What’s in a Name?
There are many types of Innu place names. The names give us clues to Innu life both before and after contact with Europeans. The largest number of place names relate to geographic features like lakes, rivers and mountains. Many names speak to Innu life, community history, land use, legends and stories, while others relate to aueshishat (animals). Some places are named after Innu people, as well as Inuit, settlers and traders with whom the Innu had contact. Some place names have to do with Innu religion and beliefs, including shamanic and supernatural events, as well as encounters with other-than-human beings. A small number of names have to do with animal parts, tools, technology and items.
Geographic features
The majority of Innu place names give information about geographic features such as a lake, island, mountain, knoll, summit, canyon, river, river junction, river branch, brook, rapids, fall, bay, cove, inlet, basin, point, marsh, narrow and rattle. A name can describe how clear the water is or how rock forms mountains and eskers. The name can describe the land as earth, moss and bog, and living things as trees and plants. Examples of this kind of name include:
• Kameshtashtan – ‘Where it is All Blown Away’
• Kamitshuapishekat – ‘Building-like Rock Mountain’
• Kanapateshekat – ‘Mountain With a Cliff on One Side’
• Katshinukamat – ‘Long Lake’
• Kauauiekamat – ‘Round Lake’
• Kauinipishekat – ‘Black Rock’
• Kautshishteshiu-shipiss – ‘Small River Full of Water Lilies’
• Kapishkutauakat – ‘Lump-shaped Hill’
• Atatshi-uinipiku – ‘Cut-off Sea’ (Lake Melville)
Sometimes, place names are paired in a way that tells us how bodies of water are connected. For example, the lake Minai-nipi gives its name to a river flowing out of it called Minai-nipiu-shipu, as well as rapids called Minai-nipiu-paushtiku. The lake Ashuapun gives its name to the river that flows out of it called Ashuapun-shipu. Sometimes, a name for a lake will also be used to name a nearby geographic feature such as a mountain. For example, Nekanakau-utshua (Sandy Shores Mountains) is connected to a nearby lake Nekanakau.
Names related to Innu life on the land
Some Innu place names refer to Innu life on the land and waters. These names are windows into people’s memories about the place. Names hold on to history, including important life events such as births, deaths and burials.
• Shanti-shipiss – where Mishta-Napesh died
• Anissikutshaushkueu – ‘Where Anissikutshaushkeu is buried’
• Amishku-shipiss – where Ishpashtien Penunsi was born and Uashaunnu (Atuan Ashini) died.
Many place names have to do with harvesting activities such as hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering.
• Ashuapamatikuan – ‘Waiting for Caribou Place’
• Kamuminanut – ‘Where People Eat Berries’
• Kanutishipenanut – ‘Where People Hunt Ducks’
• Kapatakuenanut – ‘Where People Singed a Porcupine’
• Utshashumekuat katshikakuatakaniht – ‘Where Salmon Were Speared’
• Pikuanipanan-shipiss – ‘Winter Net Setting Place River (small)’
A place name can show a portage, a quarry, harbour, trading post, a cache, crossing, village, town or Indian reserve. The name can indicate a choice place to camp or gather. It can relate to the tools, equipment or technology used by the Innu while living in nutshimit (the country). A name could also be given to help a traveller find their way through the territory or to describe places along the travel routes.
• Teshipitakan kaiakutet – ‘Where a Scaffold Was Erected’
• Tshipatapissinikan-nipi – ‘Cairn Lake’
• Ashtunekamiku, – ‘Canoe Building Shelter’ (Snegamook)
• Amatshuatakan – ‘Ascending Portage’
• Kapimitshikamasht – Lake That Intersects a Travel Route.
• Katshishtaputshikuanut – ‘Where People Washed Their Faces’
• Mishkutui-nipi – ‘Beaver Stretcher Lake’
• Unaikan-shipiss – ‘Deadfall Trap River (small)’
• Kassitakaikan – ‘Square Cache Box’
• Kauashapakueshteti – ‘Where Canvas Tents Are Visible From a Distance’
Names related to Innu people
Several places are named after Innu people, many who passed away years ago.
