Analysis Of The Winnebago Trickster Cycle By Wakjankaga

The role of a trickster is to create mischief for others, he is willing to do anything in order to gain something for themselves, and is a disaster to natural order everywhere. In different cultures the trickster can exhibit different characteristics and break out of the mold of the archetypal role. The trickster does not only serve a purpose of providing humorous situations or troubles for others while playing the part of a villain. At other times, the trickster can play the part of a hero and play a crucial part in establishing world order. The tales the Native American people have woven are something they believe have effects in the real world. In Native American trickster tales, there are numerous contradictions that are rampant in the

stories. Looking past the archetype, there are more to the trickster characters than what is expected from them. There are serious elements and also obscene elements as well. The opposing aspects in Native American trickster tales serve to not only teach important lessons pertaining to culture, but to also show that there is more to the trickster than the bawdy, gluttonous, and obscene traits the character exhibits.
The Winnebago trickster, Wakjankaga or “the Foolish One”, fills the criteria of what a trickster is to a tee.

Wakjankaga displays apparent obnoxious characteristics which are often linked back to tricksters. He is a powerful being with incredible powers, where he is able to change his appearance and alter his sex. He is willing to do anything for his own personal gain and it is certainly a bonus when he manages to dupe others in the process. In “The Winnebago Trickster Cycle” when the winter season has fallen, snow falls and Wakjankaga and his friends find that there is nothing to eat. Wakjankaga comes up with the idea to marry the chief’s son in a village nearby. Wakjanga transforms himself to a woman, he “took an elk’s liver and made a vulva from it. Then he took some elk’s kidneys and made breasts from them… then he let the fox have intercourse with him and make him pregnant, then the jaybird, and finally the nit” (106). The extremes that Wakjankaga is willing to go can be attributed to the role of his character and it also shows the mischief of what is to come. All in all, this is typical behavior that is expected a trickster to do. However, as the story progress and Wakjankaga’s façade is discovered in a way that emphasizes the seriousness and the consequence of what Wakjankaga has done. For example, as the chief’s wife teases Wakjankaga around the fire and the trickster “jumped over the pit and she dropped something very rotten” (107). The vulva rotting in a way

shows the seriousness of Wakjankaga’s actions. Not only has his lies prevented Wakjankaga and his friends from starving to death, but it has brought about serious repercussions. There are several taboos such as the mockery of the chief’s family and also causing the chief’s son to engage in homosexual actions. Not even Wakjankaga, someone who is supposed to immensely enjoy the trouble he causes people can find the humor in the situation. He recognizes what his actions has done and also reflects over what happened in a rather somber manner, questioning why he had even done such a thing. The sacredness of the situation is so dire that Wakjankaga clearly expresses guilt. It is in this situation, that Wakjankaga breaks away from the trickster architype and reveals another side that is not something connected to trickster characters.
There are several sacred elements that can be found in Native American trickster tales. However, there are still parts in a tale that are typically expected from tricksters. Wakjankaga is capable of showing a more serious, somber side. He is able to reflect upon his actions, although his guilt only seems to be a fleeting thought. As the short story, “The Winnebago Trickster Cycle” continues on Wakjankaga gets into all sorts of trouble. For example, there is a voice that states or rather warns, “’He who chews on me will defecate; he will defecate!” (108). Despite the numerous warnings, Wakjankaga simply plucks the bulb from the tree and eats it. Wakjankaga’s action of eating the bulb shows his boastful and prideful characteristics that are attributed to tricksters. In other words, it is the type of behavior that is expected from Wakjankaga. Wakjankaga expresses an abundant amount of confidence, as he is not defecating like that bulb had stated he would. All he is experiencing is a great deal of flatulence, which means that the bulb was wrong and he is right. However, Wakjankaga falls to the discretion of his own actions as he begins to uncontrollably defecate, which leads to his downfall. The obsceneness of the situation greatly contradicts the sacredness that Wakjankaga had felt earlier with the chief’s son and family. It shows the typical side of Wakjankaga and the trickster that the reader expects to read about.
Another trickster character in from the Sioux tales named Ikto and he comes across as a different trickster for a multitude of reasons.

Ikto’s name translates to spider and while he has spider-like qualities, he does not take the form of a spider. Additionally, as it is stated in the Sioux introduction, Ikto “appears in stories in which he copulates with his mother-in-law or his own daughters and behaviors in ways that encourage laughter at his foolishness, there is not only a serious but, indeed, a dangerous aspect to him as well” (111). In other words, while Ikto carries out the typical trickster part in tales, there are many other sides to him as well that show a rather developed character for a trickster. Like Wakjankaga from the Winnebago tales, Ikto is capable of breaking apart from the typical stereotypes associated with the trickster. In the tale “Ikto Conquers Iya, the Eater” Ikto begins the story by portraying typical characteristics associated with tricksters. For example, while Ikto and Iya are bantering amongst themselves and Ikto says, “’Come now, my younger brother, – or is he my elder brother – Has! Which of us is the elder, anyway? . . . Well, when were you born?’” (112). The apparent confusion between the characters is considered a comic situation, as the two are trying to determine something. However, it is also important since figuring out who is the eldest shows how one should address and behave to one another. It is another instance where a trickster’s

foolishness teaches a lesson to the reader, while also showing what is, once again, expected from a trickster. The humorous elements in the story is nothing truly surprising, since it is typical trickster behavior. Once Ikto expresses a different side, his action brings severe and frightening consequences.
Breaking away from the trickster’s character mold, Ikto shows that there is a serious side to him as well. Iya is devouring of people and has swallowed down several tribes that are now living inside him. Ikto decides to help the people by telling them Iya’s fears, which ultimately brings Iya to his demise. However, Ikto’s seemingly selfless actions bring about frightening consequences. For example, in “Ikto Conquers Iya, the Eater” the tale states, “Now, if Iya had not been destroyed in that way, he would undoubtedly still be eating people up, White people and all. Iya was killed and that is why the entire country is now so full of people that it is impossible to find any open spaces anymore” (144). While Ikto did something to benefit the people by letting them defeat Iya, who would only continue to consume more people, he also brought something else in return. The issue of overpopulation has caused natural resources to become scarce, which leads people to have to consider expanding elsewhere in order to survive. Ikto’s actions come across as selfless and can also be considered a good deed, but it has also brought about despair for the people he had wanted to save. In a way, Ikto’s actions not only go past of what a trickster is expected to do, as he does something out of the goodness of his heart, but it also carries out in a typical trickster manner. Ikto has caused a great deal of mischief for people based on his actions whether it was intentional or not.
Tricksters are known to cause a considerable amount of trouble for characters and for themselves. Not only that, but tricksters are willing to do anything for their own personal gain. But in other cultures, there are numerous character traits that allow tricksters to get away from the trickster archetype. Tricksters are not only able to play the role of a villain but they can be heroes, too. There are more to tricksters than the typical comedy relief they provide for the story. Native Americans trickster tales there are contradictions that are prevalent throughout their stories. There are a number of opposing elements in Native American tales that do not only teach an important lesson but also shows that there is more beyond the tricksters than the obnoxious character traits commonly associated with them.