The power of names -- Anishinaabe style

Over the past few years we have seen some slow but steady progress recognizing Alaska Native place names. A few names have been adopted as official place names, and even more have been used as names for building, parks, and such. Outside Alaska in the lower 48 progress has been much slower. For example, while a vote to change Mt. McKinley seems increasingly possible, efforts to change Mt. Rainier have gone nowhere. The wheels of the official place naming process turn very slowly.

A group of activists in Toronto has taken matters into their own hands, replacing streets signs in that city with Native Anishinaabe names. Indian Country Today reports that the Ogimaa Mikana ('Leader's Trail') Project has been getting positive feedback from its signage project. Probably most of the residents of this city don't even know at they are living on Native land. There may be more public support for the use of Native place names than the slow wheels of bureaucracy would suggest. Maybe just getting the names out there where people can see them is a good first step.  

formerly Indian Road (no kidding!)

formerly Queen's Park

See more photos on the Ogimaa Mikana tumblr site.