Warbundle Feast of the Thunderbird Clan, Version 3

narrated by a Member of the Thunderbird Clan

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Hocąk Syllabic Text with an Interlinear Translation

(1) When the feast is all prepared, the kettles as well, and when they also have prepared all of the buckskins, and once the kettles are put on to boil, then he gives a whoop: "Warbundle owners!¹ Ye Children of the Warbundle! You who go forth to fill the lodge, I greet you! You are the ones who have not pondered the matter, but you have cared for us. To assemble in full in my lodge, that you have done for me. It is good. Our grandfathers, (2) the four brothers, were all brave men. The oldest one was called "Whirling Four."² The second one was called "Seated Chief." The third one was called Wabanosega.³ The fourth they called "Kills within the Lodge." Kills within the Lodge in battle, if he was shot with a gun, he would be struck. So when they shot his protective vest blanket, when the bullets made it to his body, (3) when he untied the bullet-proof vest blanket, it would be full of bullets. So this one made a Warbundle. It enabled him to be good at war, and it was bound up with Life as well. He requested war from the beginning.

Every one of the Warbundle owners who are seated: if Our Grandfather brings himself up, I will be giving him tobacco there, and this is why I am saying this. Ye Warbundle owners, Spirits who are filling up the lodge of the main ceremony, we greet you! (4) is what I am saying. We greet you!" As he is giving a feast, he offers them all tobacco in each hand. Then by the edge of the fire they sat. He said to them, "Hąhó, here it is, here it is," he said, and the small amount of tobacco in his hand, he placed in the fire. "Hąhó, He who Stands in Our Midst, here is the tobacco. The tobacco is with you. You yourself have come to stand among your own, with Spirits, and when we came you encouraged us to believe that (5) if we put this on the top of his head, that you yourself, as even to me you had promised, would deliver the message. And the first request is that they (the enemy) will meet with the sharp edges of our weapons. If we are directed to one of the wars, may we not go thin. If they were to try to get men to fight, we must go on weapon-paths, our being in the midst of weapons. And all these bird skins that will be used in war that are to be lain in the center of the lodge, (6) we are going to adorn ourselves with one of them that also we may not go into danger, and that we be granted a very long life.

Grandfather Fire, I pour this tobacco for you. Here it is. Here it is. Grandfather Earthmaker, I offer tobacco to you. You yourself made the tobacco, but unless of our own accord, you cannot take it away, they say. I offer tobacco to you. First request: I ask from you wars and life. (7) And we will cause to be heated for you the choicest parts of the white haired one, a male deer, and his bucksin to wear. Long moccasins, with tobacco, we extend to you. Hąhó, here it is.

Great Blackhawk, who is in charge of the Warbundle, I offer you tobacco. The first request: if we go on one of the roads to war, may we not go in vain. Given that just one man may be gotten, may he be siezed. We are going to tread upon weapon paths. (8) We offer you the kettle, the kettle of half a deer, the hide to wear, with one of the long moccasins. Here it is. The tobacco, here it is. To the Thunder Chief at the place of the setting sun, we offer you tobacco. And grandfather, you contributed your mental powers to his Warbundle, whatever you taught him and added, these we ask of you. And one of our own members, whom we fed like a child, we are offering to you together with tobacco. (9) Hąhó, here it is, the tobacco.

We offer tobacco in the east to Those Who Walk in Darkness. Grandfather Kills Within the Lodge (Ciwoit’éhiga), your mind you put into heart-binding with the Spirits, that in the course of time, may we take up and stand up against the weapons that we will be caused to meet. This we ask of you. The children are about to engage in war. May they be directed to wars in whatever way is similar to what we are doing. (10) We offer you the tobacco with what is a female deer, with hide for long moccasins. The kettle, hąhą́, here it is.

To the South, we offer tobacco to that part of your body that is good. Disease Giver, grandfather, when you two have made wars for us by effecting heart-binding with Spirits by means of your mental powers, that is what we are asking for. Grandfather himself said, he was blessed in the midde of the day, when the sun straightens out. (11) We offer you one of our members who has a headdress. And in conjunction with tobacco, we offer the kettle together with a long deerskin. Hąhó, here it is, the tobacco.

Grandfather Sun, we offer you tobacco. When you blessed grandfather Kills Within the Lodge, the heart-binding of the Spirits you effected with your mind, that do I ask of you. (12) I will stand among weaponry. May I take for myself those men for whom death has not been ordained. If we think something in our minds, you will hear it, as they say. We offer you tobacco, a deer kettle, and a buckskin for a long moccasin, grandfather.

Hąhą́, grandmother, the Moon, we offer you tobacco. (13) We desire war. 'Grandfather, put the powers of your mind to it,' she said to him. When you blessed Kills within the Lodge, when you gave him wars, if any were left over after they were given to him,⁴ these we ask of you. The tobacco along with the deer kettle, a long buckskin, we extend the kettle to you. Hąhą́, here it is. The tobacco, here it is.

Morning Star, grandfather with your mind you effected heart-binding with the Spirits, (14) their Spirits of the night, at midnight we offer you tobacco, that was not done exactly right, although we are lacking in all the essentials necessary for success, but if one of the Lights and Life suddenly encounters trouble, we are trying to keep our weapons at the ready. First here we ask of you that we may break off a bit of Life, the cause of light. We offer you the kettle, the tobacco, and a long deerskin. Grandfather, hąhó, here it is. (15) We make a tobacco-offering of the tobacco.

