The Big Book of Manitoba, Chapter 3: What's in A Name?

I am fascinated by the way my language changes as I move across Canada. It's a testament to the many cultures which have found a home here. I am learning new words for food and animals, places and pastimes. 

Manitoba and it's accompanying seashore is home to quite a bit of the most interesting wildlife in Canada. Some of them I fully intend to go and stare at, and not simply in the rather sad zoo they have here. They are easily recognizable by name, such as Polar Bears, Bison, Belugas and Bowheads, and many others which do not comply with my alliteration. 

But. 

I feel as though I may be the victim of an adorable prairie prank. There are creatures here who's names I simply do not know. What, I beg you, is an Army Worm? Is that a new name for Tent Caterpillar? Is it the same thing as Drop Worm, which they also tell me live here in numbers? I figured out that Fishflies are actually Alderflies. I'm fairly certain that Lily Bugs are in fact Scarlet Lily Beetles, and that there is no such thing as the Kill You in Your Sleep Wasp.

Do not get me started in ticks.

Weather words are different everywhere. In Alberta they have Chinooks and Clippers. Nor' Easters scour the Maritimes, and Vanvcouver Island has Oh-My-Actual-God-Is-That-Snow. If you're in Wawa, Ontario, it's a Nanaimo Bar, but in Gimli, Manitoba, it's a dainty. Presumably in Nanaimo, it would just be a bar. Some provinces generalize locations. "We're going to the lake" could indicate one of literally thousands of lakes in Manitoba or Ontario. You don't get those same generalizations about mountains, maybe because Albertans keep score?

In Ontario, there is a tradition of wedding showers called Jack and Jills, where you might invite the people who would not otherwise attend your wedding. They may bring a gift, but just as likely the bride and groom may simply wish to throw a big bash for all the people in their lives who won't fit in Nana's back garden. You might sell raffle tickets and jello shots, or run a back alley style betting ring on rain gutter goldfish races. The intent is essentially a party and secondary to that, a small amount of funds may be raised to off set the cost of say, the bar at the wedding. In Manitoba, they have socials which, while steeped in fine tradition, seem to be about money. Tickets for entry are sold to all comers, not just causal work acquaintances who would be otherwise awkward to seat at the reception. No gifts are given, but many further tickets for libation and draw prizes are sold. Success is measured in dollars made. I think the ROC could learn a few things from Manitobans, and maybe Manitobans want to consider cutting out the middle man and just set up a standard gofundme page.

There are many more things to learn and I am excited to continue the journey, fully covered in protective netting to avoid insects and regional folk music.