Hočąk Text — Trickster's Warpath

Hočąk Text — Trickster's Warpath

translated by John Baptiste

The syllabic text appears to have been written in pencil in large and, for the most part, clear letters. It was transcribed in syllabic script by Sam Blowsnake from oral presentations made by an old member of the tribe living in Nebraska in 1912. Some features of this raconteur's syle:

	/wąkšike/, "the people," although rare elsewhere, is very common in this work.
	the very rare exclamation, /howá/, is commonly used.
	the use of /égi/ as the initial word of a sentence is less common than usual.
	/žigé, gająga, hija/ ("there"), /ánąga/ (in the sense of "he said") are used more frequently than usual.
	the diminutive /-nįk/ is used in the names of some animal characters: /Wašerekenįka/, "Little Fox," /Jająksigenįka/, "Little Mink."
	he makes extensive use of the concept Already (/-ginį, jajineją/), sometimes in ways that appear eccentric to English speakers.

The interlinear translation for the Trickster Cycle was done initially by John Baptiste, who was later replaced by Oliver LaMère. This portion of the cycle was translated by John Baptiste. Observed differences in the translations of John Baptiste and Oliver LaMère are set out on this table:

Hočąk Word	John Baptiste	Oliver LaMère
Wašerenįka	Little Fox	Coyote
hagoréžą	in the course of time	finally, etc.
hųgra	the king	the chief
gająga	this time	(so) now
tewéraki	to his astonishment, to his surprise, unexpectedly (rare)	unexpectedly (exclusively)
hohó!	well, well; oh, oh	oh my!
jajineją	occasionally translated as "quickly"	never translated as "quickly"
	almost every word is translated	some words are not translated, and paraphrase is often used

Material in brackets '[ ]' is inserted by the editor (Richard L. Dieterle), usually for words that have not been translated in the MS.

English Translation

p. 1 —

ttiAi n Ki d	e tt	nK deAe.	Ai d	Ao Ks
Činąkižą	éja	nąkše.	Hižą	hųgra
A town	there	it was.	One	the King

Ai tt	nK deAe	de e	A Ko se d.	Ao Ks.
hija	nąkše.	Žee	hagoréžą	hųgra
there	it was.	Once	in the course of time,	the king

to ttA se Ktt n Ae Ke.	Ai Aoyi too.	A K Ko
točąrekjanahege.	Hihóit'ų*	hagagu
he was to go on the warpath.	Build-with-to-fire	to fetch

*more usually hiróit'ų.

A sy se Ktt n Ae de.	ay se de.	e Ki.	AoKo n K.	we de
harairekjanaheže,	aíreže.	Égi	hųknąk	wéže,
they were going to,	they had said.	And	the king	said he,

Ai Aoyi too s.	ttA xeAe te s.	tto liAi wi	A Ko se
"Hihóit'ųra	čaxetéra	jopíwi	hagúre
"The build-with-to-fire*	big deer**	four of them	to fetch

*in this context, hiróit'ųra means "food".
**by which is meant bucks.

p. 2 —

w diAi de.	e Ki.	A sy se Ki di.	Ke ni wi rii ni.
wašíže.	Égi	haraíregiži	kénįwis'inį
commanded he them.	And	when they had gone	before very long

ttA xeAe te s.	tto liAi wi	A K ni	A Ki si se de.
čaxetéra	jopíwi	haganį´	hakiríreže.
bucks	four	to fetch	they had come back.*

*the translation has "to him they fetched for him."

e Ki.	w so ttA s.	Ai Kow n	Ai tt	w re se se de.
Égi	waručra	higųwąną	hija	waserereže.
And	[the food]*	immediately	there	they put them on.**

*the translation actually has "the nephews" apparently attempting to clarify the agents.
**sere actually means "to slit". To prepare the meat for roasting it was slit and put on spits.