Grandmother, the Earth, here we desire war. My we bind ourselves with all good plants. Taking symbolic paint from your body, he would do pretty red, he would do blue, let it be that we could do it. We have boiled. We wish to get a hold of the good painting. The tobacco, corn, one of the boiled foods from the kettle, human tobacco we extend to you. (16) Hąhó, here it is. I offer tobacco to you.

Eagle Chief, grandfather, when you blessed Kills within the Lodge, when the heart-binding of the Spirits you effected with your mind, if it is good to make use of warfare, we are requesting it. Tonight, Spirit, I will try to have something heated for you. And we are offering to you, Red-Tailed Hawk, half the tobacco and kettle. This was all that was put in the kettle. (17) The attendants put it on. For those for whom no kettle had been placed, they will all be gathered together for tobacco." He stopped.

Then each of the others in the feast held tobacco in each hand, it landed from one hand held above the fire. On the opposite side they tossed it on the Warbundle. He said: "Warbundle owners, you who impersonate the Spirits, you who are going to fill the lodge, we greet you. (18) It seems that we are trying to boil water for the Spirits. And again to use the songs that they taught him (Kills within the Lodge), that's the way that we will try to be. You will be angered by poor tobacco we used, or we will kill your buttocks, or we have kept you hungry; but you are Warbundle owners, and you understand this ceremony, and it is good, and to endure all night seated, (19) it is said that I will be able to obtain war and life. Your intention was for this purpose, and sedulously you intend to sit with us. It is good, isn't it? We will be trying speeches in this same way. As soon as the attendants get the contents of the kettles cooked, you will receive some. Thus it will be. To those who are at the place of the setting sun, they who have song, the Thunders, we will be trying to sing those songs which are praiseworthy, the ones that they taught to our grandfather. (20) If they know them, they are going to be singing about four of them, and they are singing." They are using Completion Songs. Then they use the dance songs to finish. "Warbundle owners, I greet you. Speeches are the kind of thing that we are trying to do, and then when grandfather was blessed, when he burdened himself with thirst, he fasted and this one when he tried, if he could make the Spirit heart feel, then it was placed: (21) at noon in broad daylight, then he came across Disease Giver, as they call him, who blessed him with wars, and with one side of his body, he blessed him with a great amount of Light and Life (Hąbᵉra), this one and all his descendants on this earth which I shall roam, and when they learn of the tobacco and the kettles, he told that it was only to be passed down to mine. So this one alone manages the kettles. We offer dogs, down feathers, and the tobacco. We will use his songs. They are in a different language, (22) and we will be singing something important, but if he knows only one of the songs, we will not be tired out. They are telling us to cry when appealing for wars, in this I have done nothing to be ashamed of. Thus we are thinking, I'm saying. Warbundle owners, you who represent the Spirits, we greet you! (23) They are songs that we are doing, Completion Songs."

And again he made ready to dance. "Warbundle owners, we greet you! And after we have done the songs four times, the feast will occur. About the time that the food is requested, they will have it cooked. This is the way it will be: they will try to imitate another one. Then it is going to be this one little Thunderbird song. Then when he brought together this Warbundle and all these minds, there was singing. They arrived. These we will use: the Waters, the Sun, the Moon, the Morning Star, (24) those who are seated on the earth, the Daylight, the Eagle, all these songs that they themselves blessed their own to make," he said. "So we will be boiling for them, and this is what I'm saying. Warbundle owners, we greet you." They used Completion Songs. Then, "Warbundle owners we greet you. If one will stand up and dance, dance just a little, it is to get oneself to a place of safety in war. (25) And women, this one dancing will also help your brothers who are wanting war, in addition I will be able to gain life. We will use the dancing songs. If we know a little about four of them, then they will be using dancing songs. Warbundle owners, we greet you." Then for the lasts time, we will present one of the songs, then we will be on our way to having our feast. This lot of songs our grandfather, he himself sang, as he says, inasmuch as they can achieve war, (26) so right here he made a connection, they say. You who are higiǧá watchmen, you also acknowledge the songs that there were. Again they made the Warbundle, also they made it again. They said that (they could be sung) when swimming across the water, also the various scouting expeditions, as well as all else there is. We will try to replicate what he used. Warbundle owners, who are seated, we have sent forth greetings to you."

Having only breath, the songs they did were the Completion Songs. (27) Again he did dancing songs. Then, "Warbundle owners, we greet you! And it is about time for the four songs to the various Spirits, with kettles of tobacco we are doing to cause the Spirits to flourish, for some time now, having almost starved to death, and by the fireplace, coming up will be a large deer head which henceforth they might wear as a headdress; and this tobacco, my man, together with a long one for moccasins, Earthmaker, he himself, was thinking that he would put them before our chief himself. (28) He, however, was heard by the Spirits, the good ones, and they were good cautioners, and then again there you will place one of the kettles in honor of the War Contollers who live in the place of the setting sun, and our War People will place it there. This is the day we are doing it, and the tobacco, the man-tobacco, a long deerskin, together with the kettles, will be enough.

(29) And there again, one of the kettles of the second fire, they intend for the Guardian of the Warbundle,⁵ Great Black Hawk. The tobacco, the long deerskin, the kettle, that much they intend for him. Strikes the Tree will put it before him. He, however, has an understanding of it when we boil for the Spirits, and would that we ourselves knew of it. And again, from the same fireplace, the deerskin, the kettles, that much we intend for the Sun. (30) It will be placed before him, my grandfather," he said. He councils with an understanding, and carefully performed a great endeavor, and if there is a third fireplace, they are intending it for Our Grandmother who comes up after dark. My nephew, coming back from the side, will place it before her. He has an understanding of how to take care of the Warbundle, but also would that we had such knowledge.

