Sacred Traditons and Customs

I.-- Iñsh'a´ge oñgu´tai ama´ i´waspe ga´x 'itha´-biama´, i´waga´zu. Ti´ noñ´ba
Old man / our / the (sub.) / what makes one behave / making it / spoke of, they say, / what makes one upright. / Tent / two /

waxu´be ga´x 'itha´-biama´, shi ti´ wiña´xchi waxu´be ga´x 'itha´-biama´. Uthe´wiñkitha´-bi
sacred / making / they spoke of, they say, / again / tent / only one / sacred / making / they spoke of, they say. / Assembled themselves, they say /

egoñ´, i´hukitha´-biama´ ni´kaga´hi ama´. Shoñ´ ma´zi zhoñ´ ma´'a thiñ eda´be
having, / consulted one another / chief / the (sub.). / In fact / cedar / wood / cottonwood / the (ob.) / also /

waxu´be ga´x 'itha´-biama´. Shi nini´ba btha´sxka noñ´ba waxu´be ga´x 'itha´-biama´.
sacred / making / they spoke of, they say. / Again / pipe / flat / two / sacred / making / they spoke of, they say. /

Nini´ba thishtoñ´-bi ki, ni´kaga´hi kipa´hi-biama´. Shoñ´ toñ´woñgthoñ uki´pate
Pipe / they finished, they say / when, / chief / they chose for themselves, they say. / In fact / tribe / each gens for itself (?) /

wiñ´thoñthoñ´ noñba´ shte shoñ´ kigthi´za-biama´. Shoñ´ waxu´be zhiñ´ga ue´taki´kithe
by ones / two / even / in fact / took for itself, they say. / In fact / sacred thing / small / they caused themselves to own /

thoñ´ toñ´woñgthoñ bate´te´-ma ki'i´-biama´. Ti´ noñ´ba te tea´ta waxu´be gaxa´-biama´.
the (ob.) / tribe / the gentes / gave to one another. / Tent / two / the (ob.) / to the buffalo / sacred / they made it they say. /

Ti´ wiña´xchi te ni´kashiñ´ga-ata´thishoñ, t'e´wathai´-ata´thishoñ, waxu´be gaxa´-biama´.
Tent / only one / the (ob.) / referring to men, / referring to killing them, / sacred / they made it they say. /

Goñ´ thishtoñ´-biama´ xu´be gthu´ba. Ki the´ ni´kaga´hi kika´xe aka´
At length / they finished, they say / sacred / all. / And / this / chief / made themselves / the (sub.) /

u´wakia´-biama´, pahoñ´ga i´thigthoñ´ aka´. Ti´ the´ noñ´ba waxu´be shka´xai te,
talked to them, they say, / the first / ruler / the (sub.). / Tent / this / two / sacred / you made / the (ob.), /

a´kithiñ´i-ga ha. Hu´thuga ga´xai te uthu´shiata nazhiñ´ tate´ ha. Shoñ´ eda´doñ u´doñxti
respect ye them / . / Circle of tents / made / the / in the middle / stand / shall / . / In fact / what / very good /

ahniñ´ shte´shtewoñ´ 'i´-hnoñi-ga. Ki ni´kaga´hi oñ´gathiñ´ shte´shte we´goñtha´i-ga,
you have / soever / always give to (them). / And / chief / we who are / even / desire from us, /

a´-biama´. She´nuzhiñga-ma´ e´ waka´-biama´. Edi´ ki wathi´heha-ba´zhi tai´, a´-biama´.
said they, they say. / The young men (ob.) / that / they meant, they say. / In that case / you will be stout-hearted, / said they, they say. /

eda´doñ a´higi thiñge´thatheshniñke´she, shiñ´gazhiñ´ga pe´ thoñ´di utha´giga tai´ ha.
What / much / you give to those not relations / thou who, / child / forehead / on the / you paint yours / will / . /