p. 3 —

e Ki.	Ki Ko s.	w Ko A Ai se Ki di.	A tti se de.	e Ki.
Égi	gigóra	wagohahiregiži.	Hajireže.	Égi
And	he invited	those who were invited.	They came.	And

to ttA se Ktt n Ae de.	e de.	e rKe	Ao Ks	w o se Ktt n Ae Ke
točąrekjanaheže,	éže.	Ésge	hųgra	wa'ųrekjanahege
war-path going he was,	he said.	Therefore,	the king	he was going because

tt n K.	m ni	so xoAo so Ks.	A ntt	se Ktt n Ae de.
jánąga	mani	ruxúrukra	hanąč´	rekjanahéže.
as many	[to] walk	that were able	all	were to go.

p. 4 —

tt n	wo n xi se	Ki diAi Ki	e Ki.	Ki Ko
Janą	woną´ǧire	gišígi	égi	gigo
As many as	to fight	[over there].	And	feasting

so dtt Ai se Ki.	Ao Ks.	ttAi s.	Ao w Ke si de.
rušjahiregi,	hųgra	čira	howakeriže.
when they got through,	the king	the house	toward it he went home.

A leAe se K tt.	de Ko	xA w ni de.	e rKe	K tt K.
haperegają	žegų´´	xawaniže.	Ésge	gająga
They had waited for him	but	he was gone.	Therefore,	then

Ki dtt A Ai se K tt.	te we s Ki.	A Ki.	Ai noKo
gišjahahiregają,	tewéraki	hagí	hinųk´
[when] they went to see him,	to his astonishment	there	a woman

p. 5 —

A Ki do	mi K n K.	Ai noKo	Ki dKtt tt Kede.	e rKe.
hakižu	mįgánąga	hinųk´	kišgáčjakše.	Ésge
with	lying he was [and]	a woman	playing with he was.	So

A Ki si.	Ao sK deAe.	de Ko	wK diAi Ks	e se de.
hakirí	horákše.	žegų´	wąkšíkra	ereže.
come back	he told it.	So	the people	dispersed they.

di Ke	A Ko se d	wy se de.	Ao Ks.	to ttA Ktt n Ke.
Žigé	hagoréžą	waíreže	hųgra	točąkjanage.
Again	in the course of time	said they	the king	he is to go on the warpath.

p. 6 —

Ai soyi too.	A K Ko	A syi se Ktt ne n.	ay se de.
Hiróit'ų	hagagu	harairekjaneną,	aíreže.
Build-with-to-fire	to fetch	they will be going,	they said.

e tt	di Ke.	Ai soyi too.	K s t de.	ttA xeAe te s.
Éja	žigé	hiróit'ų	karatáže.	Čaxetéra
There	then	build-with-to-fire	he asked for.	Big deer (bucks)

no liAi wiy n K.	e Ki.	Aotto tts.	no liAi wi.	A Ko se w diAi de.
nųpiwiyanąga	égi	hųjra	nųpiwi	haguréwašiže
two of them [and]	and	bears	two of them	to bring he commanded them.

w Ki xA n s.	A sy se Ki	Ke n wi ri ni.	tt n K.	w Ke K.
wagixanara	haraíregi	kénįwis'inį	jánąga	wagegá
Warbundle Bearers*	when they went	before very long	as many [as]	he meant

*Baptiste has "the nephews", the translation that he uses throughout. It happens that the nephews are typically the War Bundle Bearers, but the word translated does not literally mean "nephews".

de n K	A K ni	A Ki si se de.	e Ki.	tt tti ne tt.
ženąga	haganį´	hakiríže.	Égi	jajineją
so many	to fetch	[they had come back.]*	And	immediately

*the translation has simply, "they fetched for him."