Now we are doing it, (31) and then again one of them there was the Morning Star, he himself was thinking about the man-tobacco, a long little deerskin, the kettles, he was thinking of that much that my uncle would place there. He himself, however, came to make the boilings for the Spirits work well, and that they will know what we are doing, is what I'm saying.

Warbundle owners, we greet you. This is all the kettles that they put on. This is all that they can hold. (32) It is lacking in every way, but you are possessed with the knowledge of how to do it, so then, whenever you get ready, you can start eating. There we will cause our own to be dished out." The one who recieves the first kettle speaks: "Elders, impersonators, with whom we sit to feast, Warbundle owners, we greet you. It is good, isn't it? It is good, not something that's not good. (33) Relatives, it was great that couciling was done, and even more so that I was invited, and I am thinking a great deal. In addition, even more now, among the various Spirits there is but one who is greater, so it is said. When they boil, we ourselves are substituting for the Spirits. They are making the kettle for Earthmaker. The deerskins to wear on the foot, the tobacco, we have assembled all this that we might be strengthened. If they know of them, (34) the relatives with whom we have assembled this, how is this done and yet they know nothing of it? We did one of the things, and we poured out a pipe full of tobacco, they also knew of them, so it is said. When this thing is exactly thus, once they know of it, a lot of war and life; the life that we think ourselves in connection with is to be recieved by those behind, is what I am saying. They were forbidding it. We worship Earthmaker, (35) and we greeted the elders, and Warbundle owners, those who impersonate Spirits, also we greet you."

Also the second one said, "Elders, the relatives, having been seated, we greet you. Something of importance is good, is it not? We are not sending much of our own, and relatives, I was told by my grandfather that we should be thankful at all times. I have not done war, but this is something great, and is it not good to be thankful of something important? (36) It is good. They offered tobacco, moccasins, and kettles to the War Controllers, the Impersonators, and longed for war and Life, as they perhaps accepted them. What was done may not be accepted, also do they not say that they (the Spirits) know every single thing we do in our minds? And all our relatives will be strengthened by the Spirit-food. (37) I am thinking and saying that our thanking the feasters⁶ is good." Feasters, he greeted, [and] War Controllers. Then, "Feasters, again we greet you. Impersonators, Warbundle owners, we greet you."

Then the third one said, "Feasters, relatives, we greet you! You who represent Spirit, you who are in the lodge, we also greet you! (38) It is good. Something of importance is good, is it not? Many times he has done this way for us, and when they learned it, he forbade them to come over, and for the Spirits, tobacco, kettles; the full amount for the Spirits, also you have caused to flourish, and you have caused us to fill the lodge. It is something of importance for which to express gratitude. He has expressed gratitude for something of importance. You who represent the Spirit have done things for us that we might live, and as a result you have caused us to eat holy food in the presence of our relatives. (39) The elders, if they know of them, thinking of themselves, we'll follow after wars and Life. One of the men cooking and holding also has burned his own hand, and one of the men who cooks and also handles them, has burned his own hand, and one of the wars will come to pass, and it won't be with any surprised exclamations that they will be going. It is good that it is thus. Could something of importance not be known? I believe that they (the Spirits) are accepting them (the offerings), and that is good. How could something of importance not be known? (40) They are accepting them, I thought, and it is good." He greeted the elders, and, "The elders, as well as the impersonators, we also greet you."

Then the fourth one said, "Elders, relatives, we greet you! You who also represent the Spirits, we greet you! 'It is good,' you Warbundle owners should have been saying. Indeed, it is good. They are blessing the Hōcągara to roast in their own fireplaces. (41) On behalf of the women and children, he filled it with tobacco and asked for war and life from all the various Spirits, and then we will leave it for those behind the Impersonators to receive, we will do it. With a Warbundle, "Kills within the Lodge" as he was called, one of the various Spirits, he came to the humans, and when it was thus completed, it was good. (42) He made war, we have all heard it told. However much of the food was cut off, they definitely said that all were holy. You who represent the Spirits, you relatives, would be strengthened, I thought, and I am thankful, and that is why I am speaking. Elders, I salute you. The Sun, the elders also, as well as the impersonators, we greet you, and for that reason I am speaking. We greet you," he said. (43) "Elders, also the impersonators, we greet you. It is good. The relatives boiled water for Spirits, and they caused their pipes to be filled, and handing to them what grows in abundance, at Spirit midnight they listen to what is caused to be said to them, and that it is at this time that the various Spirits awaken, and it is at this time that Spirits win the tobacco that has been made for them, (44) the tobacco they would certainly do for their own, it is said. It was for this reason that kettles and moccasins were made for them, and when they persuaded them, when they did one of the things, they even knew of it as they have doubtless said, I think, and we expect Life for ourselves. Relatives, that is what I'm saying. Elders [and ...], I salute you. Grandmother Moon, I salute you."

