Talk:Penetanguishene

Untitled
I grew up in the Muskoka region (Ontario), and when people referred to Penetang, they were almost always referring to the mental institute. "Bob belongs in Penetang" meant Bob was crazy. A girl in my high school year book (valadictorian) predicted that she would burn out in college and "end up in Penetang".

I feel like this should be added to the page, but is it appropriate? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.164.49.174 (talk) 06:58, 19 December 2004 (UTC)


 * That's not the exclusive definition of the term, so it's probably not appropriate. (See Penetang-Midland Coach Lines, Penetang Kings, hell - if you have a driver's license and you live there it says Penetang.) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.46.139.172 (talk) 04:55, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

meaning of the word "Penetanguishene"
I grew up in Penetanguishene. Though many people (including residents) believe the word "Penetanguishene" means "place of the white rolling sands" in the Ojibwe language, I have yet to meet an Ojibwe speaker who can actually confirm this. Is there a reliable source to confirm this? --Magnetha 19:15, 1 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Neither have I, but my best guesses are either biinidaawangaashiinh (of clean/pure sand) or opimedaawangaashiinh (of sand on the edges). But you're right, "rolling" nor "white" is in the name, though it might be implied. Since the description is in regard to Gordon's Point, looking at its structure should provide additional clue. CJLippert (talk) 17:15, 14 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Though no "rolling" (-diti-) in the name, and for that matter neither is "sand" (-daawang-), the name of the near-by Waubaushene, Ontario do have "white" (waab-). So, I wonder if maybe the "white rolling sands" was a description of the entire area, and since both places have the "-shene", maybe "Penetanguishene" retained a fragment of the name and "Waubaushene" retained another fragment of the name? CJLippert (talk) 22:23, 3 June 2008 (UTC)
 * I just found two differing references, so I've added them both. On the one that speaks of Abenaki origin, that source seems to use "Abenaki" to mean "Algonquian" as the Abenakis were not as far west as the Rockies, and that the Ojibwe form of that name is what we know. The other source that I cannot verify claims a Wendat origin. CJLippert (talk) 01:21, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

I worked at Awenda Provincial Park for a couple of summers and my Supervisor, the Natural Heritage Education Coordinator, Tim Tully, said he had spoken to an Elder from Beausoleil First Nation who said that Penetanguishene is a mispronounciation, as there are no white rolling sands there and that it should be more properly Benetanguishene (sp?). I do not recall what he said the English translation was. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.157.117.99 (talk) 19:50, 30 September 2018 (UTC)

Page move
I propose that this article be moved to Penetanguishene, which is currently a redirect here, per WP:CANSTYLE naming conventions. There is no evidence of any other notable use for the name. Bearcat (talk) 00:06, 2 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Support. Seems clear to be the primary use of the term.  Double Blue  (talk) 05:07, 2 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Support. an internet search yields 474,000 hits for the term, which reduces to 18,800 when excluding the term "Ontario" (and yet, many of the hits are still related to the town). Mind  matrix  14:35, 2 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Support. Seems to meet the criteria of WP:CANSTYLE naming conventions. Dabbler (talk) 15:06, 2 March 2009 (UTC)

indigenous
There is no mention of the first peoples at all beyond the first couple of sentences. I don't think they simply ceased to exist in this area once the Europeans arrived. It would be good to read everyone's story, not just settlers. It may be a hard story to tell due to displacement and disease but that makes it all the more important. 50.101.169.113 (talk) 12:22, 22 July 2023 (UTC)


 * The original inhabitants of the Penetang area the Wendat/Wyandot (Hurons) did cease to exist in the area just after the Europeans arrived in the early 17th century. The Wendat were almost all killed by another first nations peoples from what is now upstate New York the Haudenosaunee(Iroquois). Some call it the Wendat Genocide,  others the Beaver Wars.  The few remaining Wendat went either east to Quebec City with the Jesuits  to Wendake, Quebec where they still live  today,  or west towards Michigan and ultimately Oklahoma.  I agree the story of how and when the current first nations people  Anishinaabeg occupied the former Wendat territory ( Huronia)  is an important story that needs to be told. Unionville (talk) 18:08, 25 July 2023 (UTC)
 * @Unionville Agree and suggest that the story must include the reason for the genocide. The Hurons existed beside the Haudenosaunee on Turtle Island for thousands of years before national borders were drawn up by settlers. But within 40 years of the arrival of Europeans, the Hurons were nearly extinguished. What made the genocide possible was the arrival of settlers who brought epidemics, a relentless pursuit of "resources" on their land via the first trade, and missionaries tasked with converting this once powerful but now weakened nation to Christianity. In the blink of an eye, settlers weakened the Hurons to the extent that their nation was a shadow of its former self, and that vulnerability left them open to attack by the Haudenosaunee. The common denominator in the diminishment, destruction and near extinction (Huron, Mi'qmak) of first nations peoples is the arrival of Europeans who reached these shores clutching the crucifix, harbouring disease and began to extract by any means necessary, riches in the form of the beaver pelt to adorn the top hats of Europe's elite. This is the mostly overlooked but painfully important part of the story that should also be told. Nancaroo (talk) 09:33, 27 July 2023 (UTC)
 * All true but the Wendat genocide wouldn't have occurred, and the Wendat would probably still be here in their traditional land,  if the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois hadn't finished them off.  European farmers  didn't arrive in Simcoe County (some of Innisfil ancestors arrived in 1853) until 150-175  years after the Genocide. The Wendat might still be here but for the Iroquois.  Epidemics have been a constant for humanity throughout history. The Bubonic Plague came to Europe from Asia.  It killed 30-50% of the European population with parts of Europe villages totally uninhabited. This same tragedy occurred with the indigeneous peoples of the Americas. Unionville (talk) 14:39, 30 July 2023 (UTC)