Xorahųka Ho-Chunk (abt. 1772 - bef. 1838)

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Native Americans Project WikiTree [send private message]

Xorahųka was Ho-Chunk.

Biography

Xorahųka was born about 1772. He was the son of Unknown Hochunk. He passed away before 1838.

"Stephen Mack of Pecatonic, Winebago County, State of Illinois being sworn saith that he has been married about ten years, that his wife is named Hononegah, and that she is of three fourths or full Winebago blood That the father of Sd woman was named Blacksmith and resided at or near the four Lakes, and has been dead about 18 years. Deponent has been unable to ascertain fully whether Sd Blacksmith was a half, or a full Blood Wiinebago, but knows that he was at least half — The mother of Deponent’s wife was a full Blood Winebago woman, has been dead Several years — Deponent’s wife has one sister and three Uncles now living in the vicinity of this place [Prairie du Chien]. The Uncles names are Co-no saip kah (or Little Black), Es tche e she sheek, and Ho ro hon kak — the sisters name is We hun see gah." (Waggoner, 25a)

Name

The name Ho-ro-hon-kak is for Xorahųka, which is from xora, "bald eagle"; hųk, "chief"; and -ka, a definite article used in personal names. The name means "Bald Eagle Chief."

Clan

The name Xorahųka is an attested name of the Eagle Clan, an Upper Moiety clan ranked second only to the Thunderbird Clan. (Dorsey)

Identity

He may be the Xorahųka who signed the Treaty of 1832 (Lurie, 68), since that individual was from the Rock River bands. Another Xorahųka is mentioned in Kinzie's Rolls of 1832 as living at Mud Lake, which is 8 miles northwest of Watertown, Wisconsin.

Relations

Xorahųka is the brother of Kųnųsepka, Hišjahįšišika, and Hīnū́gā. He is the uncle of Wīhą́zigā and Xųnųnįka.

Sources

• Norton William Jipson, Story of the Winnebagoes (Chicago: The Chicago Historical Society, 1923). This is an unpublished typescript.
• Linda M. Waggoner (ed.), “Neither White Men Nor Indians: Affidavits from the Winnebago Mixed-blood Claim Commissions, Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin, 1838-1839” (Roseville, Minnesota: Park Genealogical Books, 2002). Extracted from Territorial Papers of the United States, Wisconsin, 1836-1848. M236. “Special Files of the Office of Indian Affairs,” 1836-46. “Special File 161” (Roll 41). “Special File 190” (Roll 42). National Archives, Washington D.C., Documents on Microfilm, Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (Record Group 75).
• Rev. James Owen Dorsey, "Winnebago Gentes, including Personal Names Belonging to each Gens" (National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution: T.D., 1878-79?), cat. #4800 Dorsey Papers, Winnebago (319).
• Nancy Oestreich Lurie, "A Check List of Treaty Signers by Clan Affiliation," Journal of the Wisconsin Indians Research Institute, 2, #1 (June, 1966): 50-73.