Ai tt w Ke se se de.	Ki Ko	Ai so we s.	s Ki ni de.	e Ki.
hijáwakerereže.	Gigo	hirowera	raginįže.	Égi
they put them on.	[He called]	he invited	he has gone already.	And

*"Gigo hirowera" is translated obscurely in English as: "feast to invite the one".

p. 8 —

Ki Ko	A tti se de.	di Ke.	tt tti ne tt.	Ao Ks.
gigó	hajíreže.	Žigé	jajineją	hųgra
to feast	they came.	Again	already	the king

to ttA s.	n di Ktt ne	w o nK deAe.	e Ki.	Ki Ko s.
točąra	nažįkjane	wa'ųnąkše.	Égi	gigora
to [go to] war	he would stand	he was.	And	the invited [ones]

wo Ki doyi se Ki.	w sotto.	nK Koo	Ke ni deKe.	w sotto
wokižuyiregi	waruj	nąk'ų	kenįške	waruj
when they had been given,	they were eating	while	before	eating

p. 9 —

so dtt A s n.	Ai Ai nl deAe.	A leAe Ai se K tt.	de Ko	xA w ni de.
rušjaharana	hihínąpše.	Hapehiregają,	žegų´´	xawaniže.
they got through	he went out.	They had waited for him,	but	he did not appear.

Ai Ke.	Ao e se s.	Ai Ki ta ta ni w o de.	e rKe.	Ai d
Hįké	ho'eréra	hikit'at'anįwa'ųže.	Ésge	hižą
Not	to disperse	he had not talked for.	So	one of them

Ki dtt Ai de.	di Ke	A Ki	Ai noKo	A Ki do
gišjáhiže.	Žigé	hagí	hinųk´	hakižu
he went to see him.	Again	at home	a woman	was with

p. 10 —

miKi K Kede.	A ni leAe nK dA n	Ai Ky se de.	K tt.	we de.
mígąkeže.	"Hanipenąkšaną,"	higaíreže.	Gają	wéže,
he was lying.	"They are waiting for you,"	they said to him.	When	replied,

tt Ko.	di Ke	Ai tt	A o Kette de.	tt Ko.
"Jagú	žigé	hija	ha'ųkježe?	Jagú
"What	else more	there	will I do?	What

w sotto	doAo so dtt wi Ki di.	de Ko	s w K tt.
waruj	šurušjawigiži,	žegų´´	rawagają,"
eating	when you are through,	then	you are done,"

e de.	e rKe	A Ki	Ao sK deAe.	tt Ko	e K.
éže.	Ésge	hagi	horákše,	jagú	eka
he said.	So	he came	he told it,	what	he had said

wo Ki s Ki di.	de Ko.	e se de.	di Ke.	de Ko
wogiragiži.	žegų´´	ereže.	Žigé	žegų´´
when he had told them.	Then	they scattered.	Again	there was

Ai Ke	w d s	Ai d	Ae se ni de.	di Ke.
hįké	wažąra	hižą	herenįže.	Žigé
not	thing	one	not to be done.	Again

de e	A Ko se d.	wy se de.	AoKs.	to ttA Ktt ne Ke.
žee	hagoréžą	waíreže,	"Hųgra	točąkjanege
once	in due time	said they,	"The king	because he is going to war

p. 12 —

Ai soyi too	A K Ko A A sy se Ktt ne n.	ay se de.	e Ki
hiroit'ų	hagagu haharairekjaneną,	aíreže.	Égi
to feast with	they are going to get for him,	they had said.	And

Ai soyi too s.	K s t Ki.	we de.	Ao tts.	w rAK Ks.
hiroit'ųra	karatági	wéže	hųjra	wasakara
the sacrifices	when he asked for	he said	bears	male - largest

tto liAi wi	A Ko w diAi de.	e Ki.	w Ki xA n s.	di Ke
jopíwi	haguwašiže.	Égi	wagixanara	žigé
four of them	he commanded to be fetched.	And	the Warbundle Bearers*	again

*again Baptiste translates this as "nephews".

p. 13 —

Ao Ki ni	A sy se de.	Ke ni wi rii ni.	tt Ko A K.
hokiní	haraíreže.	kénįwis'inį	jagúhagá
to hunt for him	they went.	Before very long	what

de rKe	A K ni A Ki si se de	e Ki	w so ttA s.
žesge	haganį´ hakirireže.	Égi	waručąra
[that kind]	they brought it home for him.	Then	the aides*

*this too was translated as "the nephews".

