Kitchi-Gummi, photo by Holkeboer.
The Great Lakes Information Network has this to say about the world’s largest lake:
The first French explorers approaching the great inland sea by way of the Ottawa River and Lake Huron referred to their discovery as le lac superieur. Properly translated, the expression means “Upper Lake,” that is, the lake above Lake Huron. Kitchi-gummi, a Chippewa Indian translation, signifies Great-water or Great-lake. A Jesuit name, Lac Tracy, was never officially adopted.
An Indian name for Lake Superior was “Kitchi gami” (or “Kitchi-gummi”).
Be sure and check this out bigger or in John’s Feb. Munising Trip set (slideshow).
The rock in the picture is Miner’s Castle, which you can learn more about from Michigan in Pictures.


Not a Chippewa translation. Chippewa is a mispronunciation by the French of Ojibway. They pronounced Ojibway as Oti-chip-we, and that translated into Chippewa. Ojibwe/Ojibway are most commonly used. Anishinaabe is the most proper way to describe the Indigenous peoples here in Michigam (thats the correct way to say Michigan too and it means “big lake” in Cree)
Gichigami – Lake Superior – probably the most proper translation.
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I was just going to stop by and say that the correct phrase is K’chi Gami or G’chi Gami, but I see someone has already done that. ;)
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Hey – thanks Cecilia & Mo. I was a little surprised that a large, regional resource like the Great Lakes Information Network wasn’t a little more careful with their language.
I’m also a little surprised that there aren’t better native language sources online. You would think that with the concern surrounding preservation of Anishinaabe languages that there would be more online resources.
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