Toponyms of the Cree Amerindians and geological resources in Quebec, Canada

Abstract

Among nomadic peoples, the designation of a geographical location is a way of locating itself directly in the visual field of the group concerned, unlike the GPS (satellite geolocation system) whose information is decrypted and retransmitted through artifacts. In the context of nomadism, if toponymy is a localization system with regard to moving from one place to another and common to a given group, its retranscription may differ according to the needs of such a society. This is the case with the toponymy of the Cree Amerindians and geological resources in Quebec. In this paper, the procedure for validating mineralogical indices from toponyms will take into account the fact that these names were created from the observation made by the Cree Native American nation: color, shine, texture. Why could toponyms be indicators of mineral resources and possibly of minerals as well?