Ai tt w Ke se	Ai s n K.	e Ki.	w so ttA s.	Ki Ko
hijáwakere	hiránąga	égi	waručąra	gigó
they put them on	[he did and]	then	the aides*	[he called]

*again translated as "the nephews".

Ai so we s	s Ki ni de.	tt tti ne tt.	Ki Ko s.
hirowera	raginįže.	jajineją	gigóra
he invited	he went already.	immediately	those invited

p. 14 —

A tti se de.	e Ki.	tt tti ne tt	w leA w stt.
hajíreže.	Égi	jajineją	wapewaraj
they came.	And	immediately	those who eat the heads

s dtt Ki di.	A Ki	Ai Ai nl deAe.	di Ke	de Ko
rašjągiži,	hagí	hihínąpše.	Žigé	žegų´´
after naming,	[there]	he went out.	Again	[now]

xA w ni de.	di Ke	Ki dtt A Ai se K tt.	di Ke
xawaniže.	Žigé	gišjahahiregają,	žigé
he was gone for good.	Again	when they had gone to look for him,	again

p. 15 —

tt tti ne tt	Ai noKo	Ki nolo mi K Ki ni de.	di Ke
jajineją	hinųk´	kinupmįgąkiniže.	Žigé
he was already	a woman	abed he was lying.	Again

Ki Ko s.	de Ko	e se de.	to ttA
gigóra	žegų´´	ereže.	Točą
those who came to the feast	[now]	they separated.	War[path]

K s Ktt li se	no ni Ke.	di Ke	A Ke	w d ni de.
karakjąpire	nunige	žigé	hąké	wažąnįže.
they expected to go on	but	again	not	nothing to do.

di Ke	A Ko se d.	Ai tto l A s.	di Ke	e de.
Žigé	hagoréžą	hijobą´hąrá	žigé	éže,
Again	in the course of time	being the fourth	again	he said,

K tt K.	Ao rKe	w n Ks	Ai leAe se ri se de.
"Gająga	hosgé."	Wánąkra	hiperesireže.
"This time	not so."	[The one who said it]*	they knew it.

*translated as "he was saying".

p. 16 —

Ki Ko di	Ai se Ktt ne Ai s	Ai s	no ni Ke.
Gigóži	hirekjanehira	híra	nunige
Feast [at least]	they were going to have	they were going	but

to ttA n K di.	Ao rKe	w n Ks	Ai leAe se ri se de.
točąnąkži	hosgé	wánąkra	hiperesireže.
the going to war [at any rate]	it was not so	[the one who said it]	they knew it.

e Ki.	Ai soyi too.	A Ko se	w di Ki	w toKo
Égi	hiróit'ų	hagúre	wašigi	watok
Then	offerings*	to fetch	[when] he commanded	female-bear

*translated as "some offering[s]", but elsewhere translated as "build-with-to-fire". It may refer to wood, but here it does seem to refer to food. Thus it may mean, "materials for the fire".

p. 17 —

ay se n.	Aotto	xeAe te xitti	w Kyi se n.	w toKo
aíreną,	hųj	xétexjį	wagaireną.	Watok
they are called,	bear	very large	they mean.	Female-bear

a n K.	de rKe s.	t[t]o liAi wi	A Ko se	w diAi de
ánąga	žesgéra	jopíwi	hagúre	wašíže.
as they were saying	that kind	four of them	to be brought	he commanded.

w Ki xA n s.	di Ke	Ke ni wi rii ni.	tt Ko
wagixanara	žigé	kénįwis'inį	jagú
The Warbundle Bearers	again	before very long	what

w Ke K.	de rKe	A K ni	A Ki si se de.	di Ke
wagegá	žesge	haganį´	hakiríreže.	Žigé
he meant	that	[to fetch]	[they had come back.]*	Again

*haganį´ hakiríreže is translated together as "they brought it for him".

p. 18 —

tt tti ne tt.	wo A s.	Ai tt w Ke se	Ai s Ki ni de.
jajineją	wohą´ra	hijáwakere	híraginíže.
immediately	the kettles	they put them on	[they did it already.]

