Indian language Native Indian culture Native Indian art

Ohio Native Animal Words

Here are the American Indian names of six native animals of Ohio. We have given their names in three different Indian languages: Kickapoo, Seneca, and Shawnee.

Two of these Native Ohio languages are related to the Algonquian language family, and the other one is not. Can you guess which languages are relatives by looking at the animal names on this page? You can find the answer on this page: Algonquian languages.

Ohio Native Animal Names

Kickapoo: mahkwa (pronounced mah-kwuh) Seneca: nyakwai' (pronounced nyock-why) Shawnee: mkwa (pronounced muh-kwah)	Kickapoo: mahweea (pronounced mah-weah-uh) Seneca: tha:yö:nih (pronounced tah-yoon-nee) Shawnee: mhweewa (pronounced muh-way-wa)
Kickapoo: pesekiθia (pronounced peh-seh-kee-thee-ah) Seneca: neokë' (pronounced nay-oh-ken) Shawnee: petakine'θi (pronounced pay-tah-kee-nay-thee)	Kickapoo: anikwa (pronounced ah-neek-wuh) Seneca: jo'kta:kö' (pronounced jook-tah-koon) Shawnee: hanikwa (pronounced hah-neek-wah)
Kickapoo: memeeθa (pronounced meh-meah-thuh) Seneca: këjöh (pronounced ken-joan) Shawnee: nameeθa (pronounced nah-may-tha)	Kickapoo: aamoa (pronounced ah-moh-uh) Seneca: o'nöhkö:t (pronounced oh-noan-koat) Shawnee: hamo (pronounced hah-mo)

Return to our Ohio Native American homepage
Learn some native Ohio greetings
Print out our Ohio wordsearch