Name Misinterpretation

The word has been mistakenly interpreted as being the name of the chief of Hochelaga

Hochelaga

Hochelaga may refer to:Hochelaga* Hochelaga , a 16th century village on the Island of Montreal* Hochelaga Archipelago, Montreal and surrounding islands...

, on the site of present-day Montreal

Montreal

Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

. This confusion stems from a passage in A Shorte and Briefe Narration of the Two Nauigations and Discoueries to the Northwest Partes Called Newe Fraunce by Richard Hakluyt

Richard Hakluyt

Richard Hakluyt was an English writer. He is principally remembered for his efforts in promoting and supporting the settlement of North America by the English through his works, notably Divers Voyages Touching the Discoverie of America and The Principal Navigations, Voiages, Traffiques and...

, in which French explorer Jacques Cartier

Jacques Cartier

Jacques Cartier was a French explorer of Breton origin who claimed what is now Canada for France. He was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, which he named "The Country of Canadas", after the Iroquois names for the two big...

 first meets the chief of Hochelaga. The passage reads "...the Lord & King of the countrey was brought vpon 9 or 10 mens shoulders (whom in their tongue they call Agouhanna)" This passage was interpreted as meaning that Agouhanna was the name of the Hochelagan chief. This proves not to be the case, as in Jacques Cartier's work entitled Bref Recit Et Succincte Narration de la Navigation Faite en MDXXXV et MDXXXVI par Le Capitaine Jacques Cartier Aux Iles de Canada, Hochelaga, Saguenay, et Autres, he recounts his meeting with Donnacona

Donnacona

Chief Donnacona was the chief of Stadacona located at the present site of Quebec City, Canada. French Explorer Jacques Cartier, concluding his second voyage to what is now Canada, returned to France with Donnacona. Donnacona was treated well in France but died there...

, chief of Stadacona

Stadacona

Stadacona was a 16th century St. Lawrence Iroquoian village near present-day Quebec City.French explorer and navigator Jacques Cartier, travelling and charting the Saint Lawrence River, reached it on 7 September 1535. He returned to Stadacona to spend the winter there with his group of 110 men...

, near present-day Quebec City

Quebec City

Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...

, saying, "...le seigneur de Canada nomé Donnacona en nom, & l'appelent pour seigneur Agouhanna..." This translates as: "the chief of Canada, called Donnacona by name, and called 'Agouhanna' for 'chief'." This means, therefore, that the word Agouhanna means 'chief', and is not a proper name. Jacques Cartier only referred to the leader of Hochelaga as the 'chief', and not by his name, which was never recorded.