RED CLIFF, Wis. (WFRV) – The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) unveiled the state’s first dual-language road sign in Bayfield County.

According to the WisDOT, the 8.5 ft. x 4.5 ft signs feature the tribal seal, the tribe’s name in its native language, the English version and the population on the tribal lands.

The first sign was unveiled in the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Bayfield County. The sign has Gaa-Miskwaabikaang (pronounced: ga-misk-wah-be-kong) along with Red Cliff. Gaa-Miskwaabikaang reportedly means ‘the place where there is red rock cliffs’.

Red Cliff is just under five hours northwest of Green Bay.

  • Photo courtesy of Wisconsin Department of Transportation
  • Photo courtesy of Wisconsin Department of Transportation

The WisDOT announced the following benefits of dual-language signs:

  • Assist tribes with the revitalization of their languages
  • Inform people of the historic pre-settlement names of geographic features
  • Create a sense of place that reflects the unique tie each Wisconsin tribe has to the land that embodies them as a people
  • Connect the public to Native American history, culture and environment
  • Support the sovereignty of Wisconsin tribes

For more information on how to apply for a dual-language sign, visit the WisDOT’s website.