69 12.5 Indigenous Tourism in the Yukon
Yukon First Nations Communities
The Yukon is home to 14 Yukon First Nations and 8 language groups which totals approximately 25% of the Yukon’s population. Additionally, there are First Nations groups within British Columbia and the Northwest Territories that have traditional territory within the Yukon. Of these 14 First Nations, 11 have signed modern treaties enabling Yukon First Nations self-governance over their people and land ensuring a sustainable balance between entrepreneurial and economic tourism activities with traditional activities. Throughout the year there are multiple festivals and gatherings to celebrate Yukon First Nations’ cultural traditions. Some such festivals include:
Take a Closer Look: First Nations Communities
For more information on First Nation communities and languages within Yukon visit the links provided below or browse through the Welcome Guide organized by YFNCT to showcase Yukon First Nations dynamic, evolving and rich cultural traditions to both local and visitor audiences.
Yukon First Nations
Beaver Creek –White River First Nation
Burwash Landing – Kluane First Nation
Carcross – Carcross/Tagish First Nation
Carmacks – Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation
Dawson City – Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in
Haines Junction – Champagne and Aishihik First Nations
Mayo – First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun
Old Crow –Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation
Pelly Crossing – Selkirk First Nation
Ross River – Ross River Dena Council
Teslin – Teslin Tlingit Council
Watson Lake – Liard First Nation
Whitehorse – Kwanlin Dün First Nation & Ta’an Kwäch’än Council
Transboundary Aboriginal Groups
Kaska Dena Council, which represents Daylu Dena Council, Dease River First Nation, Kwadacha First Nation
Taku River Tlingit First Nation
Aboriginal Language Groups
Indigenous Tourism in the Yukon
The Yukon is a vast wilderness beginning at a time when Raven, Earth Mother and other powerful beings made the world safe for people. Elders say that the First Nations people have always been here, with oral traditions and archaeological evidence showing Indigenous presence in the Yukon for more than 12,000 years. Yukon First Nations have lived off the land, knowing the best places to hunt, fish and gather food through teachings passed down from elders to the young, generation by generation. This generational knowledge and openness to teach has created an opportunity for Yukon First Nations to share their stories, traditions, and culture with others.
Prior to 1994 there was no one specific organization that provided support and guidance to Yukon First Nations individuals and businesses that wished to share their culture, traditions and stories about the land through tourism and cultural exploration. This was solved through the creation of the Yukon First Nations Cultural and Tourism Association (YFNCT), founded in 1994 as a non-profit organization and in their words, they are “committed to promoting, supporting and advancing the culture and tourism sectors with and for Yukon First Nations communities” – working with government organizations to maximize opportunities within these sectors. YFNCT has a vision to strengthen and unify Yukon First Nations communities through the sharing of their arts and culture. This creates pride, renowned artists, and inspiring experiences that attract visitors from around the world. This vision is reflected in the structure of support available to First Nations businesses and individual entrepreneurs wishing to start a business. YFNCT has five main pillars of focus which include: leadership, tourism development, arts development, marketing and sales, and industry events. YFNCT is acknowledged as providing expert support and mentorship to entrepreneurs throughout every step of their business journey.
In 1982, the Assembly of First Nations launched a national campaign to have June 21st recognized as National Aboriginal Solidarity Day, a day in which to recognize and celebrate the achievements, culture and heritage of Indigenous Peoples across Canada. On June 13, 1996, the Governor General of Canada officially declared June 21st as National Aboriginal Day which is now more commonly referred to as National Indigenous Peoples Day across Canada.On May 8, 2017, the Yukon unanimously passed a bill declaring June 21st as a holiday – making the Yukon the second jurisdiction in Canada to do so and encouraging participation in celebrating Yukon First Nations culture and heritage in communities across the territory.
A Strategic Approach to Growth
Yukon Tourism Strategy 2018 – 2028
The Yukon Tourism Development Strategy Steering Committee was formed – at the request of the Government of Yukon – to provide strategic advice to the Minister of Tourism and Culture and create a goal-oriented strategy that could support the Yukon tourism sector through many years. This committee is comprised of a diverse group of Yukon tourism-focused organizations and stakeholders, including multiple First Nations organizations, and has resulted in a ten-year plan to help promote more sustainable, year-round tourism in the territory.
A key focus of this plan acknowledges the need to support the development of Indigenous tourism as an opportunity for Yukon First Nations “to share and celebrate their stories in a meaningful and authentic way.” Under the Action Plans outlined in this strategy, there is a commitment to host a Yukon First Nations Tourism Summit event in order to bring together Yukon First Nations, development corporations, YFNCT and Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) to discuss how they can better support Indigenous tourism development in the Yukon. The Action Plans also highlight the goal of establishing the Yukon as a “premier destination for Indigenous tourism experiences.” Through supporting opportunities for improved visitor experiences and awareness to Yukon First Nations tourism, it will result in a “better alignment of cultural and visitor information centres.”
You can access the entire Yukon Tourism Strategy by downloading the guide from the Government of Yukon website here
Spotlight On: Yukon First Nations Cultural Centres
Many of the First Nation communities within the Yukon have designed cultural centres which bring community members together and provide a space in which to share their unique traditions with locals and visitors alike. There are many benefits cultural centres bring to the communities they operate in, including a physical space to archive important historic artifacts, exhibit traditional art, host gatherings and potlatches as well as providing cultural and language programs that educate both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. In recent years, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, many of the cultural centres in the Yukon have sought to expand their offerings; partnering with local organizations in their buildings to expand their prospective market. This has encouraged the promotion of their spaces for event rentals in both the Yukon and across Canada, and has also resulted in the availability of carefully handcrafted First Nations products in giftshops located in these centres.