A´waxpani´xti e´goñ u´shkoñ utha´ketoñ´i ki, oñ´xtithie´goñ tai´, shoñ´ ua´kihoñ atoñ´
Very poor, as a great man / like / deed / you acquire / if, / you will be great men, / still / additional (generations) / how far /

athai´ te shetoñ´ athiñ´ tai´, a´-biama´.
they go / the / so far / they will have it, / said they, they say. /

II.-- Wahoñ´ athe´ 'itha´-biama´, te´ une´. Te´-ma utha´ gthi´-hnoñi thoñ´di ti´
Removing / they spoke of going, they say, / buffalo hunting. / The buffaloes (ob.) / to tell of / they used to come back / when (in the past) / tent /

waxu´be zhoñ´ ke waiiñ´ u´doñ 'i´-hnoñ-biama´. Wana´se-hnoñ´-bi ki, ti´ te´di
sacred / wood (+pole) / the (recl. ob.) / robe / good / they used to give, they say. / They used to surround the herd, they say / when, / tent / at the /

tethe´ze gi´bahi-hnoñ´-biama´. She´nuzhiñ´ga noñ´ba ni´kagahi´ thoñka´ ti´ waxu´be
buffalo-tongue / they used to gather for it, they say. / Young man / two / chief / the ones who / tent / sacred /

te´di tethe´ze the´shpahi te a´tha, a´-biama´ ni´kaga´hi ama´, te´-ma t'e´wathai´ hnoñ´di.
at the / buffalo-tongue / you gather for (them) / will / indeed, / said, they say / chief / the (sub.), / the buffaloes / were killed / whenever. /

Tethe´ze pasi´ thoñ moñ´de ke uba´xoñ ki, moñ´de-koñ´ i´'iñ-hnoñ´i. Ti´ te´di
Buffalo-tongue / tip / the (ob.) / bow / the / pushed into / when, / bow-string / they used to carry by means of. / Tent / at the /

e´toñthiñ´xti aki´-hnoñi. Pa´ze aki´ ki, uhoñ´-hnoñi. Ni´kaga´hi ama´ uthe´wiñi
they, the very first / they used to reach again. / Evening / they reached home / when, / they used to cook. / Chief / the (sub.) / assembled /

ki, wa´hiñ-shiñ´the t'oñ´i ki, e´di ti´ te upai´, waiiñ´haha´ge thoñ´ e´ uzhi´ thate´. E´
when, / robe with the hair out / they had / if, / there / tent / the (ob.) / they entered, / lower corners of a buffalo robe / the (ob.) / that / filling / they ate. / That /

waxu´be eta´ aka´ Hoñ´ga ga´xai aka´ wa'oñ´ gthiñ´-hnoñi, thatai´ te´di.
sacred thing / his / the one who / Hañga / he who made it / singing / he used to sit, / they ate / when. /

III.-- Ni´ashiñga wiñ´ u´kuhe moñthiñ´i ki, wadoñ´be athe´ tai´. Ni´kaba´hi
Man / one / fearing unseen danger / walks / when, / as scouts / they will go. / Chief /

ama´ uthe´wiñki´the-hnoñ´i. Iñsh'a´ge wiñ´ boñ´-hnoñi. Ge´-hnoñi: Mazhoñ´ iñthe´gasoñ´ga
the (sub.) / usually assemble. / Old man / one / calls. / He says as follows: / Land / you know it for me /

te wi´ a´thiñhe+, ai. E´di e´goñxti she´nuzhiñ´ga gthe´ba-sa´toñ, gthe´ba-sha´pe
will / I / I who move, / he says. / Forthwith / young man / fifty, / sixty /

doñ´shte, ti´ waxu´be te´di ahi´-hnoñi. She´nuniñ´ga wadoñ´be a´ia´the-hnoñ´i. Athai´
perhaps, / tent / sacred / at the / they arrive. / Young man / as scouts / usually go. / They go /

ki, hu´thuga thoñ uthi´shoñ toñ´thiñi. E´githe ni´kashiñga we´the doñ´shte, utha´ agthi´hnoñi.
when, / circle of tents / the (ob.) / going around it / they run. / At length / people / they discover / perhaps, / to tell it / they come back. /