Ki Ko s.	tti li Ki ni de.	w Koyi se Ki	K tt K.	Ai tt
Gigóra	jįpiginiže	wagoiregi.	Gająga	hija
To the feast	they assembled	those invited.	This time	there

nK Koo	Ki Ko s.	so dtt Ai se de.	w so x ls.	e Ki
nąk'ų	gigóra	rušjahireže.	waruǧápara	égi
he was sitting	the feast	they got through.	The warbundle	and

p. 19 —

m wo do s.	w Ko so r n K.	tal tti se de.	A Ao.	to ttA s.
mąwožúra	wagorusanąga	t'ąpjiréže.	"Hąho!	točąra
the arrow bundle	he took and	quickly he arose.	"Now!	to the war

A Ki ni n	a n K	w o de.	Ko A s.	ttA we de.
hagininą,"	ánąga.	Wa'ųže.	Kohara	čaweže.
I am going now,"	he said.	He did thus.	Below	toward he went.

w tts	e tt	Ki Kiy Ki.	e ttA we de.	w tte tt
Wájra	éja	kigiyagi	ečawéže.	Wajéja
The boat	there	his it was.	Toward it he went.	To the boat

Ai Ki di.	w tt	Ao mi K nK de.	Ai deKe	Aitt ne s.
higiži	waja	homįgnąkše.	Hišgé	hijanera
when he got there	boat	he got in.	Also	the others

A ntt	tti li de.	tt n K.	wo n xi se	Ki liAi s.
hanąč´	jįpiže.	Jánąga	woną´ǧire	gipįra
all	they assembled.	All those	[war]	[the ones who liked it]*

*wonaǧire gipįra is translated as "who could fight".

A ntt	w tts	wo mi K nK Ai se de.	e Ki	Ao Ks.
hanąč´	wájra	womįgnąkhireže.	Égi	hųgra
all of them	into their boats	they got in they did.	Then	the king

w o Ke.	tt n K.	w rA KeAe s.	A ntt.	Aoyi wo ttiKi deAe.
wa'ųge	jánąga	waskerera	hanąč´	hoiwojikše.
because it was	all	the able-bodied	everyone of them	followed.

p. 21 —

tt tti ne tt.	w ti se	Ai Ki ni de.	ni xeAe teyi d.	A se Ko
Jajineją	watíre	hikiniže.	Nįxeteyižą	harekú
Already	they pushed out	[-].	A large water	downstream

w o Ai se de.	w Ai se K tt.	to ttAo woKo Ks	w o de.
wa'ųhireže.	Wą´hirégają	točǫwokra	wa'ųže,
[they did].	As they were going along,	the leader of the warpath	he did,

a tti nK deAe.	we de.	tow ttA A A	w Ki s Kette.	w o mK dA n.
ajinąkše.	Wéže,	"Towačąhahare.	wakisakje	wa'ųmą´kšaną.
he came out to land.	Said he,	"This warpath I am going on.	To fight	I am going to.

p. 22 —

A Ke	w Ki r	doAo so xoAo so Kini n.	tt Ko	doo deAe se Kette de.
Hąké	wakisa	šuruxurukinįną.	Jagú	š'ušerekježe?"
Not	fight.	you cannot	Why	should you go?"

w tts	Ai K s Ke de.	e Ki.	a toolo deAe.	e Ki.
wájra	higarageže.*	Égi	ąt'ųpše,	égi
his boat	he said to it.	Then	he pulled it up	and

*higerageže would be more standard.

