Ca Worak Deer Story Master
Description:
Based on a story by Kenneth Funmaker Sr. and translated by Bill O'Brien. A storybook of the story was illustrated by Chloris Lowe Sr.
Transcription:
Once, my father tried to tell me a story. This story comes from way back and they have passed it down. They talked about these months, and they talked about the deer. There’s a story that has been handed down. Once, a lot of people knew his story. But now? How is it we’re now losing this story? It’s getting so that fewer people know it. The place, they call it the town of Black River Falls. Then from the North and Northeast and in between there stands a hill. That hill is where the deer spirits live. They used to say long ago the Hocak people used to go on that hill for vision quests. They went there to receive blessing from the Spirits. It’s a sacred hill, so that’s what they used to do. Once, he said the Hocak used to hunt deer there. SO those deer hunters thought they heard something. As it got nearer here it was singing. As he got nearer they finally heard what he was singing. He was going along singing this song.
Who ever is there let her come over, come over
Who ever is there let her come over, come over.
Who ever is there let her come over, come over.
Deer woman said, who ever is there come over, come over.
Who ever is there let her come over, come over.
He was saying that as he was coming.
When he quit singing they heard a doe answer that song.
Answering back. It was a doe
The one that was singing appeared. It was a buck, a spiked buck. It was singing about women deer. That’s what my father said, that’s what they say, So human beings aren’t the only ones capable of love. So all those animals not just humans are capable of showing love. So that’s the way they are. Recently they were going to have a War Bundle Feast. They were going to drive deer. Before they left they had a sweat. An old man names Comes From Out Of The Ground joined them. After they all entered the sweat and were ready to go, it came to the old man’s turn. He said, “When day light comes, two will stand.” So when day light came they went hunting. My father and his son went. His name was One That Steps Outside, my father’s name One That Wins. When they got to the place, they were going to make a drive. And some went on ahead to stand. Where they were going to stand, two Islands meet in the middle of a clearing. And they would stand on each side of it there in the woods. While they were on their way my older brother shot. After he shot, the drivers heard and started to drive. Then my older brother shot again a second time. So when the drivers got back, my father went over to them. And there were two deer laying there. What that old man said in the sweat lodge, “In the morning two will stand up.” That’s what he meant, when he said there would be two deer standing. An old man once went on a vision quest on that hill. He got blessed by the deer spirits on that hill. What ever was sacred that they could bestow on that old man they did. That’s why that old man was blessed. That’s why he knows. That’s why this story is a good story. So as the story is passed down that hill is sacred. That hill is still there today. And if somebody wants to go on a vision quest there, that is a good place. The Hocak used to go there on vision quests long ago. And that’s the end of my story.
Who ever is there let her come over, come over
Who ever is there let her come over, come over.
Who ever is there let her come over, come over.
Deer woman said, who ever is there come over, come over.
Who ever is there let her come over, come over.
He was saying that as he was coming.
When he quit singing they heard a doe answer that song.
Answering back. It was a doe
The one that was singing appeared. It was a buck, a spiked buck. It was singing about women deer. That’s what my father said, that’s what they say, So human beings aren’t the only ones capable of love. So all those animals not just humans are capable of showing love. So that’s the way they are. Recently they were going to have a War Bundle Feast. They were going to drive deer. Before they left they had a sweat. An old man names Comes From Out Of The Ground joined them. After they all entered the sweat and were ready to go, it came to the old man’s turn. He said, “When day light comes, two will stand.” So when day light came they went hunting. My father and his son went. His name was One That Steps Outside, my father’s name One That Wins. When they got to the place, they were going to make a drive. And some went on ahead to stand. Where they were going to stand, two Islands meet in the middle of a clearing. And they would stand on each side of it there in the woods. While they were on their way my older brother shot. After he shot, the drivers heard and started to drive. Then my older brother shot again a second time. So when the drivers got back, my father went over to them. And there were two deer laying there. What that old man said in the sweat lodge, “In the morning two will stand up.” That’s what he meant, when he said there would be two deer standing. An old man once went on a vision quest on that hill. He got blessed by the deer spirits on that hill. What ever was sacred that they could bestow on that old man they did. That’s why that old man was blessed. That’s why he knows. That’s why this story is a good story. So as the story is passed down that hill is sacred. That hill is still there today. And if somebody wants to go on a vision quest there, that is a good place. The Hocak used to go there on vision quests long ago. And that’s the end of my story.
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Digital Heritage
5 pages
Community
Hoocąk Waaziija Haci Language DivisionCategory
Education, LifewaysCommunity:
Category:
Keywords:
Deer StoryOriginal Date Description:
1997-12-17Original Date:
1997 December 17thContributor:
Publisher:
HLDIdentifier:
2017.001.00333Subject:
Deer StoryType:
Format: