1048 WILD RICE GATHERERS OF UPPER LAKES [ETH. ANN, 19 
In 1634, when Sieur Jean Nicollet first visited Green bay, he found 
there a tribe of Indians lighter in complexion than their neighbors 
and remarkably well formed. They subsisted largely on wild rice, 
called ‘tin their language s2anoma—trom which they took their name; 
their own term being Omanominewak (Wild rice men).”*? According 
to Hoffman the word **Menomini” is derived from Omd'nominé ti 
(miino'me, vice, and énd’neit or ind’ni, man). This is the name of the 
tribe in their own language, the Algonquian, though they pronounce 
it more as though it were spelled ** Menomoni.” The French named 
them ‘*Folle Avoine,” ‘* Wild, Mad, or False Oat.” From the above 
Indian and French terms and their English translations Hoffman records 
eighty-four synonyms by which these Indians haye been known in 
written history.” Inasmuch as these synonyms are accessible in his 
monograph, they are not reproduced here, but a few synonyms sup- 
plementary to his list are presented: 

Favuisavornes. Wisconsin Historical Collections, vol. xu, p. 78. 
Fautsavoins. Ibid., vol. xin, p. 443. 
Fouuavorne. Ibid., vol. x1, p. 265. 
FoLLe Avoint. Buchanan, James, Sketches of the History, Manners, and Customs 
of the North American Indians, vol. v, p. 189 (New York, 1824). 
Fo_utowens. Long, Voyages, p. 146. 
Mannomonegec. Tanner, Narrative, p. 315. 
Mavnornmr. Carte Particuliere du Fleuve Saint Louis... avec les noms des 
Sauvages du pais, des Marchandises, 1750-60. 
Marnonmines. Radisson, Voyages, p. 201. 
Matomixe. De Vaugondy, map, Amerique Septentrionale, 1750. 
Manomints. Wisconsin Historical Collections, vol. x11, p. 79. 
Monomonis. Map, The Upper Territories of the United States, in Carey’s Gen- 
eral Atlas, Phila., 1814. 
Mvnominees. Atwater, Indians of the Northwest, p. 81. 
OMANOMINEWAK. Krautbauer in Am. Cath. Hist. Researches, Oct., 1887, p. 152. 
Witp Rice Inprans. Wisconsin Historical Collections, vol. 1, p. 52. 
Radisson said of the Menomini late in the fifth decade of the seven- 
teenth century: *‘ They weare of a nation called Malhonmines; that is, 
* Charlevoix, 
in 1721, wrote of an island on the western side of Green bay, **upon 
which is the Village of the Malhomines, which the French call folles 
Avoines, (wild Oats), probably becaufe they make their common Food 
of this Grain.”* From that time until the present there is frequent 
evidence that these Indians depended greatly upon wild rice. A few 
instances will be cited. Major Irwin wrote of them in 1820: **The 
Canadians designate them Folls-avoine . . . wild oats, or rice. This 
is one of the principal articles on which the Indians subsist in this 
quarter. It is to be found in great abundance, in the fall of the 
year... Itis believed that enough of it could be gathered in the fall, 
the nation of Oats, graine y‘ is much in y* countrey.” 
1 Krautbauer, in American Catholic Historical Researches, Oct., 1887, p 152. 
* Hoffman, The Menomini Indians, Fourteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, part 1, 
pp. 12-14 
*Radisson, Voyages, p. 201. 4 Charlevoix, Voyage to Canada, letter XIx, p. 202. 
