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In partnership with the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook Abenaki People, Rolling Ridge is looking to name the island off of our peninsula on Lake Cochichewick. ("Cochichewick" is Algonquian for "place of the great cascades"). According to local historians, the island does not have a name.

For indigenous people, the tradition of naming is rooted in the description or purpose of the land that emerges from the community. As part of our community, we invite you to help us select a name for our island.

The two options for voting come from Paul and Denise Pouliot, chief speakers of the Cowasuck. They are in the Alogonquian dialect.CHOICES ARE:

  •     Bizewimenahan  = A “Floating Island or Useless Island” 
  •     Menahaniz = “Little Island”


To cast your vote, please click the Register Button at the top, or click here.

The name will be revealed on Saturday, September 24th during our "Before there was Rolling Ridge: Land Acknowledgement" event beginning at 10:00 am featuring Paul and Denise Pouliot, chief speakers of the Cowasuck, as the primary presenters, Brian Howard of the North Andover Historical Society and Lawrence Jay of Rolling Ridge will also be featured. Click here for more information.

Any donations made when voting on a name will be given directly to COWASS North America which supports the work of Paul and Denise in sharing about the history of the Indigenous People of New England and the efforts of the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People. One of their current efforts is to raise funds to purchase their tribal graveyard that is slated for a condo development.

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