(45) Again they put on the kettles. "Warbundle owners, we greet you. It is good. What I wanted, you told it all for me. The old people in saying how grateful they were, did very well. I am causing you to suffer, to groan, but again the attendants will put the kettles on there, and we will do the placing of the tobacco. Everyone, when they boil food for our Grandfather, is going to place it. (46) I send you greetings." Then they arrive to pour out tobacco. Every time he is calling one of the others [Spirits], tobacco lands sittng in the fire, and he says this: "Hąhó, here it is, the tobacco. I am pouring tobacco. Grandfather, He who Stands in the Middle of the Lodge, without doubt they said, you would be the mediator of the message. Truly, whatever Spirit's name we call out, if we put it on his head, we will not have acted in vain. You promised, they assuredly said. (47) I pour tobacco for you.

You who are in the south, Grandfather Disease Giver, I pour tobacco for you. A four-legged walker, one like our own members, I have put in the kettle. We offer you the tobacco, feathers, the headdress, the buckskin to wear on your feet. You blessed grandfather in broad daylight in the middle of the day when you met him, what you granted him, that very thing we ask of you. May not fevers come among us, (48) and [instead] the wars and life over which you rule. They definitely said that you promised as much. Grandfather, we ask this of you. We offer you the pipe.

Hąhó, grandfathers, we offer you tobacco! You who are in the east, Those Who Walk in Darkness, when you blessed grandfather, whatever you taught him, this is what I ask for, but [...?...]. Instead of groaning as I walk, they will bless me, although not anything good [was offered], without doubt they have told us this. (49) They really did say that they let grandfather live in your spirit abode as well as letting him enter. We offer you tobacco, Nights We are going to go through the wars that come our way. Then walking fast, the daylight will come soon. We offer you the man-tobacco, a long deerskin, and kettles. Hąhó, here is the tobacco. I offer you the tobacco. We offer you deerskins and kettles.

(50) Morning Star, Grandfather, your mind you put into heart-binding with the Spirits, this is what I mean. For war we boiled for you. Finally, when we choose for ourselves wars, when we offered you tobacco there, howo, they were saying that you will not have failed to hear. We desire this. We offer you tobacco, grandfather.

Hąhó, Eagle Chief! I offer you tobacco. When grandfather fasted and you blessed him, (51) and made wars for him, I mean, whatever is left behind. To have in your Warbundle one of your own feathers as you go on one of the paths, also if they were only out to get one man, I will return with all that I came with. This is why we boiled for you. I offer you tobacco, grandfather. Hąhó, here it is.

Hare, what I have, I offer you. You blessed grandfather and when you blessed him this way, he himself told of it. (52) The one they call "Nephew," [blessed him] with wars, with Life. If, finally, we go to war, the men will achieve honors without effort. We are taking weaponry in the midst [of the enemy], also we will stand in the path of weaponry [with impunity].

Turtle, I have an offering for you. I offer you the pipe solely of man-tobacco. Here [what] we have is lacking, and you are without a kettle, (53) and not one will you see, they have definitely told us. You yourself, however, have wars, and we are asking you for wars. We offer you [a] pipe, grandfather.

[A] pipe we offer you, Grandmother Earth, with man-tobacco we ask for wars. Grandfather, heart-binding your mind to Spirit as you were telling your own there, about now we are extending our own tobacco to you. Here it is. (54) I offer you a pipe, Grandmother. Hąhó, they will be caused to receive the tobacco. If grandfather bestows his mind upon everyone, one and all will know of it. We pour a pile of tobacco for you. Grandfathers who are on earth, who are up above, here is the request. This we ask of you Grandfathers: wars, just as you had made for grandfather. Hąhó, Warbundle owners, we greet you. (55) Thus it is. You Warbundle owners may be concerned when we have been excessive in our own smoking, but war we have made use of, and I am making use of Life; what I am saying is if we annoy someone it will get the job done in war, it is said. That is what you intended, and faithfully you intend to sit with us. It is good.

Yet even more we must ask of you. Warbundle owners, they will walk the Mediator around as we complete our songs. (56) Here in imitation they will walk, the Announcer going around just as the Nights do the Island. Right away, we will extend songs to Those Who Walk in Darkness as they appear to pass by, and this is why I am speaking. Warbundle owners we greet you! Then for the songs they are using the Completion Songs. And then again we are using dancing songs. Warbundle owners, we greet you. And I am telling you for certain that you will be portraying Those Who Walk in Darkness. (57) However, to be equivalent to a Spirit, you would imitate them verbally, anything [...?...]⁷ is good to do, and they will walk the Anouncer around, and this is why I am speaking." Then the attendant takes the oval drum. Together with tobacco he placed it across the way to sit in the feast. Together with tobacco, they sought for him. One of the ones who did it, the one who is about to sing, he himself placed it there. He gave him this tobacco in his hand. (58) "The elders and relatives who are seated, we send forth greetings to you. Also the Spirit enactors who are within the lodge, we greet you. And it is good. As the Announcer is being walked by, it is not good to refuse to accept it, they assuredly said. As it went around the Island, singing, I felt alive. They allowed me to pour out tobacco. The relatives have caused themselves to be bothered with the Mediator that we might be strengthened by it. When he placed the tobacco for Those Who Walk in Darkness, (59) right away trying to tell ancestors, we will do that. He did not know it, but thus we are, but if we know what is proper, we will use it. They are saying that if you know only one of the songs, bring yourself to cry out (in song). If you cry for war, not a single thing will you be ashamed of, it is said. We will sing keeping these things in mind. Hąhó, here it is! Here it is! (60) Grandfather Nights, we make you an offer to smoke. And the songs that he had we will make crooked, nor will they dance well, it is truly said. They truly say that you tame what is below.⁸ You also recognize what was done properly," he said. "Our grandfathers will bless me. May you walk fast that the daylight might come soon. The tobacco, here it is." (61) Then they used the Completion Songs. Again they did dancing songs. And again, one of the attendants took tobacco in his hands and once more he moved the drum down. Again there is a group there. One who was gathering there had a Warbundle with him, he himself ...⁹ He was thankful for the tobacco. From the begining what he was saying, also was the kind of thing he had said. When they were to give tobacco, (62) they took it, and offered them tobacco. He put tobacco into the fire. The Nights were walking fast so that the light may come the sooner. Then he sung. "I am singing the songs." Again he placed it. Yet again this is what he did. There were a great many songs there.

