Siera Bearchell, Miss Universe Canada 2016 comes from the town of Moose Jaw in the Province of Saskatchewan. As Siera heads off to Miss Universe today, you may ask why is it called Moose Jaw. The answer from Tourism Moose Jaw:
Why Call It Moose Jaw?
- One of the most commonly asked questions is, “How did Moose Jaw get its name?” It’s not an easy one to answer. In fact, there are no less than three prevailing theories.
- The first theory is that it is a short form of a First Nations word, ‘Moosoochapiskanissippi’, meaning “the river shaped like the jaw of a moose”, referring to the bend in the Moose Jaw River.
- The second says that the name is a short form of another First Nations word, ‘Moosoochapiskun’, which translates as “the place where the white man mended his cart with the jawbone of the moose”.
- The third theory, and the one most subscribed to, is that the name comes from a Cree word, “Moosegaw”, which means ‘warm breezes’.
- Whatever the facts of the matter are, one thing is clear. Moose Jaw truly is a city as unique as its name.
Siera Bearchell – Miss Universe Canada 2016