What's In a Name (storey 25 of 40)

On the McKenzie River there were apparent cultural influences from the Hudson Bay Company and French Voyagers, to the men who had worked on the barges and plied the great river looking for adventure, fame and fortune. Seeking gold and the money that the fur trade offered lured people from every walk of life.

From Grandjambe to Yakeleya, and Cooks to Kakfwis and Norwegians and Gaudets, the river flows with cultural combinations. Masuzumis are purported to be part of a family of Samurai’s from Japan. There were rumours of a Samurai sword in personal possession in Fort Good Hope, a fascinating history. I first met Michael Jackson when he was born in the late 1960’s in Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., son of Wilfred and Lucy Jackson. Rocky Norwegian had blond hair and pale eyelashes as I recall. There are Lennies and Yallees and Barnaby’s…

In Coppermine the flavour is distinctly different. Influenced once again by adventurers and with a slight twist, whalers. Now we have Niptanatiaks, Omingmuks, Kayoganas and Klengenbergs. I do apologize for any names that I have miss-spelled throughout this storey; it has been a few years since I have rolled some of these off of my tongue. Jimmy Niptanatiak worked with my father.