Shoñ´ e´ nudoñ´ e´kigoñxtioñ´. We´betoñ agthi´-hnoñi, oñ´he doñ´shteoñ´i.
In fact / that / going to war / is just like it. / Making a detour / they come back, / they flee / perhaps (pl.). /

IV.-- Te´-ma he´gaba´zhi t'e´wathai´ ki, gaxthoñ´ agi´-hnoñi. E´githe ni´kaga´hi
The buffaloes / a great many / they killed them / when, / the hunting party / usually returned homeward. / At length / chief /

ama´ uthe´wiñki´the-hnoñ´i te. E´githe waxu´be ga´xe 'i´thai te shi´. Ti´ waxu´be
the (sub.) / assembled themselves. / At length / sacred (thing) / making / they spoke of again. / Tent / sacred /

noñ´ba te´di ta´ wiñ´ u´hoñi te, uthe´wiñki´the tai-e´goñ. She´nuniñ´ga gthe´bahi´wiñxti-e´goñ
two / at the / dried buffalo meat / one / they cooked, / to assemble themselves / in order that. / Young man / a hundred about /

uthe´wiñwa´the-hnoñ´i. She´nuniñ´ga nuka´thiñ e´di athai´ te, ti´ te e´gaxe
they assembled them. / Young man / stripped to the waist / there / went, / tent / the / around it in a circle /

gthiñ´i te. Shoñ´ a´gudi´ shte wahe´hazhi-ma waiiñ´ iñ´-hnoñi, una´zhiñ u´doñ shti
they sat. / Yet / in what place / soever / the stout-hearted ones / robe / they wore robes, / shirt / good / too /

ugi´nazhiñ-hnoñ´i. Thasniñ´i ki, shoñ´gaxe-hnoñ´i. Ti´ ke uha´ athai´ ki, ti´shi
they wore their own shirts. / They swallowed (the food) / when, / they ceased. / Tent / the (line of) / following it / went / when, / tentpoles /

thigu´zhe ti-u´thipu gthiñ´ we´nashe moñthiñ´i, wahe´hazhi ama´ thize´ moñthiñ´i. Shoñ´
bent a little / small lodge (see note) / sat / snatching from them / walked, / stout-hearted one / the (sub.) / taking / walked. / Yet /

ea´toñ wa´giki uthi´'aga-ba´zhi. Zhoñ´-zhiñga thizai´ ge ti´ waxu´be ke´ta athiñ´ aki´-hnoñi.
why / they tried to get them from them / they were not unwilling. / Stick / those that they took / tent / sacred / at the / having / they reached again. /

Ti´ sne´de uthu´kihehe´be ga´xai. Waxu´be u´zhu ke ti´ te i´doñbe
Tent / long / one after another, as far as (the poles) reached / they made it. / Sacred thing / principal / the (ob.) / tent / the / in the middle /

ga´xai. Shiñ´gazhiñ´ga pahoñ´ga thiñke´ ta´ gi´nai. Iñsh'a´ge wiñ´ shiñ´gazhiñ´ga
they made. / Child / first-born / the one who / dried meat / asked of him. / Old man / one / children /

gthe´bahi´wiñ-noñ´ba-xti-e´goñ izha´zhe watha´de-hnoñ´i. Tushpa´, wiña´xchi shte´shte
hundred two about / his name / he called them. / O grandchild, / only one / even though /

ku´zhi oñtha´gigthoñ´ te a-no+! agu´di tha´toñshe´-doñ, ai´ iñsh'a´ge aka´. Uthe´wiñthai´
yonder, at a short distance, / you will put it on (the ground) for me / indeed, halloo! / in what place / you are standing! / said / old man / the (sub.). / They collected /

ki, ta´ ke bthu´ga doñ´bai. Ti´ sne´de e´toñ thibtha´-hnoñi. Wakoñ´-moñthiñ´
when, / dried meat / the (line of) / all / they looked at. / Tent / long / so far / they spread it out. / Wakañ-mañthiñ /

aka´ ta´ shiñ´xchi du´ba uthu´shiata ihe´the-hnoñ´i. Ma´xoñi. Ki shiñ´xchi ke noñbe´
the (sub.) / dried meat / very fat / four / in the middle / placed them. / He cut them up. / And / very fat / the (ob.) / hand /

