The Great Lakes: An Ojibwe Perspective

Nayanno-nibiimaang Gichigamiin (The Great Lakes) in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe), by Charles Lippert and Jordan Engel

Nayaano-nibiimaang Gichigamiin means “The Five Freshwater Seas” in Anishinaabemowin. The cultural impact of the Anishinaabe on the region is everywhere, as evidenced by this map.

The toponyms that appear on this map are listed below. They include the Anishinaabemowin name, translation, and the English name.

Aabitibiiwi-zaaga’igan (In-Between Waters Lake): Lake Abitibi (ON / QC)

Aazhawayi’iing (At the Canoe-crossing): Oshawa, ON

Adikokaan (Caribou Grounds): Atikokan, ON

Amikwag-endaad (Beaver Abode): Beaver Islands, MI

Animbiigoo-zaaga’igan (Dog Waters Lake): Lake Nipigon (ON)

Anishinaabewi-gichigami (Anishinaabe’s Sea): Lake Superior (MI / MN / ON / WI)

— ALSO AS Ojibwewi-gichigami (Ojibwa’s Sea): Lake Superior (MI / MN / ON / WI)

Baawitigong (At the Cascades): Sault Ste. Marie, MI/ON

Baketigweyaang (At the Side-flow): London, ON

Bakeyaabashkiikaang (At where a Muskeg is off to its Side): Hayward, WI

Biidaasige (Shine): Petosky, MI

Biidaaweweng (At where It Is Heard Approaching): Petawawa, ON

Binesii-wiikwedong (At the Thunderbird Bay): Thunder Bay, ON

Boojwiikwed (Horn Bay): Green Bay (MI / WI)

Dakwaanikwaan (Buzz-cut Hair): Ft. Wayne, IN

Eshkwesing (The End): Oakville, ON

Gaa-biskising (At the Turn-around): Kapuskasing, ON

Gaagaagiwinzhi-minitigoong (By the River Island of Hemlocks): Steven’s Point, WI

Gaa-ginwaajiwanaang (At the Place of Long Rapids): Grand Rapids, MI

Gaa-niiyogamaag (Place of the Four Lakes): Madison, WI

Gaa-zhigaagowanzhigokaag (At the Place Abundant with Skunk-grass): Chicago, IL

— ALSO AS Zhigaagong (On the Skunk): Chicago, IL

Gakaabikaang (At the Waterfall): Minneapolis, MN

Gakiiwe-onigamiing (At the Foot Portage): Hancock / Houghton, MI

Gete-oodenaang (At the Old Town): Superior, WI

Gichi-biitoobiigong (At the Great Harbour): Sandusky, OH

Gichigami-ziibi (Sea River): St. Louis River (MN / WI) / St. Marys River (MI / ON) / St. Claire River River (MI / ON) / Niagara River (NY / ON) / St. Lawrence River (NY / ON / QC)

Gichi-namebini-ziibiing (At the Big Sucker River): Marquette, MI

Gichi-nibiinsing-zaaga’igan (Big Little-Waters Lake): Lake Nippising (ON)

Gichi-wiikwedong (At the Big Bay): Grand Traverse Bay (MI)

Gichi-ziibi (Big River): Ottawa River (ON / QC)

Ginoogamaa-zaaga’iganiing (At the Long Lake): Longlac, ON

Gitigaani-ziibiing (At the Garden River): Maniwaki, QC

Gojijiing (At the Inlets): Fort Frances, ON / International Falls, MN

Ininwewi-gichigami (Illinios’ Sea): Lake Michigan (IL / IN / MI / WI)

— ALSO AS Mishii’igan (Grand Lake): Lake Michigan (IL / IN / MI / WI)

— ALSO AS Mishigami (Great Lake): Lake Michigan (IL / IN / MI / WI)

Maadaawaang (At the Confluence): Mattawa, ON

Manidoowazh (Spirit Cave): Manitouwadge, ON

Miinoong (Blueberrying): Isle Royale, MI

Minjikaning (At the Fence): Orillia, ON

Minwakiing (At Milwaukee): Milwaukee, WI

— ALSO AS Mino-akiing (At the Good Land): Milwaukee, WI

Mishibikwadinaang (At the Grand Hill): Michipicoten, ON

Mishibikwadin-minis (Grand Hill Island): Michipicoten Island, ON

Misi-zaaga’igan (Grand Lake): Mille Lacs Lake (MN)

Misi-ziibi (Great River): Mississippi River (MN / WI / IA / IL / MO / KY / TN / AR / MS / LA)

Mooniyaang (At Montréal): Montréal, QC

Naadawekwe-neyaashiing (At the Iroquois Woman’s Point): St. Ignace, MI

Naadowewi-gichigami (Iroqois’ Sea): Lake Huron (MI / ON)

— ALSO AS Odaawaawi-gichigami (Odawa’s Sea): Lake Huron (MI / ON)

— ALSO AS Gichi-aazhoogami-gichigami (Great Crosswaters Sea): Lake Huron (MI / ON)

Name-wiikwedong (At the Sturgeon Bay): Owen Sound, ON

Niigani-gichigami (Leading Sea): Lake Ontario (NY / ON)

— ALSO AS Gichi-zaaga’igan (Big Lake): Lake Ontario (NY / ON)

Niswaakamog (The Three Trails): Sudbury, ON

Odaawaa (Odawa): Ottawa, ON

Odaawaa-minis (Odawa Island): Manitoulin Island, ON

Onigamiinsing (At the Little Portage): Duluth, MN

Opwaaganasiniing (At the Pipe-stone): Nipigon / Red Rock, ON

Waabishkiigoo-gichigami (Neutral’s Sea): Lake Erie (MI / NY / OH / ON / PA)

— ALSO AS Aanikegamaa-gichigami (Chain of Lakes Sea): Lake Erie (MI / NY / OH / ON / PA)

Waaninaawangaag (At the Sandy Depression): Sioux Lookout, ON

Waasekaasing (The Brightly Shining): Parry Sound, ON

Waaseyaagami-wiikwed (Shining Waters Bay): Georgian Bay (ON)

Waawiyaataan (Curved Shores): Lake St. Claire (MI / ON)

Waawiyaataanong (At the Curved Shores): Detroit, MI

Wayaa-gonaatigweyaa-ziibiing (At the Clearwater-flowing River): Eau Claire, WI

Wayaanag-gakaabikaawang (At the Curved Waterfalls): Niagara Falls (NY / ON)

Wewebijiwang (At the Intermittent Current): Little Current, ON

Wiikwe-wayekwaa-gichigami (Bay at the Far end of the Sea): Fond du Lac Bay (MN / WI)

Wiinibiigoo-zaaga’igan (Murky Waters Lake): Lake Winnebago (WI)

Zaagiinaad-wiikwed (Of the Outlet Bay): Saginaw Bay (MI)

Zaagiinaang (At the Outlet): Saginaw, MI

Zhooniyaang-zaaga’igan (Of the Silver Lake): Lake Simcoe (ON)

***A note on the compass – The Anishinaabe traditionally orient themselves to the East, which is why East appears at the top of this map. 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.

Map: Jordan Engel. As always, the Decolonial Atlas’ original media can be reused under the Decolonial Media License 0.1.