Turning Points
in Wisconsin History
The creation narrative of the Ho-Chunk Indians, recorded about 1850.
The Ho-Chunk creation narrative
Sometimes called "Earth-maker Creates the World," similar versions of this traditional account of the Ho-Chunk's origin were also told to anthropologists in the 20th century. The text we present here was given by Ho-Chunk elder Sho-go-nick-kaw, or Little Hill, to Wisconsin settler George Gale about 1850. Also included is Gale's description of Red Banks, the Ho-Chunk traditional homeland near Green Bay, as it was about 1850. To see a typed version of any handwritten page, click the "Page & Text" button at the upper right.
| Related Topics: |
Early Native Peoples First Peoples |
| Creator: | Anonymous |
| Pub Data: | In the papers of George Gale (1816-1868), Wis. Mss GJ, box 1, folder 2, "as given by their chief Sho-go-nick-kaw, or Little Hill, about 1850" (Gale's note) |
| Citation: | "The creation narrative of the Ho-Chunk Indians" from the papers of George Gale at the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives (Wis. Mss GJ, box 1, folder 2). Online facsimile at: http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/search.asp?id=3; Visited on: 5/12/2024 |
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