So there, at some distance, finally, when it was daylight, they will sit at the feast, and they returned there walking. When these sing, (63) they will sing to the old Nights. When daybreak comes, that light is made pale inasmuch as the hair of these old Nights is white. And if I ask that they take it there, once it is placed before them, then everyone who had reclined, if they had fallen asleep, would arise and dance. These old Nights were using canes. So when they sing to those old Nights as the old Nights pass by, if they think that someone is lying down [asleep], (64) if they spear with their canes, they will put it on their heads in such a way that they will die, so that if they use deerskin offereings with their dancing songs, possessing these, they will bypass them. Everyone will stand up. They will take them, otherwise they will be made to perish, inasmuch as they themselves must move on. Then he sang. They used the Completion Songs. They did the dancing songs. Then the host took down the buckskins and passed them around. They did tobacco, taking it from the place where it is obtained. They went around the lodge. (65) All the kettles situated between the lodges, have been done. Where the host had been seated, there they rose and danced. The men, the women, everyone, went four times around the inside of the lodge. Then the feasters took their seats by the fire, the buckskins they caused to be put on the roof of the lodge. The old Nights took them and started to go back.

And they sang, and then they were done. Then they all sat down. (66) Then the host walked the drum back. "Warbundle owners who are filling the lodge, we greet you. And the various Spirits have already taken the deerskins, also leaving behind the kettles; we will be acting to imitate the Spirits, when tomorrow you are already blessed. (67) Even though we have been making you suffer from hunger, but for the last time, we are going to use one of the songs. Then it will be that you'll get some food. And grandfather, when he used this in war, not ever did he go with it in vain. So he put it in the Warbundle, they are saying. So we will use the song. Warbundle owners, we will have life. Holy paint we do not possess. Hagagasgé, we will continue to be happy, (68) but they have a medicine man who owns red paint. I say that it will not be. If it was good, he thought to use it in war, so it's in the Warbundle, and we will do the song that I am using, it is said. Therefore, we will sing them. If I ask the Warbundle owners to weaken [the enemy] in war, I will do it. It is not the case that I can only ask him for one of the paints that he has. (69) The four Completion Songs and only eight dance songs — Warbundle owners, I send greetings to you!" They did the songs, the Completion Songs. Then they did the dancing songs.

"You Warbundle owners who are seated, I send greetings to you! It is enough that even though I am making you suffer hunger all night, the attendants having made the cooking of the kettle for us, albeit less than enough in every way, but they would not put them on if they were not good, (70) and fire, and the kettles are connected to Disease Giver. We release to you the body of a four-legged animal, one of that kind from among us, your wishes come true; together with tobacco, and a long moccasin. And again, a little four-legged animal that the children, the little ones, played with together, the one who took tobacco along with him, we shall have him go. If someone pours out tobacco, (71) after his bones are gathered from the feast, when his bones are gathered together, the bones, the red feathers on the back of the dog, we will place them outside. If someone pours tobacco for him, you may do so. There would be many. We will not walk, we will not speak of ourselves. Women will not be permitted to partake from this kettle. Men, there you must go. (72) Hehé, this way, as we said. And Warbundle owner, it will be lacking in every respect, nevertheless, you must try to have it passed around."

Having seen whether they made for Those Who Walk in Darkness one of the boiled foods, he who stands as the Announcer, my wife's father, he himself will place it before them. Tobacco, a long deerskin, together with a small thing, we are offering. We did it desiring for ourselves war and life. (73) And as I said before,¹⁰ we will not have any too much for you,¹¹ but as has been correctly said, the various Spirits are not going to do something that is not good. And we will be placing a small kettle before Morning Star. Kų̄nų́, however, knows how to do ceremony, and the Spirits who can hear a thought, he himself will place it before him. We are sending the kettle, the tobacco, and the deerskin. (74) We are wanting war and life for ourselves. He himself will place it before him. Hehé, Warbundle owners, this way, as we said. Grandfather made a Warbundle, and he definitely used this in war. He never failed to get (the enemy). Therefore, war he will get done, if it is good, it is for this reason that it is said that he made a Warbundle. This very kettle you are placing before him. Nāǧīnįka will place it there. We are asking for war, life is longed for greatly. (75) The kettle is for the Eagle Chief.