te e´thoñska wa´ga ga´xe-hnoñ´i. Wase´zhide i´gahi´i ki, zhoñ´ waxu´be te i´bika-hnoñ´i,
the / that size / slices / he made them. / Red clay / they were mixed with / when, / sacred pole / the (ob.) / he rubbed on, /

shniñ´shniñde a´tashoñ ga´xe-hnoñ´i. Goñ´ thishtoñ´-hnoñi. Uki´t'e-shtoñ´-ma
greasy / exceedingly / he made it. / And / he completed it. / The habitual fighters /

uthe´wiñwa´the-hnoñ´i. Uki´t'e a´kitha ga´xe 'i´the-hnoñ´i. I´gadi´ze-hnoñ´i, shoñ´gagthiñ.
they assembled them. / Enemy / to contend with / making (feigning) / they spoke of. / They rode round and round, / sitting on horses. /

Xa´de du´baha ni´kashiñga e´goñ ga´xe-hnoñ´i, ti´ sne´de uthu´shiata´thishoñ.
Grass / in four places / man / like / they made, / tent / long / in front of. /

Du´boñ kiki´de-hnoñ´i, shi du´boñ ni´kashiñga thoñka´ t'e´wathe wa´xe-hnoñ´i.
Four times / they shot at one another, / again / four times / person / the (ob.) / they pretended to kill them. /

Wapa´de shti du´boñ wa´xe-hnoñ´i. A´doñbe´xti ki´de-hnoñ´i. Xa´de mu´bthizh
To cut them up / too / four times / they pretended. / Taking very close aim / they shot at (them). / Grass / the knocked /

ihe´the-hnoñ´i. Maxu´de si´oñthe´ uzhi´ i´kide-hnoñ´i. Uki´t'e ama´ ni´kaga´hi thoñka´
down by shooting. / Powder / alone / put in / they shot at (them) with. / The hostiles / chief / the (ob.) /

we´naxi´tha-hnoñ´i. Du´boñ a´kiki´tha-hnoñ´i. Noñshtoñ´i. Uki´t'e ama´ shoñ´gaxai.
attacked them. / Four times / they fought one another. / They stopped running. / The hostiles / ceased. /

Nini´ba waxu´be ti´ athiñ´ thiñke´ta du´boñ ahi´-hnoñi, waiiñ´ wiñ´ ube´toñ tai´
Pipe / sacred / tent / to him / who had it / four times / they arrived, / robe / one / to wrap around it /

e´thiñ ahi´i. Thishke´ te. Nini´ba thishkai´ ki, ube´toñ athiñ´ ahi´i. Ti´ waxu´be
they took it there for him. / They untied its covering. / Pipe / they untied / when, / wrapping it in (the robe) / they took it there. / Tent / sacred /

ke´ta athiñ´ aki´i; e´ nini´gahi waxu´be ga´xe uzhi´. Ni´kaga´hi ama´ eshna´xtdshi
at the / having it / they reached again; / that / killikinnick / sacred / made / they put in. / Chief / the (sub.) / they alone /

thashu´de gthiñ´-hnoñi.
puffing out smoke / sat. /

V.-- Nini´ba waxu´be keta´thishoñ shi u´shkoñ wiñ´ uwi´btha ta´ miñke. Ni´kaga´hi
Pipe / sacred / pertaining to the / again / custom / one / I tell you / will / I who. / Chief /

ama´ uthe´wiñi ki, Wachi´gaxe u´doñ ha, ai. Iñke´-sabe ake´, nini´ba eta´ aka´,
the (sub.) / assembled / when, / To dance / good / . / said they. / Iñke-sabe / it was he who, / pipe / his / the (sub.), /

e´ wachi´gaxe ga´xe 'ithai´, uthu´kie. Itha´kigthe i´hukithai´. Ma´'a zhoñ´ wiñ´ agi´athai´
that / a dance / making / promised, / talked to (them) about it. / To join one thing to the other / they consulted one another. / Cottonwood / wood / one / / went for it /