These place names help us to remember these people and things that happened to them, like the place names related to Atika and Nisseushkueu. These people have relatives alive today. For example, Atika’s full name is Shushep Atika, and he was the grandfather of the late Tuminik Pokue in Sheshatshiu and the late Anishen (Katshinak) Rich in Natuashish. Manian unipim is the name of a lake where Manian, mother of Shuashem Nui and the late Puniss Nuke, passed away and was buried over 90 years ago. Over to the south, Pienshak-shipiss is named after Pienshak, also known as Peter Jack born in 1901. His relatives in Sheshatshiu include the late Mishen Jack and Peter Jack and their children and grandchildren.
Other places named after Innu people include:
• Ashtunishish kauitshit – Where Ashtunishish Camped. Ashtunishish is the late Philip Michel Sr.
• Etuat-shipiss – Edward Brook, named after the late Edward Rich who was employed by the Hudson’s Bay Company post at Sheshatshiu from 1869 to 1876. He spent summers salmon-fishing for the company and winters hunting at the mouth of a brook flowing into the Mishta-shipu (Churchill River).
• Mishta-Etuat kashashakuepitak – ‘Where Mishta-Etuat Cracked the Ice by Running’
• Uitshitshimushish kanipaiat atikua – Where Uitshitshimushish Killed Caribou.
• Katshinukapaut umenikan – ‘Katshinukapaut’s Caribou Coral’
• Meshkana kaui tshiuepitshit – ‘Where Meshkana Turned Back on a Komatik’. In 1953 Meshkana went to the country for the last time before he died. He could no longer walk so his son Napaen Rich had to transport him on komatik by dog team.
Stories attached to place names can be funny or romantic. For example, the story behind Atika upishkutinam (‘Atika’s Mountain’) is that Atika walked up this mountain, soon followed by his first wife Nisseushkueu. It is said they climbed the mountain to make love. There’s also a feature named Nisseushkueu kapikupitikut (‘Where Nisseushkueu Was Roughed Up’), a place where Nisseushkueu fell off her toboggan and tumbled head over heels.
Names related to Settlers, Inuit & traders
A number of places are named after Inuit, settlers and traders with whom the Innu had contact over the years. These names include:
• Kapapisht – ‘The Smiling One’ named after Andrew Lane
• Katshipunasht-shipu – ‘The One Who Almost Blocks It With His Hand River’ named after Natan Frieda, an Inuit man from Hopedale who had a house at the mouth of the river.
• Mishti-Shantiss – ‘Mister Saunders’ a place where the settler Freeman Saunders had a winter house
• Mishti-Shuapi – ‘Mister Swaffield’ a lake associated with a Hudson’s Bay Company trader William Ernst Swaffield.
• Pekiss – ‘Baikies’ a location named after the Baikie family
• Tshakashue-matshiteuiau – ‘Tshakashue’s Point’ named after Hiram White from Mud Lake.
Names related to animals
Many place names are related to aueshishat (animals), including good sites to fish or hunt.
For example:
• Kauinipishit namesh – ‘Dark Fish’
• Minai-nipi – ‘Burbot Lake’
• Kukamessat kataht – ‘Where There Are Lake Trout’
• Tshiashku-paushtiku – ‘Gull Island’
• Ushakapineu-mishkumi – ‘Place For Ptarmigan Winter Lake’
• Kakatshu-utshishtun – ‘Raven’s Nest’
• Pineu-matshiteuiau – ‘Partridge Point’
• Atiku-uapishkuss – ‘Small Caribou White Mountain’
• Upinau-utshu – ‘Old Male Caribou Mountain’
• Atshikuat kataht – ‘Where There Are Seals’
• Maikan-nipi – ‘Wolf Lake’
• Nutakuanan-shipu – Porcupine Hunting River
• Umishtatai-nipi – ‘Caribou Rumen or Stomach Lake’
• Kuekuatsheu-ushui – ‘Wolverine Tail’
• Mashkutapish kanutikuet – ‘Where Mashkutapish (the dog) Chased Caribou’
Names related to Innu religion
A number of place names refer to Innu spirituality and beliefs.
