Etymology
The name Manitoba is believed to be derived from the Cree, Ojibwe or Assiniboine languages. The name derives from Cree manitou-wapow or Ojibwa manidoobaa, both meaning "straits of Manitou, the Great Spirit", a place referring to what are now called The Narrows in the centre of Lake Manitoba. The lake was known to French explorers as Lac des Prairies. Peter Fidler's map of 1819 has the name "Minetobaw Lake" marked for the lake north of Portage la Prairie. The exact, detailed origin for how this lake became the name for the province is unknown. Manitou means spirit, and the rest of the word refers to the idea of a place. Lake Manitoba was named long before the province of Manitoba. The idea of a place with a spirit, or an area of spirit, was a general idea that would have referred to many places before the province was made official in 1870. In a similar manner, Manitoulin Island means spirit island. The petroform site in Whiteshell Provincial Park is named Manito Ahbee, which means the place where God sits. Manitoba is referring to the idea of spirit in some way, and some place associated with Lake Manitoba.
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