Bunibonibee Chemawawin Kinosao Sipi Kischewaskahegan Kisematawa Kisipakamak Makaso Sakahigan Manto Sakahigan Manto Sipi Marcel Colomb Mathias Colomb Misipawistik Mooseocoot Mosakahiken Nisichawayasihk Ochekiwi Sipi Okawamithikani Opaskwayak O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Pimicikamak Sapotaweyak Tataskweyak Wuskwi Sipihk Dahlu T'ua Tes-He-Olie Twe Kistiganwacheeng Minithayinikam Mithkwamepin Thaakkahikan Wasagamack Animo-ziibiing Ataagewininiing Azaadiwi-ziibiing Baaskaandibewi-ziibiing Bigwan Shkoo Ziibi Ditibineya-ziibiing Gaa-biskigamaag Gaa-ginooshkodeyaag Gaa-wiikwedaawangaag Ishkwaawinaaning Isickachewanoong Ka Ka Kwe Ke Je Ong Kaakiiskakamigaag Keeseekoowenin Kinonjeoshtegon Makadewaagamijiwanoonsing Mememwi-ziibiing Minegoziibe Mishi-baawitigong Miskoseepi Neyaashing Obashkodeyaang O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi Pauingassi Peguis Pinaymootang Sagkeeng Tootinaowaziibeeng Wanipigow Waywayseecappo Chankagha Otinta Chanupa Wakpa Dakota Tipi Mah' piya hdes' ka Wipazoka Wakpa
Bunibonibee Chemawawin Kinosao Sipi Kischewaskahegan Kisematawa Kisipakamak Makaso Sakahigan Manto Sakahigan Manto Sipi Marcel Colomb Mathias Colomb Misipawistik Mooseocoot Mosakahiken Nisichawayasihk Ochekiwi Sipi Okawamithikani Opaskwayak O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Pimicikamak Sapotaweyak Tataskweyak Wuskwi Sipihk
Dahlu T'ua Tes-He-Olie Twe
Kistiganwacheeng Minithayinikam Mithkwamepin Thaakkahikan Wasagamack
Animo-ziibiing Ataagewininiing Azaadiwi-ziibiing Baaskaandibewi-ziibiing Bigwan Shkoo Ziibi Ditibineya-ziibiing Gaa-biskigamaag Gaa-ginooshkodeyaag Gaa-wiikwedaawangaag Ishkwaawinaaning Isickachewanoong Ka Ka Kwe Ke Je Ong Kaakiiskakamigaag Keeseekoowenin Kinonjeoshtegon Makadewaagamijiwanoonsing Mememwi-ziibiing Minegoziibe Mishi-baawitigong Miskoseepi Neyaashing Obashkodeyaang O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi Pauingassi Peguis Pinaymootang Sagkeeng Tootinaowaziibeeng Wanipigow Waywayseecappo
Chankagha Otinta Chanupa Wakpa Dakota Tipi Mah' piya hdes' ka Wipazoka Wakpa
Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre Inc. - Traditional First Nation Community Names

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View the PDF: The Significance of Creating First Nation Traditional Names Maps

Bunibonibee

(Oxford House)

Makes reference to a hole in the lake where the community is situated. In Oxford Lake there is an area that seems to dip or fall.

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Chemawawin

(Easterville)

Chemwawin in Cree means fishing with two canoes across from each other pulling a net.

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Kinosao Sipi

(Norway House)

River with lots of fish.

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Kischewaskahegan

(York Landing)

Refers to the trading post at York Factory. Kische waskagan means the main house in Cree.

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Kisematawa

(Shamattawa)

Where two rivers meet together.

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Kisipakamak

(Brochet)

Kisipakamak in Cree means "the water ends". Brochet is located at the North East end of Reindeer Lake.

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Makaso Sakahigan

(Fox Lake)

Makaso is the Cree word for Fox and Sakahigan is the Cree word for lake. It said that there were a lot of foxes in the area.

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Manto Sakahigan

(God's Lake)

Manto is the Cree word for God and Sakahigan means lake.

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Manto Sipi

(God's River)

Manto is the Cree word for God and Sipi means river.

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Marcel Colomb

(Black Sturgeon)

Named after a community leader. Community members also refer to their community as Black Sturgeon Falls.

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Mathias Colomb

(Pukatawagan)

Named after the first Chief of the community. Pukatawagan is a variation of a Cree word that makes reference to an abundance of fish in the area.

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Misipawistik

(Grand Rapids)

"Misi" means big and "Pawistik" means rapids in Cree.

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Mooseocoot

(Ilford)

Mooseo is the Cree word for moose and ocoot is Cree for nose. The community is the War Lake First Nation.

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Mosakahiken

(Moose Lake)

"Mosa" is Cree for Moose and "Sakikan" is lake in Cree.

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Nisichawayasihk

(Nelson House)

Where the three rivers (Footprint/Rat/Burntwood) meet.

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Ochekiwi Sipi

(Fisher River)

Named after the animal: Fisher.

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Okawamithikani

(Granville Lake)

Pikeral Narrows. Okaw is the cree word for pickeral.

* Okawamithikani is not recognized as an official First Nation at this time.

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Opaskwayak

(Opaskwayak)

Opas-kway-ow in Cree means the place where there is upward growth of trees/vegetation/brush.

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O-Pipon-Na-Piwin

(South Indian Lake)

Winter camp along the shores of South Indian Lake.

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Pimicikamak

(Cross Lake)

Where the rivers cross.

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Sapotaweyak

(Pelican Rapids)

Sapotawayak means where the water or river runs through.

