APPENDIX 1. Anishinaabe Ethnoecology:
a Sample of Landscape Terminology

Biogeophysical and cultural terms with English glosses




Landform/Habitat TermsEnglish Gloss

AtiinaagHill
BabiikwaakwaaPatch of trees in open prairie
BabiikwaakwaagPlace of patch of trees in open prairie
BiboonishiiwinanWinter camping
BiinjiboonaaganFish trap
BinesiiwassiswunThunderbird nest
DaawaapakinigayChannel
GiinaywemitigomiizhikaagOak point
GiinaywewigwasikaagBirch point
Giinaywe - point
ikaag - place
Giinaywe - any tree - ikaag
Any tree point
GiishkaapiikaangCracks in rock wall - sage location
Kaang - rocky place
Piikaang - rocky area
Giishkaa - rock cracks
Gaagiidazhigiishkaakweyaag‘Clearcut’ - place where it was cut
GitigaanGarden
Gitigaan MinisGarden Island
IskiteTo burn
IskaateBurnt
Iskaate MinisBurnt Island
IshkwaakiteBurnt trees
- just recently burnt where trees still standing
Kaaobiigiishkensikaag
Kaaobii - narrows
Giishkens - small cedars
Narrows
- narrows between two points with cedar
Kaaobiikwaang
(Kiiobwakwaag)
Narrows with trees on points
KaazhimaanominikaagMaanomin field
KoochichiingRiver inlet
KwaaGrove of trees
- used within word construction to refer to a bunch or clump of trees
MaazinaapakinigunPictograph
MamawiitaawinMultiple family dwelling place / village
Manitoo MinisSpirit island
Manitoo MinisSpirit falls / rapids
MataabiiyaakwaaShrubby area at edge of water
MataabiiyaakwaagPlace where there are shrubs at edge of water
MitaawangSand
MitaawangotinaSand ridge
MashkiigMuskeg
MataabiiyaapkaangRocky slope going down to lake
MemengwayshiiwugLittle rock people place
MiikanaTrail
Miiniikaa
Oteiminaniikaa
Berry ‘-minaniikaa’
Blueberry patch
Strawberry patch
Any berry patch
MinisIsland
MinisinaakwaaIsland of trees
- refers to a clump of trees found within a swamp
MinisinaakwaangPlace of island of trees
Mitig(-oog)Tree(s)
MookichiiwanibiikSpring
NeyaaPoint
NeyaakwaaPoint with trees
NeyaakwaangPlace of point with trees
NeyaapkaangRocky point
NibiniishiiwinanSummer camping
NiisapkaangRocky slope
NimishoomisaabikGrandfather rock
Ningkwaa’ikanBurial place
NipaywinanCamping place
NopomingForest / bush
OkwokizowaagPatch / grove of trees
Okwokizowaag WigwasaatigoogBirch grove
Okwokizowaag GeezhigoogCedar grove
Okwokizowaag AgimakoogBlack ash grove
Okwokizowaag ‘tree name’)-oog) Used to refer to any grove of tree by its plural name conjugation
OnigumPortage
OshkwaakiteBurnt tree place
- 2, 3, 4 years where new vegetation started to come in
Blueberry location
Paakita’waywikamikoonFishing station
PaasitinangRavine
- boreal - ravine, often black spruce with associated vegetation—therefore both landform and assumed habitat
PaawitigRapids
PikwatinaaHill
SaagiingRiver mouth
SaaiganLake
ShiibaakobangWillow spit
ShiibeshkoteyaangPrairie / open grassy meadow
Clear area that you can see across
ShiibeyaaSeeing through under
Used to refer to
- parkland areas
- fern-covered areas where blueberries grow underneath
SigwanishiiwinanSpring camping
TaashkaapkaangCliff
- sage location
TaawinFamily dwelling place
TakwaakishiiwinanSummer camping
TotoganFloating bog
WaabiganClay
WaabiganikaaPlace of clay
WaachiewBig hill / mountain
Waakaa’iganCabin
WiikwechiishkiiwagaangShallow, muddy bay
- wild rice location
WiikweshkosewaagaangGrassy bay
WiikweyaangBay
ZhiibaaminisNarrows between two islands
ZhiibaaminisiingNarrows between a group of island
- often found in front of a bay
KaazhiibaaminisiwongKaa = Go
- wong - place where
Go to the place where there are narrows between the islands
ZiibiRiver