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Cree Place Names [archive]

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Nęhiyaw-ihtâwina (Cree Place Names)

péyak awa móniyaw Bill Barry é-isiýihkásot kinwés ásay é-sohkatoskátahk ihtáwina saskáciwanihk óma óta. omasinahikan, People Places ká-isiýihkáték, kí-máci-atáwákániwan takwákohk, métoni miýwásin ta-ayamihtáhk. mistahi mámiskótam iýiniw-wíhowina mína iýiniw-ihtáwina. Arok Wolvengrey kí-wícihéw Billíwa é-masinahahk anihi iýiniw-wíhowina é-ápacihtácik SRO, ékosi mihcét okimáwak owíhowiniwáwa ékwa mína iýiniw-ihtáwina kwayask masinahikátéwa. óhi óta átiht capasís ká-kí-masinahahkik néhiýaw-ihtáwina saskáciwanihk. nistam anima wíhowin ká-wápahtaman éwako wiýa móniyaw é-kí-isi-masinahahk; ékota ohci kika-wápahtén tánisi kwayask é-isi-néhiýawasinahamahk SRO ká-ápacihtáyahk ékwa piýisk tánisi é-isi-ákaýásíwastáhk.

"Official" Name	tánisi é-isi-néhiýawihkáték	é-ákaýásíwastáhk
Ahtahkakoop	ýékawiskáwikamáhk atáhkakohp	"at (the) water of much sand" "star-blanket"
Amisk Lake	amisko-sákahikanihk	"at beaver lake"
Asimakaniseekan Askiy	asimákanisíhkán-askiy	"soldier/veteran land"
Beardy's and Okemasis	nípisihkopáwiýinínáhk	"among the Willow Cree"
Bighead	mistikoskáw-sákahikan	"many trees lake"
Big River	mistahi-sípíhk	"at (the) big river"
Birch Portage	wasko-onikápihk	"at birch portage"
Canoe Lake	néhiýaw-wapásihk	"at (the) Cree Narrows"
Carrot River	oskátásko-sípíhk	"at carrot river"
Chitek Lake	cahcákiw-sákahikan	"pelican lake"
Cumberland	wáskahikanihk	"at (the) house"
Day Star	kísikáwacáhk	"day-star"
Deschambeault Lake	kimosóm-pwátináhk	"among the grandfather Sioux"
Flying Dust	ká-ohpawakástahk	"where the dust flies up"
Gordon's	posákanacíhk	"at (the) touchwood hills"
Grandmother's Bay	kohkominánihk	"Grandmother's place"
Green Lake	kwákopíwi-sákahikanihk	"at algae-green-water lake"
Ile a la Crosse	sákitawáhk	"where rivers meet"
James Smith	nihcáwikihcikanisihk	"a good growing place"
Kahkewistahaw	kah-kwíwístaháw	"he flies around in a circle"
Kawacatoose	kawáhkatos	"lean, hungry man"
Kitsakie	kihci-sákiy	"great inlet"
Lac La Ronge	mistahi-sákahikanihk	"at (the) big lake"
Little Black Bear	kaskitéw-maskwa-maskosis	"black-bear-bearcub"
Little Hills	ayapacinásihk	"at (the) little hills"
Little Red River	paskwáw-askíhk	"at bald (cleared) land"
Lucky Man	papéwé	"lucky one"
Makwa Lake	mákwa-sákahikan	"loon lake"
Meadow Lake	paskwáwi-sákahikanihk	"at prairie lake"
Ministikwan	ministikwan	"it is an island"
Mistawasis	mistawásis	"big-child"
Montreal Lake	móniyawi-sákahikanihk	"at whiteman's lake"
Moosomin	mósomin	"moose-berry"
Morin Lake	wápani-sákahikanihk	"at dawn lake"
Muskeg Lake	maskéko-sákahikanihk	"at muskeg lake"
Muskoday	maskoté(w)	"prairie" (possibly Saulteaux)
Nekaneet	níkánít ká-níkánít	"leader" "one who leads"
Ocean Man	kihcikamíwiýin (Nakota: ošiyă mani)	"ocean-man" "man walking pitifully"
Ochapowace	ocápowés ahpó ocápahwés	"one who recites from memory" "one who unties"
Okanese	okinís	"little rose-hip"
One Arrow	ká-péyakwáskonam	"one who aims one arrow"
Opawikoscikan	wapásihk wapáwikoscikan	"at (the) narrows" "narrows of fear"
Peepeekisis	pípíkisís	"sparrow hawk"
Pelican Narrows	wapáwikoscikanihk	"at (the) narrows of fear"
Piapot	néhiýaw-pwátináhk payipwát	"the place of the Plains Cree-Sioux" "hole in the Sioux"
Pinehouse	kinípiko-sákahikan	"snake lake"
Poundmaker	kískihkománihk pihtokahánapiwiýin	"at cut knife" "man who sits at the pound"
Red Earth	mihkwaskíwakáhk	"red earth location"
Red Pheasant	mikisiw-wacíhk	"at (the) eagle hills"
Saulteaux	kinoséw-sákahikan	"fish lake"
Seekaskootch	wihcékaskosíwi-sákahikanhik síkáskóc	"at (the) wild onion lake" "antler velvet (hanging on willows)"
Shoal Lake	pahkwáw-sákahikanihk	"shallow/dry lake"
South End	wápatihkwaciwanohk	"where the caribou flow as a river"
Stanley	ámaciwíspimowinihk	"shooting arrows uphill place"
Starblanket	acáhkosa k-ótakohpit	"one who has stars as a blanket"
Sturgeon Lake	pakitahwákan-sákahikan	"fishing-net lake"
Sweetgrass	nakíwacíhk wihkasko-kiséyin	"where the hills stop" "old man sweetgrass"
Thunderchild	ká-pitikonáhk ká-pitikow piyésiw-awásis	"among ká-pitikow's people" "one who rolls up" "thunder child"
Wa-pii Moos-toosis	wápi-mostosis	"white calf"
Waterhen	sihkihp-sákahikan	"waterhen lake"
White Bear	wápi-maskwa	"white bear"
Witchekan Lake	wihcékan-sákahikan	"stinky lake"

kíspin kíkwaya wíhowina niwanikiskisinán, pé-wihtamawinán!

--written by Arok Wolvengrey, Journal of Indigenous Thought

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