At the heart of Innu beliefs and practises is their relationship with aueshishat. Innu believe that human beings exist on the same status as animals; they share the land as equals. Their relationship with aueshishat is reciprocal, respectful and spiritual. Aueshishat are viewed as sentient, possessing spirits and agency, and governed by Animal Masters. Aueshishat are believed to sacrifice themselves to hunters who show them respect through rituals and ceremonies such as the careful disposal of bones and treating carcasses with reverence. These practises ensure future hunting success. For example, through the Makushan ceremony the Innu show respect to the caribou and its Master Kanipanikasikueu, who then releases animals to the hunters. This respect has been been passed down through centuries-old stories.
Places with stories referring to these beliefs were gathered from the living memory of Tshisshennuat (Elders), who have now passed away. They shared stories about their life before settlement when the last of the kamanitushit/kamiteut (shaman) were still alive and the landscape was still populated with supernatural beings. These Tshishennuat were witnesses to kamanitushit/kamiteut interacting with other shamans, as well as with Innu in other parts of the territory and other-than-human beings. Innu then were closely connected to a world of Aueshish Utshimauat (Animal Masters), such as Mishtapeu and Tshishe-manitu. A Mishtapeu is a type of guardian helper that assisted a shaman in his “negotiations” with Animal Masters or his battles with malevolent beings and hostile shamans. The kamanitushit/kamiteut could communicate with the Mistapeuat through the kushapatshikan (shaking tent), dreams and other means. The range of supernatural beings in the world of the Innu at the time included giant beavers and eagles, cannibal monsters like Atshen and Meminteu, and “sneaking beings” like Katshimaitsheshu or Uapanatsheu known for stealing items, abducting women and causing disturbances. There were “cave beings’ called Memekueshu, and potentially harmful beings like the giant otter-like Uenitshikumishiteu. These beings had to be respected if not outright avoided.
Some Innu elders believe information about Animal Masters and other Innu spiritual beliefs should not be made public. They say it is possibly dangerous. They fear non-Innu or younger Innu will behave in disrespectful ways by mocking their beliefs and practices. They are calling for respectful attitudes and behaviours toward beliefs, people, beings and objects with power.
Names related to other-than-human-beings
More than a dozen place names refer to other-than-human beings that live there or whom Innu encountered at some point in the past. For example:
• Mishtamishku-shipu (‘Giant Beaver River’)
• Kaminaushit upishkutinam – ‘Hairy Creature’s Mountain’
• Memekueshu-nipi – ‘Cave Creature Lake’
• Manitupeku – ‘Evil Creature Lake’
• Utshtikuaniss – ‘Little Head’
Some places hold stories of supernatural beings that are not indicated in the name. For example, one of the places called Petshishkapishkau is a prominent hill on the western shore of Meshikamau, and where Anikapeu, the Toadman, lives with his wife and children. The late Mani-Matinen Nuna told the story of how she witnessed Uashaunnu (Atuan Ashini) bring Anikapeu into the shaking tent. She said Anikapeu sounded like an Innu person when he spoke, and claimed he is very handsome. Anikapeu told them his wife would never die as long as he lives. He had taken her from a marsh at Meshikamau while she was picking bakeapples one day. He grabbed her by the legs and pulled her down into the mud. The Innu tried to chop off his hand with an axe, but the axe only bounced off. Mani-Matinen explained that while Anikapeu lives at Meshikamau, he is also everywhere because he “owns” the toads. He must always be respected. The late Manian Selma said people used to place a woman’s scarf or some other material in the waters of Meshikamau for Anikapeu’s wife. This would make the waters “right calm.”
Names related to shamanic events
A number of toponyms relate to places in Nitassinan where kamanitushit/ kamiteut (shamans) performed rituals
The kushapatshikan (shaking tent), dreams, scapulimancy (shoulder blade divination), oracles, drumming and other mediums were used to communicate with and control the often unseen forces of the Innu universe. For example, the kamanitushit/ kamiteut could communicate with Mishtapeu and Animals Masters, or with relatives from distant camps. Epic battles between shamans, Atshen (cannibal monsters) and other beings could be witnessed in a shaking tent ceremony. As well, the kamanitushit/ kamiteut held Makushan, the Feast of the Caribou, drum dances and other rituals to show respect and ascertain the whereabouts of caribou, beaver and other game. The people trusted the shamans to help them survive and to protect them from a wide range of maleficent forces.
