Hethuska

[Henning Garvin]

Thought I'd chime in here.  In Hocank, the word "herus^ka" nowadays refers
to people who go through the pow-wow circuit.  Some say it refers to living
a humble, giving way of life, but as far as I know, it is not related to any
"war dances" and is often associated mainly with pow-wow.  At least at this
point and time. Many of the songs we sing at pow-wow have this word, and are
actually called "herus^ka songs"

I've been told that the word itself means "untying of the horn" and refers
to the headgear worn by dancers (roaches, turbans, etc.).

don't know if this helps.

Henning Garvin
Linguistic research
Ho-Chunk Nation Language Division






>From: "Tom Leonard" <tleonard at prodigy.net>
>Reply-To: siouan at lists.colorado.edu
>To: <siouan at lists.colorado.edu>
>Subject: Hethuska
>Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2003 18:56:41 -0600
>
>Thought I'd share parts of a conversation I've been having with John
>Koontz.
>I'd appreciate any thoughts on the subject.
>
>I've been studying the "war dance complex" amongst the Dhegiha tribes.
>
>In Ponca, the word for this is "hethu's^ka". I also have the word being
>pronounced "heo's^ka" (hey-o-shka) , hetho's^ka (hey-low-shka) and
>hethoo's^ka (hey-thoo-shka).
>
>Most Poncas today say the word is an ancient term who's meaning is lost but
>add "it means 'the war dance' or 'man dance'". However, my dad Joe Rush in
>1977 said the word came from "xthe-xthe" (tattoo or
>tattooed people) and "s^ka'de" (play or to enjoy). From a tape of him in
>1977: "it meant for the enjoyment of those old folks...those old
>folks...they had tattoos on them.....they kind of showed their rank".
>
>Does this make linguistic sense?
>
>Let's look at "s^ka" in the word first.
>
>John suggested "It is interesting to see another connection to s^kade, but
>I
>think that it's not likely that a final s^ka in OP would derived from
>s^kade.  I suspect that the Osage revised form with this association in it
>has maybe influenced your father, though, of course, I don't know if that's
>really a plausible assumption." Joe Rush was the head singer for all three
>Osage Districts for many years and he certainly had plenty of contact over
>there. So, that might have been the case (although he would have never
>admitted it). So, I'll give that a "maybe".
>
>The question regarding s^ka from s^kade (to play) came from a discussion of
>the widely held translation of ilon's^ka (the Osage word for the 'war
>dance'), that is "playground of the eldest son". LaFlesche (1939)
>translated
>ilon's^ka as "those who partake of thunder" ("iloN" or igthoN - thunder).
>It
>is my contention the "playground of the eldest son" translation is a folk
>etymology that has become quite engrained. In the 1970's I had several
>elderly Osage people tell me, quite adamantly, that ilon's^ka had nothing
>to
>do with "playing" or "playgrounds" or the "eldest son". Each told me it had
>to do with "the old religion"...then they usually started to change the
>subject (the old religion being a very taboo topic of conversation).
>
>Oddly enough, the "old religion" had lots to do with bundle rites that
>featured "xthe-xthe" - tattooing. The old priests were given tattooes when
>they acheived a certain status (see LaFlesche). I think the last Osage who
>had these died in the mid 1970's, but I remember seeing him.
>
>I've also wondered if "s^ka came from "s^ka'xe" (you make). I have heard
>"s^ka'xe" abbreviated to "s^ka". For instance, you often hear "u' doN s^ka"
>(you did good). John mentioned: "In OP gaghe can be used as a sort of
>causative, but it means something like "act like, perform as."  There's not
>much tendency to lose final syllables in compounding except in initial
>elements, e.g., s^aNttaNga, iNkhesabe, waz^iNttu and so on." Culturally,
>s^ka from s^kaxe makes some sense. It also makes some sense in the context
>of the anthro. literature in this regard.
>
>Now here's the rough part.
>
>Is it conceivable the word ( "hethu's^ka" or "heo's^ka" (hey-o-shka) or
>hetho's^ka (hey-low-shka) or  hethoo's^ka (hey-thoo-shka)) could have
>changed from "xthe-xthe-s^ka" [s^kaxe or s^kade] to "xe-xthe-s^ka" to
>"xe-tho-s^ka" to "he-tho-s^ka"...... (I do have some elders saying
>"he-tho-s^ka")......or perhaps.......
>
>"xthe-xthe-s^ka" to "xthe-xthu-s^ka" to "xe-thu-s^ka" to
>"he-thu-s^ka"........
>
>Are any of these a plausible morph or liguistic change pattern?
>
>One other question. In Otoe, the war dance is called "ithu's^ka" or
>"idu's^ka" (not certain). In Pawnee, I believe it's "iru's^ka". Can anyone
>shed any light on etymologies or meanings from those languages?
>
>Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
>
>Wi'btha hai ho!
>
>
>
>
>

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