Hąhą́, you Warbundle owners who are seated, we send greetings to you! When they went back to make the little ones (kettles) ready, they may have made the food. There we will place it to give it away. Then they are using Completion Songs to sing. These four songs, when they were created, they were made by Earthmaker himself. Everyone of the various Spirits had blessed the one called Wešgíšega. (76) However, “Earthmaker” (Mą̄’ų́), as he was called, he alone had not blessed him. Therefore, he tried to dream. He did a great deal. He tried fasting himself to death. He said that finally, at last, he was blessed. It was a very black being who did it. Also the cane that he had was frightening. He was very blue. The light stood surrounding the blue. "Wešgišega, I bless you," he said. "You have burdened yourself with thirst. I have blessed you with all things," he said. "There will be riches, wars, doctoring; (77) also there is going to be good hunting; also there will be the impressing of women; and with all things I am blessing you," he said, and as he turned to leave, when he looked, unexpectedly, he had turned into a blue jay. Four times they did this. Finally, there was one of his children whom he sacrificed. Then finally, around noon, he came across Earthmaker on earth. (78) He blessed him. "Wešgíšega, I bless you; because you have cried out, I have blessed you. Never before have I blessed one of the people. For the first time, I bless you," he said. Then he gave him a cane. Together with this, he gave him four songs with which to finish the rite. They finished eating the feast.

Hąhą́, elders, I greet you all. The impersonators, hehé, it is good. We will pull off a soft piece of the light of Life. (79) He does, and he has offered tobacco to them for us, and telling the ancestors he has also done for us, you have given us about up to this time to eat. It is good. They did great counciling, and caused the Spirits to flourish to the fullest extent, and the tobacco, the kettle, they did for them, and when he was so froward as to dress them, they purified the things in their minds,¹² and (80) to pour some of the tobacco into the fire, and not, as they doubtless said, on either side (of the fireplace). This thing is just this way when they did this, the kettles; the relatives and I came here, that was all, now I am thinking a good deal. Again, there is much more than just one of these various Spirit, much more, so it is said. You yourselves, the relatives, tasted of the kettles. We thought ourselves in strong connection with Life. (81) And “Disease Giver,” as he is called, has war on one side of his body. And they were telling them that they were substituting for Life itself. Disease Giver, I salute you!" He also greeted the elders. "The impersonators also with whom we sit at the feast, we greet you! The elders, the impersonators also, we greet you!"

The second one in his turn he said, (82) "It is good, it is good. Is a good thing not good? It is good. Relatives, going to council is great, and you have caused the Spirits to flourish, and the tobacco, the kettles, and those who have acted as impersonators, will strengthen us. Again, finally, we came upon wars, and we could not make weapons were it not for the fact that they had asked for it this way, and you thought to completely accomplish his intentions with all-night-eye (83) because they persuaded them to cry for war and life, so this is the way it is, when Those Who Walk in Darkness took the tobacco, the kettle, and the moccasins back with them. And quickly they visited us when the night was short, the nights being very short, the Nights walked fast, in the way in which we asked of them. It is good. Our grandfather, impersonators, relatives, we expect life for ourselves that is what I am saying." (84) They greeted the elders. "And also the impersonators, those who represent the Spirits, we greet you."

The third one spoke and yet again said that he was thankful. Again, the fourth and again he was thankful. He spoke to strengthen the host, and again he praised the various Spirits. (85) And again he was thankful for the kettles. "I thought, how very much it went to all," and he said, "Warbundle owners, using the songs this way: we are only going to use the dance songs. Then one of the Spirits among the War Controllers appeared, to him we will make an offering. And if someone pours tobacco for him, then so may you. The women, also, [may join in], as we have rolled up the Warbundle. (86) We are going to offer a dog, one of our own friends. And possessing it, he will pour for him," he said. Then the songs suddenly end as someone gives a mighty shout. Then again all of the others gave a mighty whoop. They did four songs. They were uttered four times. It ended with this. And a dog is there. He wears a red rag circling his neck at his throat. (87) And a bundle of tobacco was tied to him there. And there each of the four limbs they tied together. When they make an offering of these bones, there they will be placed, at the base of a tree. So this, the tobacco, when Disease Giver took it, that is where he [the dog] will go. He himself will own it as a pet.

Concluding Note by Paul Radin

Notes on the Thunderbird clan warbundle feast — Informant, member of the clan: Place of honor at the feast is given to the bravest man present. Scalps, etc., are always brought to those keeping the war bundle.

Contents of bundle: Black hawk (main thing), two wolf tails, buffalo tail, snake, weasel, three flutes — one red, one black, and one blue.

Black hawk used in time of war. If I were leading the war party I would carry it and it would be able to fly. It had a small bundle of medicine tied around the neck, on each wing and each leg. A red flute always went with it.

The two wolf tails could taken on any warpath. It gives an individual the power running. The medicine tied to it is to be smeared over the body order prevent fatigue. It is also used for hunting.

Buffalo tail gives fleetness and indicates that the man received strength from the buffalo spirit.

Weasel and snake could be put around the neck and worn over the shoulders in times of war. Gives the power of these respective animals in wiggling.

Flutes, blue in connection with the buffalo, red in connection with the black hawk, and black in connection with the night spirits.

Notes to the Text

¹ the Hōcąk is Sakerera, which denotes Warbundle owners, Sakere meaning "Warbundle." Radin consistently translates this as "warriors."
² the text has Ciwoit’éhiga, which is the same as the fourth brother's name. Radin corrected this in his translation.
³ Radin has Wabanansaka, an untranslated name. The text reads w l no reAe K (Wabanosega).
⁴ "that is, all those blessings that death prevented him from using" (Radin).
⁵ for "the guardian of the Warbundle," Radin has (p. 538), "war spirit."
⁶ the Hōcąk here is waroǧíra, for which the standard translation is "councillors."
⁷ an unknown word xoAo roKo is found here. It's context seems to suggest that it means, "of this character, nature".
⁸ the translation of this sentence is doubtful.
⁹ this sentence is missing its last word which was unreadable in the syllabic text: Ao K_ L n.
¹⁰ Radin's translation, which is questionable here.
¹¹ this phrase, also from Radin, is a questionable translation.
¹² the sentence, "when he was so froward as to dress them, they purified the things in their minds," represents a doubtful translation.

