One of the many impressive things Mark Carney has done over trump's meaningless renaming of Lake Ontario was to give the world a lesson in history and respecting Indigenous People. I want to share with you today some of what he said . . .
"The name of the lake had nothing to do with the Canadian province of Ontario — and actually predated the formation of Canada itself. The name of Lake Ontario derives from the Wendat word « Ontari’io », which means 'the lake is beautiful, the lake is great,' Carney posted, referring to the lake’s origins from indigenous peoples. He explained the name 'dates back more than 400 years, well before the Canadian Confederation and the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America.' We know the United States is changing. Their trade relations, their foreign policy, their national monuments, their hydronyms,” Carney continued. “Canadian women and men also know things must be called by their name, and this lake is called Lake Ontario — today and forever.”
This "Lost Canadian" agrees 100% with Prime Minister Carney.
The Daily Bee also wrote about this (you will find their full post at this link), and I want to share with you some of what they wrote because they did a fantastic job of explaining why this all matters. They wrote . . .
"A lot of people don't know the history. And judging by the reaction to Donald Trump's decision Thursday to rename Lake Ontario 'Lake America,' a lot of people think this is funny. Hahahaha. Lake America. Take that, Canada. Except it's not particularly funny once you understand what the word 'Ontario' actually means and where it came from. Trump didn't remove a Canadian name from an American map. He removed an Indigenous one.
The order directs federal agencies to update their maps, documents, and communications and remove references to Lake Ontario from the federal Geographic Names Information System. The White House devoted hundreds of words to explaining America's economic and historical relationship with the lake. What the executive order doesn't mention is where the name Ontario came from in the first place. The name Ontario predates the United States, Canada, and the Province of Ontario itself.'Ontario' also wasn't the only Indigenous name for these waters. In Anishinaabemowin, Lake Ontario has been called Nii-gaani-gichigami, meaning 'leading sea.' Different Indigenous peoples had their own names for these waters long before either country existed. People have lived in what is now Ontario for thousands of years, with Algonquian- and Iroquoian-speaking peoples inhabiting the region long before European settlement.
So this isn't really a story about Donald Trump taking the word 'Ontario' off a lake because he's pissed at Canada. Or at least it shouldn't only be the story. Because whatever Trump intended, something much older got swept away in the process . . . an Indigenous name. Indigenous peoples had names for these lakes, rivers, mountains, and lands long before European settlers arrived. Many of those names were eventually replaced, while others, including Ontario, survived in some form. Indigenous languages were suppressed. Children were taken to schools where many were punished for speaking those languages. Generations later, Indigenous communities are still fighting to preserve and restore words, names, and traditions which survived all of it. Against this history, names aren't trivial. They're pieces of something which survived. (And I will say, something which truly matters.)
The problem is in an effort to make a lake sound more American, we just removed one of the most American things about it: a name which came from the people who were here first. You can laugh at 'Lake America' if you want. But there's nothing patriotic about celebrating the erasure of an Indigenous name because you never bothered to learn where it came from.
If you're going to be proud of American history, you should probably know the history you're cheering to erase."
The Indigenous Peoples have spoken up about this as well. Seneca Nation President called for Trump’s order renaming Lake Ontario to be rescinded, saying it shows, “blatant disrespect” for the Indigenous people who first named it long before the creation of either nation. “The President cannot assert ownership over our culture or erase it through irresponsible political action,” he said in a statement.
The Wendat Nation Grand Chief Pierre Picard told The Canadian Press his nation was “shocked” to hear about Trump’s renaming of Lake Ontario, calling it an, "attempt to eradicate their history in the region. 'President Trump is attempting to eradicate our history,' said Piere Picard, Grand Chief of the Wendat Nation in a statement. '[I am] outraged, appalled, shocked: there are no other words to describe how I feel following President Trump’s decision to rename Lake Ontario, ‘Lake America.’”
"Outraged, appalled, shocked", are fitting descriptions for how we all should feel as what the toddler-in-chief is once more doing is attempting to "puff up" himself and his own sense of self-importance and he just does not care what his words/actions do to anyone else. He once again is succeeding at bringing more shame upon the USA.
I started last week by apologizing to Canada for the illegal tariffs from trump. I am starting this week by apologizing to the First Nations Peoples, the Indigenous Peoples, and all of Canada for the utter disrespect coming once again from the white house. It is not surprising for him to behave in this way, but it is outrageous, despicable, and shameful behavior - especially for someone who is supposed to be the president. I am SO sorry.
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