N.W.T. sees 29 name changes after waiving fees to reclaim Indigenous names – CBC

Reclaiming names a way for government to give back what it took away, says woman who changed names

Jan 13, 2020

“I always thought I was a Lennie until I got my first paycheck,” said Ashley Lennie.

She was a teenager when she found out the name on her birth certificate, Inglangasuk, was a different surname than the one she has used her entire life.

“It was kind of a shock to me and I couldn’t handle it, so as soon as I was old enough and able, I changed my name back to what I was used to and what I was comfortable with, with no disrespect to my cultural name,” she said.

Lennie completed the change in 2015. It cost her between $400 and $500 and took a year to replace all of her documents.

Since then, the N.W.T. has waived fees for Indigenous people who want to reclaim their names. In total, 29 people have used this option.

Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/reclaiming-indigenous-names-1.5423476