• Sunday-What'sUP October 20 - 09:53 am

I've been asked why we refer to northern Michigan Indians sometimes as Chippewa and sometimes as Ojibwa. They are alternate names of the same people-group, which include other variations: Chippewe, Chippeway, Ojibwe, Ojibway, Otchipwe, Otchipwa, Otchipway. I've been reading some of the old books from the 19th century - which are freely available on the Google Books project - where we find all of these variations. In the History of the diocese of Sault Ste, Marie and Marquette you'll find Bishop Baraga referring to the "Chippewa Indians" and to their "Otchipwe" Language.

Interesting side-note: The picture of Bishop Baraga that appears in a number of our Days in History has the following caption on the Library of Congress website:

Bishop Frederic Baraga, three-quarter length portrait, facing three-quarters to right, seated, in clerical robes, holding his Dictionary of the Otchipwe Language

Charlie, when we studied about them in school in the south, they were always referred to as the "Chippewa".
Thanks for the interesting info.

A few years ago I came across (through "Lake Superior Magazine") a stunning edition of "The Song of Hiawatha" (David R. Godine Publisher, 2004)featuring not only the epic poem by Longfellow, but laced generously throughout with superb illustrations by the famous Western artist, Frederic Remington, as well as containing fascinating introductory and historical notes on the poem and the process and inspiration that brought it about.

One note of interest to U.P. readers is that part of Longfellow's inspiration seems to have come from the epic Finnish poem, "Kalevala" which he had been reading with great delight just prior, especially for the measure he had been seeking(and found to be "the right and only one")to weave together his own epic poem out of his great interest in Native American lore and traditions. The notes read that Kalevala..."suggested the measure and may well have reminded him also of the Indian legends, which have that likeness to the Finnish that springs from a common...community of habits and occupation".

As to the Pasty Net topic of the day, the notes on "Hiawatha" say, "The scene of the poem is among the Ojibways on the southern shore of Lake Superior in the region between the Pictured Rocks and the Grand Sable."

Fun to see the Finnish and Ojibway story mix here.

From what I've read, the difference between the
two words is as simple as how the original name
was interpreted and pronounced in two different
languages, French in the Canadian north and
English to the south. Place an O' in front of
Chippewa to become O'Chippewa and the similarity
in pronunciation becomes more clear.

Right, DA, in fact the variation that Bishop Baraga used is the best example, to say it with or without the "O": Otchipwa

And lets not forget the chip-aways.
https://www.pasty.com/discus/messages/713/730.html

Thanks, Charlie, for the cultural lesson. Very interesting and informative. We owe much to the likes of Bishop Baraga and Father Marquette who played such a big part in the cross-cultural activity of the time.