The meaning of Winnipesaukee and what native american tribe it came from?

lvlygrl8 · 11-07-2004, 02:58 PM

What is the meaning of Winnipesaukee?and what native american tribe did it orininate from?
There are lots of areas in this Lakes Region area that took their names from native american languages. Where did they come from?

PaulS · 11-07-2004, 05:14 PM

According to the quiz on this site, Winnipesaukee means "Smile of the great spirit".

DoftheMattysort · 11-07-2004, 06:07 PM

Some guy told me that the name of the lake means "healing water" I don't know how accurate it is.

WeirsBeachBoater · 11-07-2004, 06:59 PM

Is " A beautiful water in a high place" not sure exactly which tribe it was from. Could be Acquedoctan they were early settlers in the Weirs area.

mcdude · 11-07-2004, 07:19 PM

click here for meaning of Wiinipesaukee
THE LEGEND OF LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE

"Many moons ago on the northern shore of this beautiful lake there lived a great chief, Wonaton, renowned for his great courage in war, and for the beauty of his fair daughter, Mineola. She had many suitors, but refused them all. One day, Adiwando, the young chief of a hostile tribe to the south, hearing so much of the fair Mineola, paddled across the lake and fearlessly entered the village of his enemies. Her father happened to be away at the time, and admiring his courage, the rest of the Indians did not harm him. Before long, he and the Indian maid were desperately in love with each other. Wonaton, on his return was exceedingly wroth to find the chief of the enemy in his camp and a suitor for the hand of his daughter, that he immediately raised his tomahawk to kill him. "Mineola, rushing in between them, pleaded with her father for the life of her lover, and finally succeeded in reconciling them. After the wedding ceremony, the whole tribe accompanied the two in their canoes half-way across the lake. The sky when they started was overcast and the waters black, but just as they were about to turn and leave them, the sun came out and the waters sparkled around the canoe of Mineola and Adiwando." "This is a good omen" said Wonaton, "and hereafter these waters shall be called Winnipesaukee, or "Smile of the Great Spirit".

Return to Winnipesaukee History | Return to Main History

WeirsBeachBoater · 11-07-2004, 07:35 PM

We will never settle this debate. It has been ongoing for hundreds of years. The two most popular definitions are "smile of the great spirit" and "beautiful water in a high place". In abnaki language, Ogee means the great spirit and Winni means smiling. Winnipesogeehas an english translation of smile of the great spirit. Another school of thought is Auke meaning a high place, thus we have Smiling water in a high place. So take it all with a grain of salt, there are many translations of Winnipesaukee. The bottom line is that it touches us all in different ways and I am sure everyone on here has their own description of Winnipesaukee. WBB

glennsteely · 11-08-2004, 07:26 AM

I had always heard " big beautiful water in a high place" which is how I see it. I think you are right, whatever translation you have heard is right because they all are discriptive of the place we love......

11-07-2004, 02:58 PM	#1
lvlygrl8 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Plymouth Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The meaning of Winnipesaukee and what native american tribe it came from? What is the meaning of Winnipesaukee?and what native american tribe did it orininate from? There are lots of areas in this Lakes Region area that took their names from native american languages. Where did they come from?

11-07-2004, 05:14 PM	#2
PaulS Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 55 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	According to the quiz... According to the quiz on this site, Winnipesaukee means "Smile of the great spirit".

11-07-2004, 06:07 PM	#3
DoftheMattysort Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: North of the South pole but south of North pole Posts: 15 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I heard something different Some guy told me that the name of the lake means "healing water" I don't know how accurate it is. __________________ "I hate women because they can always find the remote, car keys, the dog, etc."

11-07-2004, 06:59 PM	#4
WeirsBeachBoater Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 709 Blog Entries: 9 Thanks: 39 Thanked 148 Times in 65 Posts	The proper translation: Is " A beautiful water in a high place" not sure exactly which tribe it was from. Could be Acquedoctan they were early settlers in the Weirs area.

11-07-2004, 07:19 PM	#5
mcdude Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Rock Haven Lake - West Newfield, ME Posts: 5,343 Thanks: 370 Thanked 1,033 Times in 480 Posts	Sounds Corny to me click here for meaning of Wiinipesaukee THE LEGEND OF LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE "Many moons ago on the northern shore of this beautiful lake there lived a great chief, Wonaton, renowned for his great courage in war, and for the beauty of his fair daughter, Mineola. She had many suitors, but refused them all. One day, Adiwando, the young chief of a hostile tribe to the south, hearing so much of the fair Mineola, paddled across the lake and fearlessly entered the village of his enemies. Her father happened to be away at the time, and admiring his courage, the rest of the Indians did not harm him. Before long, he and the Indian maid were desperately in love with each other. Wonaton, on his return was exceedingly wroth to find the chief of the enemy in his camp and a suitor for the hand of his daughter, that he immediately raised his tomahawk to kill him. "Mineola, rushing in between them, pleaded with her father for the life of her lover, and finally succeeded in reconciling them. After the wedding ceremony, the whole tribe accompanied the two in their canoes half-way across the lake. The sky when they started was overcast and the waters black, but just as they were about to turn and leave them, the sun came out and the waters sparkled around the canoe of Mineola and Adiwando." "This is a good omen" said Wonaton, "and hereafter these waters shall be called Winnipesaukee, or "Smile of the Great Spirit". Return to Winnipesaukee History \| Return to Main History

11-07-2004, 07:35 PM	#6
WeirsBeachBoater Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 709 Blog Entries: 9 Thanks: 39 Thanked 148 Times in 65 Posts	Truth be told.... We will never settle this debate. It has been ongoing for hundreds of years. The two most popular definitions are "smile of the great spirit" and "beautiful water in a high place". In abnaki language, Ogee means the great spirit and Winni means smiling. Winnipesogeehas an english translation of smile of the great spirit. Another school of thought is Auke meaning a high place, thus we have Smiling water in a high place. So take it all with a grain of salt, there are many translations of Winnipesaukee. The bottom line is that it touches us all in different ways and I am sure everyone on here has their own description of Winnipesaukee. WBB

11-08-2004, 07:26 AM	#7
glennsteely Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Mantua, N.J. Posts: 472 Thanks: 90 Thanked 111 Times in 38 Posts	I had always heard " big beautiful water in a high place" which is how I see it. I think you are right, whatever translation you have heard is right because they all are discriptive of the place we love...... __________________ You have to go out on a limb sometimes, cause that is where the fruit is. You can't get to the fruit from that nice safe spot, clinging to the trunk of the tree......