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Cree Place Names [archive]

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Nêhiyaw-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: ošiyã 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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