Disc number

The discs were roughly an inch across, burgundy, and made of pressed fibre or leather. They had a hole "to be threaded with a caribou thong and sewn into a parka for safekeeping", The discs were stamped with "Eskimo Identification Canada" around the edge and the crown in the middle. Just below the crown was the number. The discs were used in the Northwest Territories (which, at the time, included present-day Nunavut) from 1941 until 1978. For the most part, Inuit today do not miss the passing of the numbers, although some Inuit consider their discs to be personal artifacts of sentimental value. ==Cultural depictions==

Today carvings and prints produced by Inuit artists may be seen with the disc number on them. The Inuk singer Susan Aglukark recorded the song E186 in 2000 on her album Unsung Heroes. Lucie Idlout recorded a CD called ''E5-770, My Mother's Name'' in 2005. Norma Dunning's book Kinauvit?: What’s Your Name? The Eskimo Disc System and a Daughter’s Search for Her Grandmother was shortlisted for the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing in 2023. ==Project Surname==

In 1965, Abe Okpik was appointed to sit on the 5th Northwest Territories Legislative Council, its first Inuk. In 1966, Simonie Michael became the council's first elected Inuk, declaring his intention to not be known by his disc number. The Government of the NWT decided to replace the disc numbers with names and Abe Okpik was appointed to Project Surname. From 1968 to 1971, Okpik toured the NWT and northern Quebec (Nunavik) recording the preferences of people. He was to be later given the Order of Canada in part because of his work with the surnames. ==See also==