NAMES
Like many other tribes, the Winnebago's name is not what they called
themselves. It comes from a Fox word "Ouinipegouek" meaning "people of the
stinking water." No insult was intended. Instead,
the name referred to
algae-rich waters of the Fox River and Lake Winnebago where the Winnebago
originally lived. The French translated this as "stinking people" and shortened
it to Puan. In its
English form, it became Stinkard. For obvious reasons, the
Winnebago have never been overly fond of this name. They call themselves
Hochungra (Hochungara, Hotcangara, Ochangra) "people of the big speech" -
perhaps better rendered as "people of the parent speech" referring to their role
as "grandfathers," the original people from which other Siouan-speaking tribes
sprang. Dissatisfied
with their Algonquin name, the Wisconsin Winnebago
recently changed their official name to Hocak Nation (pronounced Hochunk). Other
names include: Aweatsiwaenhronon (Huron), Banabeouik,
Bay Indians,
Hatihshirunu (Huron), Hotanka (Dakota), Mipegoe, Nipegon, Ochungaraw (Otoe,
Iowa, Omaha, and Missouri), and Otonkah (Dakota).