Iñke´-sabe ama´ woñ´githe. Pasi´ thoñta´ zhoñ´ gasu´da-ba´zhi. Wa'u´ noñ´ba zhu´wagthe
Iñke-sabe / the (pl. sub.) / all. / Top of a tree / at the / wood / was not cleared of branches. / Woman / two / with them /

athai´, ma´shaka athiñ´i. Uthu´shiata´ uzhe´ti ga´xai; e´di mu´za-hnoñi, zhoñ´ te. Iñsh'a´ge
went, / woman's strap for carrying wood / they had. / In the middle / hole for the pole / they made; / there / they planted it, / pole / the (ob.). / Old man /

i´eki´thewa´kithai´. Watha´chiga´xe te, ai´ atha+. Zhoñ´ thaki´noñxi te atha+, ai´. Iñke´-sabe
they made them act as criers. / You will dance, / they say / indeed. / Sleep / you will arouse yourselves by dancing / indeed, / said they. / Iñke´-sabe /

aka´di zhoñ´zhiñga ju´ba gasai´. Hu´thuga thoñ´ uthi´shoñ athai´ e´goñ, toñ´woñgthoñ
at the / stick / some / they cut. / Circle of tents / the (ob.) / around it / went / as, / tribe /

uba´noñ-ma zhoñ´zhiñga wiñ´thoñthoñ wa'i´-hnoñ´i. Uba´noñ u´zhu aka´ ge´-hnoñi:
the gentes / stick / one by one / they gave them. / Gens / head-man / the / said as follows: /

Wachi´gaxe te e´di-oñgu´iñhe we´goñthai e´goñ, zhoñ´zhiñga ke wa'i´ tai-e´goñ ati´i ha, ai.
Dance / the / we join it / they wish for us / as, / stick / the (ob.) / to give us / in order that / they have come / . / said he. /

She´nuzhiñ´ga bthu´ga ha´thuka´thiñi. Wase´soñ ki'oñ´i. Wa'u´ miñ´zhiñga eda´be wate´
Young man / all / naked. / White clay / they rubbed on themselves. / Woman / girl / also / dress /

te´-hnoñi, shi ki'oñ´i. A´gudi´ shte she´nuzhiñ´ga wiñ´ wa´thaha u´doñ a´thahai. Iñke´-sabe
wore dresses, / again / they painted themselves. / In what place / soever / young man / one / clothing / good / he wore clothing. / Iñke-sabe /

nu´ noñ´ ama´ woñ´githe zhoñ´ te eshoñ´xchi gthiñ´-hnoñi. Wa´hiñ-shiñ´the iñ´-hnoñi.
man / grown / the (sub.) / every one / pole / the / very near it / sat. / Robe with the hair out / they wore. /

Ne´xe-gaku´ du´ba, pe´xe du´ba shti (athiñ´) a-i´-gthiñi. Iñke´-sabe she´nuzhiñ´ga-ma
Drum / four, / gourd rattle / four / too / (having them) / they sat there. / Iñke-sabe / the young men /

nini´ba waxu´be noñ´ba ke, e´ aki´wa we´pahoñ´ga athiñ´ ta´ aka´. She´nuzhiñ´ga
pipe / sacred / two / the, / that / both / the first / will have them. / Young man /

noñba´ aka´ nini´ba uzhi´i-de a´iga´tha moñthiñ´-hnoñi. Wa´thiñe´the goñ´tha-ma
two / the (sub.) / pipe / (they) filled, when / carrying on the arm / walked. / To make presents / those who wished /

i´gadi´ze-hnoñ´i, shoñ´gagthiñ´i. Noñtai´ uthi´shoñ. Moñ´te gthiñ´i Xu´ka aka´. Nu´
rode round and round, / sitting on horses. / They danced / going around (the pole). / Within / sat / Singers / the (sub.). / Man /

ama´ shoñ´ baku´wiñxai; wa'u´ ama´ a´gaha noñtai´.
the (sub.) / in fact / turned around; / woman / the / outside on the / danced. /