What's in a name? How a government project forced surnames on Inuit
CBC | October 06, 2020
Categories: news
Peter Irniq, a former commissioner of Nunavut and a guardian of Inuit culture and language, changed his name in 1999. His name Irniq translates to son in Inuktut. After using the name "Ernerk" (as a Roman Catholic priest had written it) for much of his life, he returned to the name his mother had given him and stopped using his E-number, E3-546. "I-R-N-I-Q is what I have always been," he said. "In 2000 I came back to who I have always been ever since I was born." Read more about Irniq's story, the disc system, and Project Surname here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/project-surname-inuit-names-nunavut-1.5747040
