
Edit: This map has been updated. You can find the new version here.
Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) is the most-spoken indigenous language in the Great Lakes basin. Charles Lippert, a speaker of Anishinaabemowin, has helped tremendously by researching the lakes and translating into Anishinaabemowin. Below are the translations for all the Great Lakes:
Nayaano-nibiimaang Gichigamiin: The Great Lakes (The Five Freshwater Seas)
Anishinaabewi-gichigami: Lake Superior (Anishinaabe’s Sea)
Ininwewi-gichigami: Lake Michigan (Illinois’ Sea)
Naadowewi-gichigami: Lake Huron (Iroquois’ Sea), also known as Gichi-aazhoogami-gichigami (Great Crosswaters Sea)
Waabishkiigoo-gichigami: Lake Erie (Neutral’s Sea), also known as Aanikegamaa-gichigami (Chain of Lakes Sea)
Niigaani-gichigami: Lake Ontario (Leading Sea), also known as Gichi-zaaga’igan (Big Lake)
Gichigami (Sea) literally means “big (gichi) liquid (-gami)”. Gichigami can also refer to the Saltwater / Bitterwater Sea (i.e. ocean) — zhiiwitaagani-gichigami
The St. Louis River (MN / WI), St. Mary’s River (ON / MI), St. Claire River (ON / MI), Niagara River (ON / NY) and the St. Lawrence River (QC / ON) are all called Gichigami-ziibi (Sea River), as they all drain into or out of a Great Lake.
*A note on the compass – The Anishinaabe traditionally orient themselves to the East. Because the standard orientation is different in European and Anishinaabe cultures, we’ve included the English word “North” and the Anishinaabemowin word “Waabang,” meaning East, on the compass. The compass rose itself is in the form of a medicine wheel, an indigenous symbol used across the continent to denote the four directions.
CHII MIIGWECHES A’HO MIGIZI IKWE
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[…] am currently sitting beside Lake Erie (Erielhonan), or in Ojibwe, Waabishkiigoo-gichigami (Neutrals’ Sea), or Aanikegamaa-gichigami (Chain of Lakes […]
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I’ve always been mystified by the Great lakes , would love more info when it”s available . Please & Thank-You !!!! xo.
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[…] resource I often use is the Decolonial Atlas. The blog has an entry called The Great Lakes in Ojibwe that shares the Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) names for the Great Lakes, as it “is the […]
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[…] The Decolonial Atlas names the Great Lakes in Ojibway. […]
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[…] Source: The Great Lakes in Ojibwe […]
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[…] Source: The Great Lakes in Ojibwe […]
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[…] Source: The Great Lakes in Ojibwe […]
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I’m very please with this for our future children . Love the language of first.
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Ojibwe is only one dialect of the Anishinaabemowin language. I hope everyone realizes that there are three nations of the Anishinaabe – Odawa, Ojibwe and Pottawattami. Lake Huron was called Odawa M’Niss from time immemorial because it was the territory of the Odawa as guardians. The Ojibwe may have had names for these lakes but that is only the Ojibwe perspective.
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Reblogged this on ThumbWind and commented:
Amazing naming for the Great Lakes. The Ojibwa language is much more descriptive.
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This is worth a reblog for sure. Nice work.
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Great stuff…thanks for posting for the group
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Double-down on non-colonialism, make East be up.
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Reblogged this on Urban Meliad and commented:
Useful Information
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