Tshishkuetutsheunnu-minishtiku is an island where an old shaman performed a shaking tent ceremony. Warned by his Mishtapeu that the Atshen was out to kill him, he escaped from his camp at Ashashtitshiun and paddled his canoe all night to an island in the middle of Ashtunekamiku (Snegamook Lake). He performed the shaking tent and the Atshen could not find him after going around the lake twice. The Atshen left. If Tshishkuetutsheunnu had not been a shaman, he would have been killed by Atshen. This is how the island came to carry the old shaman’s name. Versions of this story were shared by the late Puniss Nuke and Etien Rich.
Kanakunash, a mountain in Akamiu-uapishku is named after the late Mani Pastitshi, daughter of Pien Pastitshi (born c. 1841) and maternal aunt of the late Mishen Pasteen (1903-1997). She is known as Kanakunau (‘Biscuit’) or Kanakunash meaning ‘Old Kanakunau’. Settlers in Northwest River and Goose Bay call this mountain “Biscuit Hill”, a translation of the Innu word Kanakunau.
Names of weather control places
Some place names relate to a weather control feature. The belief is that one should not mock or point at them or else strong winds will result. In the old days, when Innu traveled by canoe, sudden strong winds could be extremely dangerous and could delay travel until calmer and safer waters prevailed. Places that should not be pointed at include:
• Petshishkapishkau – at Mokami Hill
• Petshishkapishkau – at Meshikamau (Mechikamau Lake)
• Kameshtashtan hill – at Kameshtashtan Lake (Mistastin Lake)
• Kanutinishekasht – at Nutakuanan-shipu (Notakwanon River)
• Aissimeu ushtikuaniss – at Mishta-nipi (Mistinippi Lake)
• Ishkueu-akunishkueunish – at Ashtunekamikᵘ (Snegamook Lake)
• Kakeshau ushtikuaniss – near Ashuapun-shipu (Adlatok River)
Names related to safety and survival
Innu place names can be about survival. For example, a place can indicate a river or brook with steep hills on each side, like Kanapateshekat, which a traveller could not climb. A place name can identify significant rocks, a place to set up your tent, wetlands that you can get across, a stand of birches, or an ashkui – an area teaming with wildlife where the water is open in the spring. The name can indicate whitewaters on a river, a place where it is shallow enough to walk across, or wide or too rocky to paddle through. Warnings about not pointing at certain hills is also about avoiding danger.
The Importance of Innu Cultural Memory
Innu cultural memory is at risk as traditional knowledge fades with the passing of elders. This website is about passing on knowledge to preserve Innu culture, key to keeping Innu cultural identity alive.
How Innu place names are constructed
The Innu language (Innu-aimun) builds all kinds of complicated words using little bits of meaning that linguists label with technical words such as “prefix,” “initial,” “medial,” “final,” and “suffix.” A sentence in English or French may be expressed in a single word in Innu-aimun. This certainly applies to Innu place names, for example, Kameshtashtan, which means ‘Where it is All Blown Away’ and Kauashapakueshteti, meaning ‘Where Canvas Tents Are Visible From a Distance’.
Many Innu place names are made of two or more words that have been combined, for example, kaku + paushtiku = Kaku-paushtiku, meaning ‘Porcupine Rapids’ and ukaumau + nipi = Ukaumau-nipi, meaning ‘Mother Lake’. Many of these words, such as nipi, paushtiku, and shipu, are called “generics.” Examples of related generics in English are lake, rapid, and river.
Innu may indicate that a geographic feature is small by adding a “diminutive” ending -iss. Therefore, a small lake is nipi + -iss = nipiss, whereas a small river is shipu + -iss = shipiss. It should be noted that Innu ideas about small features such as nipiss and shipiss may not be the same as ideas held by non-Innu. In other words, a nipiss may not be identical to a “pond” (a small lake). For that reason, we have chosen to translate any feature that the Innu label “small” (e.g. through the use of the diminutive –iss) by placing “(small)” in the explanation field for each place name.
Here are some more complicated examples of how Innu place names are put together based on combinations of bits of meaning. The name Kanapateshekat (‘Mountain With a Cliff on One Side’) is derived from a verb napateshekau, meaning ‘It is a rocky cliff on one side’.
