What’s in a name: Petoskey Stone Edition

Waterline, photo by Andrew McFarlane

This is one of my photos that I dug up for another project that I wanted to share. Apparently this was taken during in my “tilty” phase. ;)

Here’s something beautiful that a young woman I know named Rose Petoskey wrote about Petoskey stones several years ago.

My name is Noozeen (Rose) Nimkiins (Little Thunder) Petoskey (Rising Sun) and I am Anishinaabek.

Many people would associate the word Petoskey with the souvenir stone found on the northern Lake Michigan shorelines. However, to my family, the word Petoskey represents much more than a souvenir.

In the Odawa language, the word Petoskey (Bii-daa-si-ga) means the rising sun, the day’s first light, or the sun’s first rays moving across the water. The Petoskey stone is a fossilized coral created by impressions made in limestone during the last Michigan ice age. These stones were named “Petoskey” because the impressions resembled the rising sun coming up over the water. Just as the image of the rising sun is implanted within the Petoskey stone, the archaeology of a person’s names is implanted within. All names within our Anishinaabek culture reflect an individual’s personal history. Rocks go deep, but names go much deeper to reveal the stories of the past.

Read on for more of Rose’s thoughts the power and beauty of the Odawa language!

View my photo from 9 years ago background bigilicious and see more in my Leland, Michigan slideshow.

More summer wallpaper and more from the beach on Michigan in Pictures

PS: The other project was for a stone path that a friend is building this year at the Earthwork Harvest Gathering held next weekend near Lake City (September 16-18). It’s a wonderful festival packed with Michigan musicians!