Wabaunsee

Commentary. "Wabanosega" — Sheila Shigley (1 May 2023) observes: "w l no reAe K - this strikes me as the Potawatomi leader, Waubaunsee (Waabaanizii in Potawatomi), or someone named after him." For more on Waubaunsee, see McKenney-Hall. The large Hōcąk village situated at Grand Rapids (Watertown) on the Rock River in Wisconsin (43.177816, -88.735959), had a Potawatomi village facing it on the opposite bank. Several songs in this rite are said to be in a wažįt’e, "different language," which may well have been Potawatomi.

"He who Stands in Our Midst" — a ritual name for fire. The fireplace is located in the center of the lodge.

"thin" — hōsré, which literally means "thin" (Helmbrecht-Lehmann). Cf. hohōsré, "to be real thin, to be totally worn out". So the thinness to which this expression refers is that of something that has been worn thin. Therefore, the invocation asks that they do not lose their vitality (become worn out).

"we may not go into danger" — in other words, the wearing of one of these bird skins will be apotropaic.

"we fed like a child" — this is a reference to dogs. Dogs were often treated with great affection and had the status of being members of the family circle. At dinner, for instance, a plate was set out for the dog in the family dining area.¹ Dogs, because of the extent of their humanity, were often used where circumstances would otherwise demand a human sacrifice. The sacrificial dog can be given a message to give to the Spirit before he is offered up. The dog must be killed so that he does not cry out,² so often hanging is used. The best offering is a white male dog.³

Peter Menaige (ca. 1850) remembers a dog sacrifice made by Pawnee Blanc (Pani Wasąníka):

... used at the Portage every year to prepare as a "Sacrifice" three or four dog pups, which he killed and painted about the head and neck either red, green, or white, and then tying tobacco to their heads and necks, he placed them at the foot of a certain tree in Interpreter Paquette's field.⁴

The speed, endurance, and voice of canines make them ideal messengers for those who can understand their language.

"Those Who Walk in Darkness" — these are the Nightspirits who arise in the east as the sun sets. There they walk across the sky sowing darkness as they go. They trek towards the setting sun in the west where they reach the abode of the Thunders, with whom they intermarry, as they too are Spirits of darkness, denizens of the caliginous sky.

"that part of your body that is good" — this is a reference to the chief Spirit of the south, Disease Giver. He has a bifurcated body, one side of which dispenses disease, and the other, health. Here an offering is being made specifically to just the good side of his bivalent body.

"when the sun straightens out" — the sun traverses the sky in an arc. Therefore, then it is high noon, the sun reaches its apex, going neither up nor down, and therefore is no longer in a curved path. Therefore, it has "straightened out." However, why does he mention this? When the sun is its highest in the sky, its declination is to the south, so it is that cardinal point that is indicated. "When it straightens out," is horocáje-gaja, "noon," and "south" is horocáje-regi, "where it straightens out." So horocáje is used as a pun to reference the South and its powers by making the blessing out to have taken place at noon.

"one of our members who has a headdress" — this probably refers to the deer, who is otherwise mentioned only with respect to buckskin. The deer's antlers would be its headdress.

"the Lights and Life" — Hąbᵉra, which strictly means "the light(s)," is here used as a metaphor for life, which led Radin elsewhere to translate it in this context as "Light and Life".

"he would do pretty red, he would do blue" — red and blue are not random colors: red is the color of youth, and blue that of old age: young people dressed in red clothing, while old people dressed in blue. These are the A and Ω of colors.

"human tobacco" — wą̄k tānį, a rare term, but found in Kingswan: wą̄ktānį (wnK t ni), "tobacco." This is probably meant to focus on the fact that it has been processed, instead of offering to Earth what she has produced alone herself. This also serves to explain the odd redundancy, inasmuch as "the tobacco" was mentioned at the begining of the same sentence.

The Red-Tailed Hawk		The Emblem of Disease Giver

"Red-Tailed Hawk" — this is Buteo jamaicensis. North of a latitude line drawn at Red Banks, this bird migrates during the winter to the north of Canada, but south of this line, the red tailed hawk is common in the winter.⁵ So in the Wazija (Hocąk territory), this hawk is not seen primarily as an exemplar of a migratory bird. One of their main food sources is snakes. Obviously, during the winter, snakes are not hunted by this raptor, since they have retreated below the earth to hibernate. Red-Tailed Hawk, as one of the major Spirits, is not well known.

"Disease Giver" — oddly enough, this is the second time that Disease Giver has been recognized. This adds something to the first story of Kills within the Lodge's blessing from this Spirit.

"down feathers" — this is mąšušugᵉra (m doAo doAo KL). Radin's translation has "red feathers," which would be mąšušujᵉra (m dAo dAotto L). This is not a translation, but a correction, as Disease Giver is typically given red feathers, red being his symbolic color. Given the similarity between the two terms for these kinds of feathers, the original transcription was probably in error.

