North Shore Place Names

Ojibwe Place Names of the Grand Portage Traditional Territory

Prior to European settlement, Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) people moved around an area according to seasons and available resources. Some of the place names, like Zhigaagomizhiikaani-ziibi (Abundant Wild Onion/Leeks River) tell about what kind of food might be found at a location. This map shows places within this traditional territory and surrounding region. Many of today's place names retain their original Ojibwe meaning.

 

North Shore Ojibwe Place Names

NPS Graphic derived from a map designed by Morgan Swingen of the 1854 Treaty Authority

Click on the map for a downloadable copy. Numbers correspond to river names in the table below.

View the original map.

 

Additional Map Alternative Text

A map of the traditional territory of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. This area spans northeast Minnesota into part of Ontario, Canada. United States and Canada are labeled on the map with their Ojibwe names. A scale shows the area to be about 200 miles wide by 150 miles high. A compass in the upper right corner shows the cardinal directions with north at the top. An insert shows where this map is located in the region.
⦁    Two reservations, Grand Portage and Fort William First Nation, are indicated by green shapes. 
⦁    Isle Royale is to the east of the mainland. Washington Harbor is labeled on the southwest end and McCargo Cove is labeled on the northeast end of the island. Their Ojibwe names are also labeled on the map, with recorded Ojibwe pronunciations in a table on this webpage.
⦁    Twenty-two rivers are marked with numbers proceeding in numerical order in a southwest running row along the shoreline, with "1" farthest north. These numbers, along with Ojibwe and English names are listed with recorded Ojibwe pronunciations in a table on this webpage.
⦁    In addition to Lake Superior, three small lakes are marked: Saganaga, Whitefish, and Brule. Their Ojibwe names are listed with recorded pronunciations in a table on this webpage.
⦁    Starting farthest north and moving southwest along the bay, Thunder, Deronda, and Horseshoe Bays are labeled along the shore. Their Ojibwe names are listed with recorded pronunciations in a table on this webpage.
⦁    Six sites of historic Grand Portage maple sugar camps are marked with red maple leaf symbols.
Apostle Islands is labeled at the bottom, southwest corner of the map, outside the traditional area used by the Grand Portage Ojibwe.

 

Ziibiwan (Rivers)

Click on the Ojibwe names in the table to see how they are pronounced.

	Ojibwe Name	English Translation	English Name
1	Gaa-ministigweyaag	Place That Flows To Islands River	Kaministiquia River
2	Omiimii-ziibi	Pigeon River	Pigeon River
3	Mashkiigwagamaa-ziibi	Cranberry Marsh Lake River	Reservation River
4	Gaa-bibigwewanashkokaag-ziibi	Place of Abundant Flute Reed River	Flute Reed River
5	Wiisaakode-ziibi	Burnt Wood or Brule River	Brule River
6	Manidoo-bimaadagaakowinii-ziibi	Spirits Going Along on the Ice River	Devil Track River
7	Oginiikaan-ziibi	Abundant Rose Hips River	Fall River
8	Gaa-giishkingwe–ziiibi	Place of Cut Face River	Cascade River
9	Gaa-maanazaadikaa-ziibi	Place of Abundant Balsam Poplar River	Poplar River
10	Zhigaagomizhiikaani-ziibi	Abundant Wild Onion/Leeks River	Onion River
11	Gaa-wiimbashk-ziibi	Place of Hollow Reeds River	Temperance River
12	Ina'oonaani-ziibi	Bestowing River	Cross River
13	Niizhwagwindeg-ziibi	Two Islands Floating River	Two Island River
14	Adiko-ziibi	Caribou River	Caribou River
15	Gaa-gichiwaaniniwangaag-ziibi	Place of a Great Round Sandy Shore	Little Manitou River
16	Manidoowiishiwi-ziibi	Spirit Lair River	Manitou River
17	Waaginokaming-ziibi	Domed Earth River	Little Marais River
18	Asin-badakide-ziibi	Standing Rock River	Baptism River
19	Gaa-giizhikensikaag-ziibi	Place of Abundant Little Cedars River	Beaver River
20	Contradictions in historical record	of original Ojibwe name	Split Rock River
21	Zhaaboominikaani-ziibi	Gooseberry River	Gooseberry River
22	Gaa-gaagaagiwaabiko-ziibi	Place of the Iron Raven River	Crow Creek

 

Nations and Towns

Ojibwe Name	English Translation	English Name
Gichi-onigamiing	Great Carrying Place	Grand Portage
Animikii Wajiw	Thunder Mountain	Fort William First Nation
Gichi-mookomaan-aki	Land of the Long Knives	United States
Zhaaganaashiiwaki	Land of the English	Canada
Gaa-bibigwewanashkokaag	Place of Abundant Flute Reeds	Hovland
Nishkwaakwaansing	At the Edge of the Forest	Chippewa City
Gichi-biitoobiig	Great Parallel Waters	Grand Marais
Gaa-nishike-pikwadinaag	Place of the Lone Hill	Tofte
Gaa-giizhikensikaag	Plac of Abundant Little Cedars	Beaver Bay

 

Aerial view of the northeast end of Minong (Isle Royale).

NPS photo

Gichi-gami and Natural Features

Ojibwe Name	English Translation	English Name
Adikamegosii-zaaga’igan	Whitefish Lake	Whitefish Lake
Zaaganagaans-zaaga’igan	unclear literal meaning	Saganaga Lake
Gaa-edawi-ojijiwan zaaga'igan	Place Where Water Flows on Both Sides	Brule Lake
Gichi-gami	Great Water	Lake Superior
Animikii-wiikwed	Thunder Bay	Thunder Bay
Gaa-miskwaataawangag-wiikwed	Place of Red Sand Bay	Deronda Bay
Wiikwedoons	Little Bay	Horseshoe Bay
Minong	Good Place	Isle Royale
Ozaagaateng	Place Where the Light Shines Outward	Washington Harbor
Ginoozhekaan	Abundant Northern Pike	McCargoe Cove
Zhooniyaa Wajiw	Silver Mountain	Sliver Mountain

Wenabozho ominisan (Apostle Islands)

The name for all of the islands in Ojibwe is Wenabozho ominisan. This translates to a possessive relationship between the cultural hero Wenabozho and his ownership of the islands since he is the one that made them.

Hear the names of Wenabozho ominisan.