikira | e | hoišip | hižą | hųk |
[the person] | he | always | [one of them] | chief |
p. 33 —
ni Ae de. | e dA n | deKe. | w xoAo liAi ni n KeLe | e tt |
nįhéže. | Éšaną | ške | Waxopininąkre | eja |
[he is thus.] | He alone | also | the whites | [there] |
w d | e | Ai rKe | wy Ln Ae de. | e Ki. |
wažą | e | hisge | wairanaheže. | Égi |
anything | he | [in truth] | he could accomplish. | And |
te de Ko ne Ki. | Lo A xitti n. | w Kidi Ko i L. | liAi | Ai L ni Ae n. |
težegųnegi | rohaxjįną. | Wąkšigo’įra | pį | hiraniheną. |
at the present time | they are numerous. | [Lives] | [good] | [they have.] |
A Ke | w Ko ni | Ai tt ne n KeLe. | w wi Ki rKe | Ai L ni n. |
Hąké | wągoni | hijanénąkre | wawikiske | hiranįną, |
Not | family | [the rest] | [the same size as the] | [they were not,] |
e dA n. | de Ko ne Ki | wo Lo A n. | Ao ni Ae | de e. |
éšaną | žegųnegi | worohąna | honihé | žee. |
[they alone] | [at the present time] | [the number of them] | group | this. |
p. 34 —
e Ki. | w d | w K ttAK | Ai ni Ae K. | Ai rKe n. |
Égi | wažą | wakącąk | hínihéga | hiskeną. |
And | [thing] | holy | as it was | it is indeed. |
w K ttAK dA n. | e rKe | tt Ko | n tti Lo tt. | Ai Le L. |
Wakącąkšaną. | Ésge, | jagú | nąjiroją | hirera |
[It is holy.] | [Therefore,] | [what] | [to be blessed] | [they were] |
de rKe n. | Al te e. | e | w n rKe L Ae n. | A Ai |
žesgeną. | Hąptee | e | wanasgeraheną. | Hahi, |
[it is that way.] | Today | it | it is powerful. | Finally, |
A ntt | e | Ae Le Ktt ne n. | rK L | tt Ko o L |
haną́c | e | herekjaneną. | Skara | jagú’ųra |
all | it | it will be fulfilled. | The whites | [how they do] |
e liAi n. | te de Ko ne Ki. | de rK Ki ni n. | te e | a ni Ae L. |
epįną. | Težegųnegi, | žesgaginįną. | Tee | anihera, |
it is good. | [At this time,] | [it is already that way.] | [This] | [what he had said,] |
a nK dA n. | w xoAo liAi ni | w Kidi Ki i L. |
ánąkšaną. | Waxopį́nį | wąkšikį’ira |
[they say.] | Spirits | the history |
Decorah L.* | de tt n. |
Decorah-ra | žejaną. |
the Decorahs | this is the end. |
Paul Radin, "Winnebago Contact with the French," Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3897 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, n.d.) Winnebago V, #17, 22-34. A loose translation is found in Paul Radin, The Winnebago Tribe (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990 [1923]) 19-21.