Iqaluit (Aug 18/03) - On the hill behind the community of Kimmirut, a sign announces: Hudson's Bay Company, Lake Harbour.

Like many communities in Nunavut, Kimmirut is still stuck with reminders of its old identity.

Kimmirut, which translates as "looks like a heel," describes a large rock nearby and is the new name given to the community in 1996.

The old sign doesn't bother Kyra Fisher, the town's economic development officer. She didn't notice it until she was asked about it.

Then it occurred to her the name change has caused some confusion in the past.

Some cruise ships show it as two destinations, said Fisher. "They have a separate time, one is to Lake Harbour, and one is to Kimmirut."

The hamlet has gradually converted its letterheads and documents to Kimmirut, Nunavut, "but it's kind of slow," she said.

Coppermine became Kugluktuk, which means "place of rapids," in 1996.

Old name sticks

But for many, the old name sticks. The bank machine in the Kugluktuk Co-op still says Coppermine, Northwest Territories.

"You know when you get your receipt and it tells you where you got it from?" said Ron Tologanak in Kugluktuk. "It says Co-op, Coppermine, Northwest Territories," he said. "That's the only one I've seen."

The bank machine slip makes Tologanak laugh, but old signs can get on peoples nerves.

Charlie Lyall isn't happy about the old sign at the airport in Taloyoak.

"The airport is still Spence Bay which kind of bothers me," said Lyall. "I was one of the ones who initiated changing the name to Taloyoak."

Lyall was happy to be rid of the name "Spence" in 1992, and said "Spence was a bit of a bum, the guy this place was named after.

The Inuit of this region always called this place Taloyoak. There is a reason for it."

The name means "caribou blind" which refers to a pile of stones on each side of a path that leads to a place for hunters to spear caribou.

Alex Buchan, who lives in Taloyoak, can only think of one place still bearing the old name and territory, and it doesn't raise his eyebrows much.

"The co-op hotel still has Spence Bay outside its door," said Buchan, a lover of history.

Spence was a distant relative of Sir John Ross, an explorer, he said, and "had nothing to do with the community, he never saw the place."

Grace period

In Iqaluit, the Royal Canadian Legion sign inside the door, concealed behind glass, still welcomes you to Frobisher Bay.

The doors on trucks driven by Canadrill also say "Frobisher Bay, NWT."

Frobisher Bay was renamed Iqaluit, "place of many fish," in 1987.

"We've already gone through that with the mayor and council, and we decided there would be a grace period," said Jose Arreak, municipal liaison officer.

"Obviously there are a lot of people who decided not to make that change. But it should be changing. That was clearly conveyed to the public by the mayor and council when they made that name change."

Buchan is at peace with the names that remain.

"It's just a question of time and money," said Buchan.

"It's more convenient to leave it and change it later on, rather than jump in and spend money they may not have."

For some, his community will always be Spence Bay.

"I don't think there's any intention to demean the place," he said of the old name.

"A lot of old timers are quite happy with Spence Bay."