Often, the first part of a place name may describe a characteristic of a geographic feature such as big, round, bad, beautiful, winding, long, or its colour. One example is Katshinukamat (‘Long Lake’), where the tshinu- part of the word means ‘long’. Another example is Uapashku-nipi (‘White Bear Lake’), where the uap- part of the word means ‘white’. At the same time, the middle part of the place name refers to that part of the land that is being described and named. One example is Kauauiekamat (‘Round Lake’), where the -kam- part of the word means ‘lake’. Another example is Kauinipishekat (‘Black Rock’), where the -shek- part of the word means ‘rocky mountain’.
People from Sheshatshiu and Natuashish sometimes have different words for the same idea because they speak different dialects of Innu-aimun. For example, in Sheshatshiu many place names that refer to lakes have the word nipi in them, whereas the words natuashu or nipi are used in Natuashish. In Sheshatshiu, people say utshu for ‘mountain’ whereas the word in Natuashish is pishkutinau.
Click here (https://www.innu-aimun.ca/english/grammar/) if you want to know about Innu grammar.
You can also refer to essays by José Mailhot (1974) and Peter Denny and José Mailhot (1976) to learn more about Innu place names, and rules about how they are constructed based on Innu grammar, history and knowledge of the land. These essays are referenced in the Resources section of this website.
Click here for a guide to learning Innu-aimun: https://resources.atlas-ling.ca/media/Innu_Pedagogical_Guide_2020.pdf
How to pronounce Innu place names
The Innu place names on this website are written in the common spelling system so that they can be used by all the Innu people of Nitassinan no matter what dialect they speak
Generally speaking, Labrador Innu speak two dialects – Mushuau-aimun in Natuashish and Sheshatshiu-aimun in Sheshatshiu. The common spellings reflect the structure of the Innu language and not local pronunciations which change as one moves from one part of Nitassinan to another. This guide is intended to help you pronounce these names.
Sounds files are included for most place names on this website. You can listen and practise to say each name yourself. You will also find the names are spelled out using letters from the International Phonetic Alphabet.
Try it! By listening to the pronunciation many times, and practicing it yourself, you will become very good at pronouncing the word.
Tips on how to pronounce the Innu names.
a: is pronounced as in English at. After w, a: is pronounced as in English water.
ã is pronounced like the ‘ang’ in English hang.
ə is pronounced as in English just.
e: is pronounced as in English ever or ate.
i: is pronounced as in English eat.
i is pronounced as in English bit.
u: is pronounced as in English tone or tune.
u is pronounced as in English put.
h is pronounced as in English hot.
k is pronounced as in English kitten or g as in gobble. It may sometimes be pronounced as h as in English hot by Mushuau-aimun speakers.
The raised w as in kw is only found at the end of a word and is pronounced like English quiet.
m is pronounced as in English mitten.
n is pronounced as in English nickel.
p is pronounced as in English pinch or b as in buckle.
s is pronounced as in English sip.
ʃ is pronounced as in English sheep. It may sometimes be pronounced as s as in English sip by Mushuau-aimun speakers.
t is pronounced as in English toe or d as in dog. It may sometimes be pronounced as ts (no English equivalent) or ch as in English cheese by Mushuau-aimun speakers, especially at the end of a word.
tʃ is pronounced as in English cheese or j as in jeep. It may sometimes be pronounced as s as in English sip by Mushuau-aimun speakers.
w is pronounced as in English win.
j is pronounced as in English you.
f is pronounced as in English fun.
References
Armitage, P. (2006). The Labrador Toponymy Project and its Relevance to Archaeologists. Provincial Archaeology Office Newsletter. St. John’s: Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Newsletter Vol.4, pp.47-51. http://parkscanadahistory.com/publications/mealy/v4-2006.pdf
Armitage, P. (2007). An Inventory of Candidate Places of Religious Significance to the Innu of Labrador. Report to the Innu Nation, Natuashish and Sheshatshiu, Labrador.
Armitage, P. (2011, April 28). From Uapamekushtu to Tshakashue-matshiteuieau: Place Names, History and the Labrador Innu. Newfoundland Historical Society lecture. St. John’s, NL. https://www.nlhistory.ca/2011-lectures/
First Nations Education Steering Committee. (2022). “The Power of Names” (Unit 4). In BC First Peoples 12: Teacher Resource Guide. FNESC/FNSA. Vancouver. BC