Ki xoAo xoAoxo deAe.	e tt	Ao t.	wo wK	Ai se n.
gixuxuxše.	Éja	hotá	wowąk	hireną
he smashed it to pieces.	There	those	bad	they thought him [to be],

i ne Ki.	w Kd Ai se de.	di Ke	mo we	A sy se de.
inéki	wakšąhíreže.	Žigé	mowe	haraíreže.
[alone]	went back.	Again	on foot	they started.

di Ke	de e	e tt.	tteAe xi d.	A so ttAyi se de.
Žigé	žee	éja	čexižą	haručaíreže.
Again	there at	there	a swamp	they had crossed.*

*the word "had" is inserted by a caret.

m	ni lA	doAo so tteKe	tt de.	e tt
Mą	nįp	šorojge	jaže.	Éja
On the ground	elevated above*	bunched-grass**	[standing].	There

*Marino-Radin define the term nįp as, "to be thrown in a horizontal position, to swim."
**the translation has "a lot of bunched-grass".

di Ke	we de.	tow ttA m Kese.	w Ki r	to xoAo so Ke
Žigé	wéže,	"Towačąmąkere	wakisa	tuxuruge
Again	he said,	"My going on the warpath	to fight	I am able,

p. 24 —

w o mK dA n.	Ai xK xK	to xoAo so Ke.	A Ke
wa'ųmą´kšaną.	Hixgąxgą´	tuxuruge.	Hąké
therefore I am going.	To move about easily	I can.	Not

w d s.	Ai d	s Ki liAi ni n.	ni Kii Ki
wažąra	hižą	ragipinįną.	Nik'įgi
anything.	one	you could do good not.	When I pack

dA n.	ni ti se n.	tt Ko.	Ai xK
šana	nitireną.	Jagú	hixgąx?
only	you can move.	What [how]	can you move?

doAo so xoAo soKo s tte de.	to s ttA Ktt ne.	w woyi dA Ai
Šuruxurukraježe.	Toračąkjane	wawoišąhi
You cannot.	To go on a warpath	you are simply a bother

p. 25 —

s dA n ni ne n.	a n K.	w so x ls.	e tt	m Ay tt
rašananineną,"	ánąga.	Waruǧápara	éja	mahaija
that's all,"	he said.	The warbundle	there	into the ground

Ao n ttiAili deAe.	de Ko	Aiy tte Ke se de.	e tt.	di Ke
honąčípše.	žegų´´	hiyajekereže.	Éja	žigé
he kicked it.	Thus he had done	then he started.	There	again

Ao t	w Kd Ai se de.	K tt K.	w tK niKi deAe.	di Ke
hotá	wakšąhíreže.	Gająga	watáganįkše.	Žigé
some	turned back.	This time	they were few.	Again

p. 26 —

e tt	ow Ai K tt.	di Ke	m wo do s.	ni Ke
éja	'úwahigają	žigé	mąwožúra	nįgé
there	as he was going along	again	the arrow bundle	away

Ao too ne de.	A Ke	to ttA	doAo so xoAo so Kini n.
hot'úneže.	"Hąké	točą	šuruxurukrukinįną.
he threw it.	"Not	to go on warpath	to do unable you are.

te e di.	w Ki r n Ke.	w o mK dA n.	e de.
teeži	wakisanąke	wa'ųmą´kšaną,"	éže.
This myself	I could fight	is why I am going,"	he said.

e tt.	K tt K.	A ntt	w Kd Ai se de.
Éja	gająga	hanąč´	wakšąhíreže,
There	this time	all of them	they returned,

p. 27 —

wo w Ki de se Ke.

wowąkišerege.

because he was a bad one.

English Translation

Source:

"Wakjukaga," in Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3897 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, ca. 1912) Winnebago V, #7: 1-27.