Gifting tradition: the story behind Edmonton's ward names

A few years ago when Indigenous leaders suggested giving traditional names to Edmonton’s 12 newly drawn municipal wards, City Council said yes. 

These names would honour Indigenous culture and history.   

Wards are essential to Edmonton's system of local government. Each ward consists of a group of neighbourhoods and is represented by a City Councillor. 

Early on it was decided the naming committee would be made up solely of women Indigenous leaders. That was a good move.

“It’s like your grandma or your nikawiy,” said Grand Chief Billy Morin of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations and Chief of Enoch Cree Nation. “Sometimes you’ve just gotta get out of their way and let them do their work, right? And they get it done.”

The group of 17 Indigenous women, who called themselves iyiniw iskwewak wihtwâwin (Indigenous Women’s Action/Movement), was made up of women from First Nations in Treaty 6, 7, and 8 territories, as well as Métis and Inuit peoples.

Over six weeks in the summer of 2020, the women gathered weekly either online or in a physically distanced fashion, to share stories, engage in ceremony, tour some of the wards and use the guidance of spirit, Knowledge Keepers, and Elders to recommend 12 deeply meaningful names.

Nakota Isga

Indigenous language of origin: Sioux
Name Meaning: The People.
Pronunciation: NA-KOH-TAH EE-SKA

Anirniq

Indigenous language of origin: Inuktun
Name Meaning: Breath of Life.
Pronunciation: A-nirk-nik

tastawiyiniwak

Indigenous language of origin: Cree
Name Meaning: The In-between People.
Pronunciation: TASS-TAW-WIN-EE-WOK

Dene

Indigenous language of origin: Dene
Name Meaning: People of land and water. 
Pronunciation: DEH-NEH

O-day’min

Indigenous language of origin: Anishinaabe
Name Meaning: Strawberry or Heart-berry (The heart through which the North Saskatchewan River runs). 
Pronunciation: Oh-DAY-min

Métis

Indigenous language of origin: Michif
Name Meaning: Given the history of the area and the use of the Riverlot system in this ward, a Métis name was chosen.
Pronunciation: MAY-TEA

sipiwiyiniwak

Indigenous language of origin: Enoch Cree
Name Meaning: References the people of the Enoch Cree Nation being River Cree.
Pronunciation: SEE-PEE-WIN-EE-WOK

papastew

Indigenous language of origin: papaschase
Name Meaning: papastew was a highly respected leader of the papaschase Band #136 and signed an adhesion to Treaty 6 in 1877. papastew translates to large woodpecker.
Pronunciation: PAH-PAH-STAY-OH

pihêsiwin

Indigenous language of origin: Cree
Name Meaning: Pays respect to the Thunderbird. This ward, from an aerial view, is shaped like a pihêsiw (thunderbird) and contains a ceremonial site.
Pronunciation: Pee-hay-soo-win

Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi

Indigenous language of origin: Blackfoot
Name Meaning: Traditional lands where the Blackfoot Nation performed Buffalo Rounds. It is known that bison would migrate up to 300 kilometres north of the North Saskatchewan River to the safety of artesian wells to gather for the winter. 
Pronunciation: E-pee-ko-ka-nee piu-tsi-ya

Karhiio

Indigenous language of origins: Mohawk (Michel First Nation)
Name Meaning: A tall, beautiful forest in the Mohawk language. Michel Karhiio was the Chief of the Michel Band that was enfranchised in 1958. 
Pronunciation: Gar-ee-he-o

Sspomitapi

Indigenous language of origin: Blackfoot
Name Meaning: Sspomitapi means star person and was given in honour of the Iron Creek Meteorite or the Manitou Stone.
Pronunciation: SS-POH-ME-TAH-PEE

Terri Suntjens was one of the two Circle Keepers (facilitators) for the group. “This initiative was really a historic movement where Indigenous voices were at the forefront of leading this effort,” said Suntjens. “The women in this committee were Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, scholars, educators and leaders who gifted us with their teachings to ensure we brought forward 12 Indigenous names that truly have spirit.”

The names and the new ward boundaries were adopted by City Council in December 2020.