The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-07-28
For the Pioneer.
Dakota Names and Meanings.

are rash md harsh, others smooth and sonorous
s'n' ~re decidedy asly, and others beautiful. Some
are od;nsi': against good taste, among which we
must a.ways class the various SAINTS around about
Iii u,.' that S1ia', a name. is better than its
opPosl =, bscaase is associated with the good and
the pHe. iat there is want of fitness in pre6xing
1t % the Of places. Some names are too short
aui s'ne ~ too long. Our own Names which we
have Inherited as hirth-rght, which fathers
AM "a .taers gave Us, under the necessity of
keepiaE. Ugly though they be. But this is not the
case Nith ac names Of places. which growing up
around u-, sd which boxing to us for appel
iau1Is
WIZ, k.rd of names shall we give to our rivers,
aai coH1ta., and towns! Shall We import names
from tie old world, For doin, this we have been
hngi,i 20 cnonsh already. Or shall adop, the
pf.n'ip. ~ aero worship, and the Of our
As'j, sle' men for the hundred an first time -
I't - Wa>hingtons a there in the L.
Sar-': 'l'r,, towns. Counties, old and new, great,
aai I - And yet after all mus, have "A Terri
tory, '4d 90 course, finally. "A State OF Washington
SntA d: ut ather adopt Indian names for the rivers
a.i lA.. u'e hills and the dales on which they
have Hvet si hunted,
There afe IN every language names beautiful and
oi zo'' .p,', which will bear ,ransplanting and
ke 3:r % the richer. Ia Dakota there are per
hap le: 9rds which can be conveniently Angl,-
oi-ej a. 80 many other languages. The difficulty
g. c-nsoi .. he nasais> gnt'erais, and ohSs. But
stu OBJ lf. more good ones than likely soon to
be apH 3.ft'ci. One must travel Ear to End pref
fef at-. lii4a MINNEsor., MAKAro (Mah-k.h-to)
Hs.- T., :. name Of no small prestige, bui it has
sTa.s d, np-sted into Mankato. Why not re-
store 60 .t once L. lis significance and beauty.
I'm uc! is kAsoT., It's next neigAbor down
H. r..r w'; a il certainly beautiful name. 10
ciol timber b. cutting with axe, and 70
s.ey o.. clouds. . be clear, IA The sky are
- aua>f.at,af and poetical meanings. The various
verbs .-a ION SOFA by preixcs mean, To clear off,
2. .'4f r. t pear, u ,gn. So that ph,lolosic-
ally 7rs mu- b. regarded meaning unobstr9cte4
or ,tr. i . it does, even in reference to water
"h-n ut,l q. istinction from sHosHA, niti3y or
tr' -; citation given 10 the Missouri. But
W5.-u v.'rl English call elelr Or pda,i, is
u-n'ils .'-. i'shed by the adjective SKA, ette--
>a.h '- -.esilen Of the difference which obtains
ia VA Us i7lifcatiJns ia different languages.-
i.ur, IS at called BACK, except in Hlyata ian
grag- bar ,ae nou!i hardly expect to find biue and
gvan. al s,oet designated b. the same terms
iesp.eD &. RS 5 thu case in Dakota.
40 r:..e INC word minnesota" unJ-r the ar
tcis ,lu. Sketch OF Joseph Renville,'' in the
Aaaa.- ,Ie Historical Soc ETY. ior 1888, the excel
i.t aiG ace.s'. ilshed writer fell into a mistake in
slsiag f. die Dic,onary defines sofa as meaning
smile :ibat:is sHorA Hence probably his
o.. -. l.E.:
The :: sby = Minnesota is often wat,ah rather
'd,n Ia.t. and it Is probable, that in this APP
p-'rlrce. the .rlc idea Of is to be found
Hence e niy o. regarded meaning sty-celgcd
st-t.t Z or ett.sh. Bu it matters not, ii We can.
1, say single definition, give the f ilea Of Sofa
T. ikea liy's changeablc silk, it presents various
shat, aat ti.l- from various points, so
,a-h taa n,-f au,iiai is it, and so much the more
fu q fy.t',.
Ain' .ae iaces growing up the side OF
ta Mississippi, u Dakota hand, III Dakota names,
ma. g. '''l re with appreciation MINNEAPoLIs,
a ta. IA: II - Anthony. Situated by the ga
ia.r IF ! .nr-; " Nh It's api! current laughs and
r,il, - a.. along over the rocks there
f:1 ,s !: ,he name ''cy of wa,efs.' And
I.a, = DOT the less beautiful for It's bringing into
ts nsrt: - ,,oia aud the classic Greek. By the
wig, : .e o.. r. been much amused at the questions
a.. ~ .1-.lt t'.s Dakota language, many Of which
i'tr.te - :gt hat PEOPLE generally think of the
hD-u,ca sn uncivi!iAcd race unoouti aud
Va pica :, l'ic and uainteilig bie iargon, onl,
oa, r-a.yc ai:.,e the signs and sounds Of bru,es.
l-t ia: csa be said Of the poetry Of SnAKopEE,
iaaa..ns: ihs Dakota language, sir; but a
tor1 s7': aeie- ~. beautiful prairie the
D. .>- " "a. N.anesota NAY it 90 and prosper.
pt,.a e. nov, waIkcd over that prairie steered
oar se3,a, ai,n, by tina. bluff shore, have realized
g. soae c<tnt y nile it was still emphaticaiy Dakota
lad, ia~ n9tu'a beauties Of the place. Above Shak-
cqe.. r CHAsKAV, the first born, If am
a,t rornei ~ gard is prospects Of being che
tr.tt ,-l such having the prominence in
g.. I'lrr a1il, cf towns, "a already laid out
a4i c.u.ca. .a.ed, "A the banks o. the Minnesota.
learn iha' nd, ii is said, magnidaenty beiu-
tfr. locality. above the mouth of the Blue Earth,
ha, 5te'g received the name Of WINoNA, the fra
t,-4. if iat+,htei. This is a beautiful name, and
shauii De given e. beautiful place. with beautifully
good Inhabitants ~ it.
L. regard % coun.ies an surprised that our legis
lators have nr) ,ilized So few Dakota heroes For
myself sdru.l greaty prefer WAASATAS, WA
KoorAT. ~ AND ANECHA, MAKAEDAyA. and
M4zAsHA, o. - asltngton, Boatoa, Pierce, Crss,
etc. We owe i to the race, that must, SUCH pass
eWay--,fe o,ge il ourselves the interiors of
them broad nrati owe it to the world at large
- garner up from lis field, whatever is good AMI
boantlu'. Cr Zoe of mankind in ages yet come
! :prs tuy,
S. r. RIGGS.
sc qui Paele jHle 90, 1858.
RrrolyrMTSrs BY THE PREsIDINr-The
n.nr n. ~ l.Las-iiar annointments are announced