How I Got My Name

Mike Nitsiza: This is my grandfather’s grave, but the last name is different. My grandfather’s name is Jeremickca. And Pomi, and Zoe, they are both three brothers. Three brothers with different last names.

Jay Bulckaert (off camera): How does that happen?

Mike Nitsiza: Treaty. Treaty has given us those names.

Jay Bulckaert (off camera): Where do the names come from? You know, they are kind of strange names?

Mike Nitsiza: The translator of the Treaty had given the name. The kind of name that we act to, or just say it and that would be the given name. For me, we are the Buckins from Hay River, we were supposed to be Buckins, but then the translator gave my Dad and the two other brothers who were all over the Tlicho land. They were all over. So they called us Nitsiza. Niti means wind. Nit-siza, son of wind. So they gave us that name and we ended up with it.