"to imitate" — horacgá, which in this context, in which the previous sentence has informed us that the food will be cooked, is a kind of pun, meaning both "to imitate, guess at," and "taste".

"who are seated on the earth" — in Hōcąk this rhymes: mąną́gᵉre miną́gᵉre. Most of the sentence forms an interesting pattern of assonance:

"higiǧá watchmen" — tocąki higiǧá. The higiǧá is the first camp set up by a warparty. It is located just outside the village. It evidently has special men, tocąki, appointed to watch over it.

"they said that" — a close translation of aíreną. However, in Hōcąk singing is considered a form of speech or talking, so that when someone sings he can be correctly described as having said, spoken, or talked. A more exact rendering of this concept in English would be expressed by the term "utterance."

"my man" — in the text, wK A ni L. is underlined, indicating that it was viewed as unusual and therefore perhaps mistaken. Nevertheless, it can be understood as a way in which the speaker is referring to his own chief, which is made more explicit in the next clause.

"good cautioners" — warogí warupį́, cf. warogí warupį́nągᵉre, "who are good cautioners," at Jasper Blowsnake, "The Precepts of Charles Blowsnake, Pt. 2" at Winnebago V, #6, 130.

"the War Contollers who live in the place of the setting sun" — this refers to the Thunderbirds who live atop the mountain ridge in the west that rims the waters of the Ocean Sea.

"War People" — a reference to the Warrior (or Hawk) Clan, who have special war powers. They stand somewhat in oppositon to the Thunderbird Clan from which the chief is chosen. The Thunderbird chief stands for peace, and therefore has the opposite social function from that of the Warrior Clan. By having members of the Warrior Clan make the presentation to the Thunderbirds, the desire to obtain war powers is made unambiguous.

"Our Grandmother who comes up after dark" — this is, of course, the Moon.

"my uncle" — the tḗga is one's mother's brother. The relationship between him and his nephew is the closest in society: they not only tease one another, but are expected to, and no offense is taken. They are the closest of the "joking relations."

"one who is greater" — meaning Earthmaker, whose kettle he has been given.

"whatever is left behind" — the speaker is rather awkwardly trying to say that he asks that the Eagle Chief bestow on him that portion of life that his grandfather would have lived had he reached his full lifespan.

"Nephew" — since Hare was born by a human mother in a virgin birth, he is reckoned to be the nephew of all human beings.

"the Mediator" — Wiróragᵉra, a reference to the role of the drum as a messenger, not only to give notice to other people, but to the Spirits as well.

"the Announcer" — another title for the drum inasmuch as the drum is used to announce such things as an assembly.

"Island" — the earth, often called "Turtle Island," is conceived in the same terms as the ancient Greeks, as a landmass surrounded by an Ocean Sea at the edge of the world. The Nights sow darkness by starting at the eastern end of the Island, and completing their journey at the western extreme where the Thunderbirds live.

"Kų̄nų́" — the birth order name given to the first born son.

"Nāǧīnįka" — the birth order name given to the fifth born son — more usually Nāǧixųnųga.

"a blue jay"— fasters, especially ambitious ones, are often visited by false dreams. That the blessings of the blue jay spirit were false, was shown by their character: Earthmaker gives blessings of life only, never blessings pertaining to war.

"four times they did this" — that is, four times the bad spirits attempted to fool him with false blessings.

"he sacrificed" — the sacrifice of a child to a spirit is a reversion to a practice that was superseded by dog sacrifice (see Disease Giver). Dogs were raised as family members specifically so that when they were sacrificed, the spirits would accept them as though they were human. The word here for sacrifice, ną́biruǧác, when used as a noun, refers to an offering that is left for the spirits somewhere out in the wilderness.

"around noon" — the blessing Wagíšega does receive is given at noon which is highly unusual since spirits most usually prefer the medium of darkness. However, Earthmaker typically if not exclusively makes himself manifest in a sunburst of light.

"four songs" — these songs are Completion Songs, that is, they are sung at the end of a section of the rite or the rite as a whole. This particular set is known as "Earthmaker Songs."

"a dog, one of our own friends" — the word used here is hīkį́, which according to White Eagle and Helmbrecht-Lehmann, means, "to have as a buddy, friend, or partner; to have as a coworker." See above.

Notes to the Commentary

¹ Nancy Oestreich Lurie, "Dog Children among the Winnebago," Lore, 2, #2 (1952): 54-56; Radin, The Winnebago Tribe, 403; Amelia L. Susman, Notebooks (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society #21095, 1938-1939) Book 2: 2-3. Her informant was Sam Blowsnake.
² Fanny D. Bergen, "Some Customs and Beliefs of the Winnebago Indians," The Journal of American Folk-Lore, 9 (1896): 53-54; Radin, The Winnebago Tribe, 403.
³ Sam Blowsnake (ed. Paul Radin), Crashing Thunder. The Autobiography of an American Indian (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983 [1926]) 84.
⁴ Thomas Foster, Foster's Indian Record and Historical Data (Washington, D. C.: 1876-1877) vol. 1, #2,: p. 3, col. 1.
⁵ Samuel D. Robbins, Jr., Wisconsin Birdlife: Population and Distribution Past and Present (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1991) 217-218.

Source

Paul Radin, Winnebago Notebooks, Freeman #3897 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, ca. 1912) Winnebago V, #20: 1-87. A translation is given in Paul Radin, The Winnebago Tribe (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990 [1923]) 486-499 [1923 ed.: 534-547].