Michigan Dictionary

I’m headed home to Michigan for a family visit/actual vacation. I’ve lived out of the state for five years now, and it’s made me appreciate my home state more than I ever suspected was possible.

Over the next week, I’ll be posting a lot about my Mitten, so to get it started, here’s a dictionary of all things Michigan.

1. Michigander — People from Michigan are called Michiganders. I’ve always loved that; it makes us all sound like a flock of geese. Some people say Michiganian, but where’s the fun in that?

2. The Mitten — Ask a Michigander where they’re from and you’ll probably see this as your answer:

Yup, that’s the hand map. I even helpfully marked the spot I point to when I get the question. That’d be Linden.

3. U.P — The U.P. stands for Upper Peninsula. Michigan is made of two peninsulas — the Mitten and the U.P. — that are connected by a big, blue suspension bridge.

4. Yoopers — And those strange folks who call the U.P. home? They’re called Yoopers. 

5. Trolls — Which brings us to the people who live in the Mitten. The Yoopers call us Trolls because we live under the bridge (see No. 3). Get it? Oh, those Yoopers.

6. Up North — Michiganders go Up North for vacation, usually to a cabin. Up North is a loosely defined area that extends from about West Branch (that’s at about the start of my middle finger) all the way to the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula in the U.P.

7. Lakes — You can’t talk about Michigan without talking about lakes. And not just the Great ones, either. People in Michigan are never more than six miles from a body of water. Here’s an example:

That’s one of the lakes by the house I grew up in — and it’s attached by river to the mill pond at the edge of my childhood neighborhood and by channel to the lake my grandparent’s house is on.

8. Mackinac Island — That’s pronounced Mack-i-naw. It’s kitschy and touristy, but one of state’s biggest tourist attractions. I’m dragging my husband there, so this isn’t the last you’ll hear about the island.

9. Pasties — Meat pies. Yup, that about sums it up. They’re meat, potatoes and veggies all wrapped up in a pie crust. They were big with miners, and the U.P. was big with mining, so there you go. I make a vegetarian version that’s pretty damn tasty.

10. Pop v. Soda — My husband, who was raised in Chicago, insists on calling the fizzy drink soda. I defiantly say pop. Pop is obviously the right choice. And Vernor’s is the best right choice.