Michigan Legends: Folktales and Lore from the Great Lakes State

The Real Meaning of the Name Michilimackinac

87 The Real Meaning of the Name Michilimackinac For many years, people have said that the word Michilimackinac, from which the name for Mackinac Island derives,means“large turtle ” and comes from the Chippewa word Mi-­she-­mi-­ki-­nock. Mishe means“very big in size”;mikinock means“mud turtle.”Therefore,the name of island essentially means “monstrous large turtle.” For a long time, that is the definition many people have heard and believed to be true when they visited Mackinac Island or Fort Michilimackinac,an old French fort located at the Mackinac Bridge in the Lower Peninsula. But this translation is wrong, the Chippewas and Ottawas say. The real meaning of Michilimackinac relates to a very sad story known to the Chippewa and Ottawa Indians for hundreds of years. Back when Michigan still was mostly wilderness, strange things often occurred to these Indians as they hunted or just went for walks in the woods. For example,a branch or a stone suddenly might fly through the air toward them,but when they turned to see who had thrown these objects, no one was there. Or they might hear someone’s footsteps outside of their wigwam, and their dogs barked, as if a stranger was approaching the wigwam’s entrance. But no one was there. Other times, someone walking in the quiet of the woods would feel over- 88    The Real Meaning of the Name Michilimackinac come with fear and apprehension for no apparent reason. Looking around, these Indians saw no one. In these cases, people would realize,“There’s nothing here to be afraid of, because it’s just Paw-­gwa-­tchaw-­nish-­naw-­boy approaching me.” This is the word the Indians gave to spiritual beings that once had been humans.When these beings did these things, the Indians knew they probably just wanted something.So the Indians left some tobacco,some powder,or some other item behind them on the path. But every so often, these spirits appeared in the human form they once knew, and they actually talked to the Indians walking or hunting in the woods or warming themselves by their wigwam fires. When this happened, the spirits always related the horrible tragedy of their tribe on Mackinac Island about eight or nine hundred years ago. The Ottawas were on what we call Mackinac Island long before Europeans came to America.They also inhabited nearby Manitoulin Island. Both are in Lake Huron.When they settled on Manitoulin Island, now part of Ontario, Canada, the Ottawas found this small tribe that had lived there for many ages.They were friendly, and so the two tribes lived in harmony. But this small, ancient tribe had a longtime enemy, the Senecas of New York, an Iroquois tribe. One winter day,when the Ottawas on Manitoulin Island were celebrating a great victory over their own enemies, the We-­ ne-­ be-­ goes of Wisconsin , the Senecas savagely attacked this small ancient tribe. Heavily outnumbered, the members of this tribe fell, one after another, beneath the tomahawk and spears of the invading Senecas. In the midst of this horrible bloodshed,a young man and woman managed to escape and hid in a cave, trembling, as they watched their fellow tribesmen die. There was nothing they could do. Finally , when the massacre was over and the enemy was gone, they purposely put their snowshoes on backward and quietly crossed the lake on the ice during the night, heading to the north shore of Lake Huron.They did this so it would appear to any enemy tracking them that they were heading in the opposite direction.The plan worked, and no one followed them or found them. Torn with grief and disgusted with all of humanity, this couple The Real Meaning of the Name Michilimackinac   89 lived away from all humans other than their own children for the rest of their lives.They remained in the wildest portions of the forests .The last time they were seen by Ottawa Indians—­ who saw just a quick glimpse—­ this young couple had ten children, all boys.They seemed exceptionally healthy despite their rough living conditions. The Chippewas and Ottawas believe that the man and woman and their ten children never died but live as supernatural beings to bear testimony to their ancient tribe and the tragedy that wiped it out. Most of the time, these beings manifest themselves by throwing a stone or...