Lake Harbour (July 14/03) - One man in Kimmirut is taking a stand against a word used in the Eastern Arctic to refer to First Nations people. The word is Iqileet or Iqqilik.

Translated into Inuktitut, it means "people with head lice."

"I want everybody to know that Iqqilik is not a proper word to call our cousins. It's better to call them adlait - other people," said Mikidjuk Utye.

He is calling on public officials to drop the word which he compares to Inuit being called eskimo, which translates as raw meat eater.

"Probably one person was mad or something so they started calling them dirty and saying they were full of bugs," said Utye.

"The people were enemies before but not anymore."

Utye said it's hard to break the language habits of a lifetime, but he wants to replace the offensive noun with "adlait," a word that means other people.

He has written letters to different Inuit organizations and has informed the office of Nunavut's Language Commissioner. So far, little has been done.

"If we're going to be good neighbours and good people and friendly people, this Iqqilik word had to be wiped out," he said.

One thing getting in the way of eliminating the word is that fact that some people interpret it in different ways, Utye said.

Some people think it means stranger, others think it means the same thing as adlait.

Eva Aariak, Nunavut's language commissioner, said she is researching the true meaning of the word adlait.

"It could mean someone that is different or it could indicate the colour of the skin. I'm not sure," said Aariak.

Aariak said Nunavut's Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth is looking into the issue.