Help wanted to find ancestral names for residential school survivors, families

Bernie Syliboy, a Mi'kmaw conservation officer for the Department of Lands and Forestry, wants the Nova Scotia government to provide resources to help residential school survivors and their families find the origins of their names.

The call for help in finding traditional names comes a week after Premier Stephen McNeil, who is also the minister of Aboriginal affairs, announced fees for changing names would be waived for residential school survivors and their families. 

"The name was translated three different times and maybe even more than that," says Syliboy, a son of a residential school survivor.

In the early 1800s, his family name was Levi, Syliboy said. It was common for Indigenous people in Nova Scotia to be named after landowners.

Evolution from silɨpay to Sylliboy to Syliboy

When Syliboy's great-grandfather served in the First World War, the last name was changed from Sylliboy to Syliboy to save room on his identification tag.

Bernie Syliboy says extensive research is required to find original names and spelling. 

Syliboy's son, Bryson, said he would like to legally reclaim his traditional name's spelling and pronunciation. He said he sees the connection between a name and identity.

"It ties you to the land you live on, the people," said Bryson.

The traditional spelling of his last name is silɨpay, as far as he knows. But he said there's still research to be done.

There should be a dedicated genealogist who can help people find their traditional names, he said.

"Having access to the Nova Scotia archives would be a good start," he said, explaining how having no fees for research would be helpful.

Surnames uncommon before colonization

Other provinces in Canada, like Quebec, make it mandatory for anyone, including Indigenous people, to have a surname, even if it goes against tradition.

According to Krista Dewey of the province's vital statistics division, it's been possible for Nova Scotians to have one name since at least 1999. 

"It's not unlike the regular name-change process," said Dewey.

An application form has been created for those seeking a waiver to change their name. After completion, an applicant would fill out a regular name-change form.

Providing fingerprints is also part of the process, all in keeping with the existing name-changing protocols. 

Although there will be a separate application process specific to people who are a residential school survivor or a family member of one, there will be no evidence required to prove it. 

She said there haven't been any applications yet, but there have been a few inquiries.