land=mother???

[Catherine Rudin/HU/AC/WSC]

A colleague here at Wayne State is writing something about Native American
vs. European views of "the land" and asked me if any Native American
languages have a word for land that means/is derived from "mother" (or
presumably vice versa).  I said not to my knowledge but I'd ask around a
bit.    So....  Anyone know of any such thing in Siouan?   Or elsewhere?
He'd probably be interested in any other metaphorical ways of refering to
land too, and anything that indicates land conceived of as a possession (or
not).

I'll forward anything interesting to him, or if you "reply to all" he
should get it.  Thanks,
Catherine