Indigenous People’s Day: Because 'Lost European Stumbles Upon America Day' didn’t quite have the same ring to it. Before our modern boundaries and names, this land pulsed with the stories and songs of the Abenaki. A culture and language that has inhabited this geographic location for ages, faces endangerment, but a new generation has begun to preserve, protect, and revitalize it. Here’s a very short collection of phrases and words about the geography, plants, and wildlife of the region.
Big shoutout (or should we say, a loud echo from the mountains?) to author and storyteller, Dr. Joe Bruchac and Jesse Bruchac, Director of the School of Abenaki at Middlebury College and the Ndakinna Education Center in the Adirondacks for these translations. Special thanks to Chief Don Stevens of the Nulhegan Abenaki for his assistance and guidance
GREETINGS
Kwai - Hello
Wôwlôwzi - An expression of good will when parting ways or at the end of a conversation, “Be very well”
Wlakamigenoka - “Make peace”
Kchi wliwni - Great thanks
GEOGRAPHY
PITAWBAGW
Lake Champlain, “The waters between”
PALITAN
Burlington, “wrong way current”
WJIHOZOGA
Rock Dunder, “Guardian’s Island”
WAZWATEGW
Missisquoi River - “river which turns back”
WINOOSKI
Winooski - “land of onions”
TAWABODIIWAJO
Camel’s Hump - “place to sit in mountain; saddle mountain, mountain seat”
KWENITEGW
Connecticut River - “long river”
MOZÔDEBIWAJO
Mount Mansfield
WNEGIGWTEGW
Otter Creek - “otter flow”
PLANTS & WILDLIFE
MATGWAS
rabbit, hare, “a forked one”
WINOS
Wild onion, leek
NAMAGW
Lake Trout
SENÔMOZI
Rock Maple
AWASOS
Bear
MASKWAIMOZI
White birch