Benjamin Mawinzo is the official name of the Lambton county bear! The Lambton Heritage Museum Curator and Supervisor Dana Thorne announced the “Name the Bear” contests winning name on Friday, saying that the name was inspired by local berries, as they are a key food source for bears.
The name Benjamin comes from a man who settled in Arkona in the 1870s named Benjamin Gott, who was active in the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, and very vocal about preserving the local environment.
The second part of the name, Mawinzo, is an Anishinaabemowin word, and it translates roughly as ‘he or she who picks berries.'”
Chris Harrington sent the winning name, that was one of almost 350 individual names submitted. There were nine runner-ups as the museum received so many great submissions.