Ninilchik Place Names
The information here was recorded during the summer of 1993 with help from more than one Ninilchik Russian speaker. We did our work as carefully as possible, but there are probably still some minor errors remaining. We have spelled the Russian words using English letters so that the original names can be pronounced as easily as possible. Some people may prefer to use some English spellings other than the ones used here, and that is fine. For instance, you may prefer to use other vowels than the ones used here for spelling the Russian words. You may, for example, prefer to spell the Russian word for 'point' or 'cape' with the English letters "Mees", instead of "Mis" (the Russian word rhymes with the English word "peace"), as it is spelled here. Or you may prefer to use "Mys", a direct transliteration from the Russian, which is used in some geographical lists of Russian place names.
The original names of places in the Ninilchik area are important to the history of our village. Many of the place names have interesting history connected with them, such as some experience which someone had at that location or a traditional activity conducted there. A good project for a motivated person or group in Ninilchik would be to gather as many of the stories as possible which are associated with each of the Russian place names near Ninilchik. (Could we get this information for the Second Edition of this scrapbook?)
Today we have the opportunity to have several more Ninilchik locations named officially on maps. The latest U.S.G.S. map of the Ninilchik area is in an interim format and we should take advantage of this window of opportunity to have the names which are historically accurate or currently used by area residents to be placed on revised editions of the Ninilchik area map. Our (the editor's) suggestion would be to use English translations of the original Russian place names for the map since everyone today speaks English, but only a few village residents remember the original Russian names.
Ninilchik: originally from the Denaina word Niqnilchint, according to the late Kenai elder, Peter Kalifornsky. Peter was not certain of the meaning of this Indian name but thought it meant something like Lodge By the River. The village also had an early Russian name of Munina (found in some old documents and geographical dictionaries and as a name variant on the 1900 Ninilchik census), named for Mr. Munin who was sent to explore Ninilchik as a settlement site.
Rivers and river areas:
Ninilchik River, Ninilchika Rechka
point, mis: in Ninilchik this especially referred to the big bend of land on
the river next to Babushka's (Matrona Oskolkoff's) house
navarot: behind the point (meaning is uncertain)
rasip: dry river bed, flat part of land on the river south of Dean Kvasnikoff's
previous house
balota: marshy shallow area along the river where water would gush in
when the tide would raise the level of the river, next to the old red Leman
log house in the village. Because of the balota people could bring in
coal by boat close to the Leman house.
Zalyi Katarina, area along the river behind Katherine's place, down the hill
east of John Matson's house
First Bar, Perway Banka: first river spot for swimming or fishing (Much of the
river bank has overhanging alders and is difficult for accessing the river
but these banka spots were open and used for swimming by village children.
The original Russian word literally means 'can' as in 'tin can', but when used
by the villagers it referred to a hole or bar in the river.)
Second Bar, Ftaroi (Vtaroi) Banka
slough, Stara Rechka (Old Creek): called Old Creek because Ninilchik River
used to run there. This is the slough between the bluff and the RV campground
on the south side of the road that goes to the spit and boat harbor.
Deep Creek, Yikripska Rechka ??
Silver Salmon (Creek), Kisichoi: area near Deep Creek where people used to trap
Small Creek, Maynyika Rechka: near Edward Jackinsky's, beyond it is Long
Flat (Glinay Tundra)
Clam Creek, Mamaina Rechka: north of Silver Salmon Creek, runs into Deep
Creek, named for clam shells some Indian left in a spot there
Monkey Creek, Munkina Rechka: on Ninilchik River abreast of Nora Cooper's
Gluchi, springs where Alfred Cooper used to trap, way up (about 10 miles) Ninilchik River
Lakes:
Ninilchik Lake, Bolshoi Ozero (Big Lake): east of Ninilchik (this lake has been
called Oskolkoff Lake in the past)
Gerasim's Lake, Gerasima Ozero: smaller lake east of Ninilchik
Ditches:
Gerasim's Ditch, Gerasima Kanava: ravine in the bluff near present school
Murphy's Ditch, Murphyskay Kanava: near Long Flat, named for John Matson's
stepfather
Points:
Red Point, Krasnay Mis: spot on the bluff about 1500 feet north of Elmer Banta's
Deep Creek Point, Yikripska Mis (This is Cape Ninilchik on maps.)
Ninilchik Point, Ayahonik or Alyahoi (pronunciation uncertain) (Alder Patch),
an Indian word
Rocks:
Antone Olsen's Rock, Antoshkana Kamin: big brown rock which used to be
an important landmark on the beach about 3 miles north of Ninilchik River
(about 1000 feet south of Nick Leman's old red fishtrap cabin)
Green Rock, Zionay (Zeloniy) Kamin: 1/2 mile north of Ninilchik River
Swamps (flats) near Ninilchik:
Mushroom Flat, Gruzdovay: bumpy flat near Butch Leman's where people
used to pick mushrooms
Sea Gull Egg Flat, Chaykina (Yaytsa) Tundra: about 1/2 mile NE of North Bar
(some people probaby said the name without Yaytsa 'egg', but everyone
knew the flat was named for the sea gull eggs which were gathered there to eat)
Wolverine Flat, Rasamaginay (Rasamajachi ??) Tundra: near where Bob Covey lives
Anderson Flat, Yikripskay Tundra (Deep Creek Flat)
First Flat, Maynyika Tundra (Small Flat): the flat closest to the Russian Orthodox
church on its NE side, just north of the cemetery; people would pick blueberries
and marashki (berries) here
Second Flat, Uzinkoy Tundra (Narrow Flat): just beyond (east) of First Flat but
before the highway
Buntovay: (another flat, where is it??)
Long Flat, Glinay Tundra: big flat east of Hostetters' and Brodys'
Wolf Flat, Walchi Tundra: where is it??
Grichkina Tundra: (Was this flat named for Grishka, Gregory Oskolkoff, father of
Simeon O. Sr., Nadia, etc.? Where is it?)
Lynx Flat, Widrinay Tundra: about 1/2 mile east of Ninilchik, near the current Oil
Well Road, south of the road, toward Deep Creek
Other landmarks:
Birch Hump, Birozinay Bugor (possibly said Birozinay Gora by some people),
behind Bill Brody's, about 3/4 mile north of Ninilchik Lake, before Deep Creek
Silver Salmon. When pronounced quickly Birozinay sounds like Biroznay.
Alder Patch, Tupolnik: where Nick Leman has his house now. Some men used
to trap here and they would kill porcupines there.
Bluff, Uchos: bluff area next to the cannery
Hill, Gora: hill area beside the Russian Orthodox church
Ninilchik Dome: rounded hill on east horizon, visible from Ninilchik
Beluga Head: sharper hill on east horizon, visible from Ninilchik
Note: the Russian words in this list, and in another later list of other Ninilchik Russian words, are spelled as they are pronounced in the Ninilchik dialect of Russian. As many of us know, many (perhaps most) languages have various dialects. In the U.S. we are familiar with Southern English, or Texas English, which have "drawls". Then there are the dialects of English spoken in the Northeastern part of the U.S. There are distinctly different dialects of English spoken in various parts of Great Britain, Australia, and India. The same is true of the Russian language. There are dialects of Russian spoken throughout Russia. Ninilchik Russian reflects dialects from the areas of Russia where the Russians who first settled Ninilchik came from. And, inevitably, languages also change over time. No one dialect of a language is superior or inferior. Dialects are simply different from one another, providing interesting variety in the world.
Visit Bobbie Oskolkoff's Babushka's Language page for Ninilchik
Return to Agrafena's Children main page
Return to the main page
This page hosted by 
Get your own Free Home Page