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Tataskweyak

(Split Lake)

Where the lake/river splits into two passage ways. Also makes reference to large trees in the area.

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Wuskwi Sipihk

(Birch River)

Wusko is "Birch" in Cree.

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Dahlu T'ua

(Lac Brochet)

Jackfish Lake

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Tes-He-Olie Twe

(Tadoule Lake)

Ashes floating on the lake (Tadoule Lake) Sayisi Dene also refers to Eastern Dene.

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Kistiganwacheeng

(Garden Hill)

A place for gardening or the hill where the garden is planted.

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Minithayinikam

(St. Theresa Point)

Means Maria Portage. A Maria (fish) was seen swimming across the portage after it had flooded.

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Mithkwamepin Thaakkahikan

(Red Sucker Lake)

Red Sucker Lake

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Wasagamack

Wasagamack means bay in Oji-Cree.

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Animo-ziibiing

(Lake Manitoba)

Dog Creek or Dog River

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Ataagewininiing

(Gamblers)

Gambling Man Place

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Azaadiwi-ziibiing

(Poplar River)

Azaadiwiw-ziibiing makes reference to the river. The community can also be referred to as Mitasosipi which means the place where feasts are held.

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Baaskaandibewi-ziibiing

(Brokenhead)

Brokenhead River

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Bigwan Shkoo Ziibi

(Roseau River)

Rag Weed River

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Ditibineya-ziibiing

(Rolling River)

Rolling River Place.

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Gaa-biskigamaag

(Swan Lake)

The lake (Swan Lake) that is curved

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Gaa-ginooshkodeyaag

(Long Plain)

Place of the long plain.

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Gaa-wiikwedaawangaag

(Sandy Bay)

Along the sandy shore.

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Ishkwaawinaaning

(Skownan)

At the edge of the land before the next place. Can also mean to turn around the point or "turning point".

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Isickachewanoong

(Dauphin River)

Where the river empties into the lake.

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Ka Ka Kwe Ke Je Ong

(Ebb & Flow)

Water that flows back and forth.

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Kaakiiskakamigaag

(Little Saskatchewan)

It describes the shoreline where the community is located.

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Keeseekoowenin

The community is named after chief Keeseekoowenin. The word Keeseekoowenin means skyman or Sky Chief.

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Kinonjeoshtegon

(Jackhead)

Jackhead Place.

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Makadewaagamijiwanoonsing

(Black River)

Little Black Flowing Water

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Mememwi-ziibiing

(Berens River)

Pigeon River.

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Minegoziibe

(Pine Creek)

Pine Creek.

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Mishi-baawitigong

(Little Grand Rapids)

Large Rapids Place.

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Miskoseepi

(Bloodvein)

The word misko means red and is used to describe the colour of the river.

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Neyaashing

(Buffalo Point)

The point by the water.

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Obashkodeyaang

(Lake St. Martin)

Makes reference to low ground. Can also be interpreted to mean "muddy waters".

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O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi

(Crane River)

Crane River.

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Pauingassi

Makes reference to Sandy Narrows, or Sandy Point or Nearby Sandy Hills.

Peguis

Peguis is named after Chief Peguis

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Pinaymootang

(Fairford)

Partridge Crop Place. Makes reference to certain birds in the area.

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Sagkeeng

(Fort Alexander)

At the mouth of the river place.

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Tootinaowaziibeeng

(Valley River)

Valley River.

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Wanipigow

(Hollow Water)

Hole in the water.

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Waywayseecappo

The community is named after Chief Waywayseecappo who signed adhesion to Treaty No. 4.

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Chankagha Otinta

(Birdtail Sioux)

The people were referred to as the people of the "Log Houses".

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Chanupa Wakpa

(Canupawakpa)

Pipestone River, a pipe was found along the river.

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Dakota Tipi

(Dakota Tipi)

Home of the Dakotas.

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Mah' piya hdes' ka

(Dakota Plains)

Mah' piya hdes' ka means spotted clouds.

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Wipazoka Wakpa

(Sioux Valley)

Saskatoon River: there are an abundance of Saskatoon bushes along the river.

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  • Show All
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  • Cree
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  • Dene
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  • Oji-Cree
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  • Ojibway
  • |
  • Dakota

Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre Inc. (MFNERC)

It should be noted that there is no standardized spelling formats for the Cree, Ojibway, Oji-Cree (Island Lake Area), Dakota and Dene languages in English. The spelling of the traditional place names on the map and in the legend has incorporated the Roman Orthography approach in an attempt to duplicate the First Nation verbal pronunciation into an English sounding word. Another point to remember is that there can be additional place names for the First Nation with a different spelling. The traditional place names on this map and its interpretation is a generally accepted name by the community members. In some cases, the Traditional Name is the literal translation for the community.


Copyright © 2015 Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre Inc. (AT) All rights reserved. No part of this Map may be reproduced, stored, transmitted, or disseminated in any form or by any means without prior written permission from Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre Inc.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

The Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre Inc. (MFNERC) would like to acknowledge all the community members who participated in this project, Thank-you to all.

Amber Green for her graphic skills.

Research & Development Program (RDP) staff members.

MFNERC Management for the continued support throughout the duration of the project.

It is our organization’s belief that this project will shed light on the First Nation’s value how the land and its geography is embedded into the 5 First Nation’s distinct languages. This is evident in the Traditional place name of the community before it was labelled with an English spelling place name.

Historically and today, the people of the communities still refer to their home land in their language with a Traditional place name as opposed to the English place name.

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