Please click on the links below to learn more.
Da Kų Cultural Centre (Haines Junction)
Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre (Dawson City)
Haa Shagóon Hídi (Carcross)
Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre (Whitehorse)
Tagé Cho Hudän Interpretive Centre (Carmacks)
Above are just a few examples of the cultural centres that exist in the Yukon. The Yukon First Nation Culture & Tourism Association has created a more fulsome list which can be viewed here.
Indigenous-operated Tourism Businesses in Yukon Cultural Centres are just one example of how Yukon First Nations are creating tourism opportunities, but there are many other Indigenous-operated businesses that are providing authentic cultural experiences that focus on celebrating and revitalizing Yukon First Nations culture.
A core element of Indigenous culture which carries over to Indigenous tourism is the connection to the land and the importance of protecting it for many generations to come. There are different Indigenous tourism offerings that include everything from medicine walks where Yukon First Nations Elders guide visitors through their traditional lands and share their oral histories while creating a place of healing, to craft fairs where tourists can purchase hand-made, authentic Indigenous art to remember their trip. Just like their ancestors before them, many Indigenous tourism operators adjust their offerings as seasons change so that they can be sustainable year-round.
For more information on Indigenous-owned tourism businesses in the Yukon, click here.
Case Study: Kwäday Dän Kenji – Long Ago Peoples Place
Kwäday Dän Kenji or “Long Ago Peoples Place,” was co-founded in 1995 by life partners Harold Johnson of the Champagne and Aishikik First Nations and Meta Williams of the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation. It is an Indigenous-owned and operated, educational tourism business focusing on the pre-contact history of Yukon First Nations people. The camp is a walkthrough style “living” museum displaying structures, objects and tools utilized by First Nation peoples to survive the harsh Yukon environment. Visitors of all ages are invited on a guided tour of the camp to see recreated ancient technologies, such as: caribou fences, fish traps, dead fall traps and eagle feather gopher snares. Their hope is to not only educate the general public about Indigenous culture and ways of life, but also to provide a resource for their own First Nations communities to foster reconnection to the land and encourage pride in their people, in light of the atrocities they have faced. They have adapted their offerings to be year-round and believe in the importance of offering employment opportunities through hiring other First Nations, including the local Southern Tutchone First Nation citizens.
Early on, being one of the first Indigenous tourism operators providing this type of cultural programming, Harold and Meta recognized the importance education plays in managing biases and changing perceptions non-Indigenous people may have about their culture. Their focus on authentic experiences and well-researched cultural programming has made them a leader in Indigenous cultural tourism in the Yukon and an excellent example of ways Indigenous Peoples can share their culture and create a safe space of learning and reconciliation.
Harold Johnson and Meta Williams also set wonderful examples of operations that could be used as guidelines for responsible Indigenous tourism, such as:
- Protection of cultural heritage by ensuring the Champagne/Aishihik traditional lands are protected against exploitation by teaching the importance of living in harmony with nature
- Local purchasing through the harvesting of wood from local areas keeping the buildings authentic to the area and promoting Indigenous suppliers
- Cultural interaction (participation) promoting respectful tourist/operator interactions to develop a mutual cultural understanding and acceptance
- Collaborative interpretation involving the defined, accurate storytelling and narratives talked about in Indigenous communities, since they are being told by the community itself – a great way to cultivate, appreciate and show respect for traditional languages
With the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, meeting staffing requirements has proven to be a major issue. With the decrease in tourism in the Yukon during this time, tourism operators have struggled to sustain their businesses and maintain competitive wages. During the early spring of 2021, Harold and Meta had to release their other employees, which left them as the only two employees and has meant a lot of work for the aging couple. During their guided tour of the camp, Harold reminds people the camp is a “living” museum and, without people, it is no longer living. As Harold says, it is the people that bring the camp to life. Without them, the traditional structures would quickly begin to rot since they are made from natural materials (wood, branches, twine, and clay soil) and need to be rebuilt every year, like in the “old days.”
Thinking about Indigenous tourism operators and the various barriers they face, please answer the following questions:
- How might the operations at Long Ago Peoples Place address some of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action?
- During the Covid-19 pandemic, one major challenge was obtaining consistent staff. What might be some ways to attract employees back to the camp during and after the COVID-19 pandemic?
- What is an educational story you know, read, or heard from Indigenous culture? If required, do some research to learn one; for example, speaking and listening to an Indigenous elder.
Case Study: Carcross Commons
The Carcross/Tagish First Nation (C/TFN) is a clan based First Nation located in Carcross, Yukon Territory, with their traditional territory extending from just outside Whitehorse city limits to Carcross, Tagish and past the border to British Columbia. The people of C/TFN are Tlingit and Tagish and divides into 2 moieties: Wolf and Crow. C/TFN is comprised of 6 clans: Dak`laweidí, Yanÿeidí, Kookhittaan, Gaanaxteidí, Ishkahittaan and Deisheetaan.
The Carcross Commons was established in 2013 with the goal of providing economic opportunities to C/TFN citizens along with educational cultural opportunities for visitors. This venture is part of their brand Destination Carcross and is managed by C/TFN’s non-profit development corporation. As they were constructing the Commons, they initially built totem poles to represent the accomplishments and stories of C/TFN citizens, along with 4 retail units. Over several more building phases, they developed 7 micro-boutiques mounted on trailers, a playground, 8 additional movable retail units, and restroom facilities which rely on water delivery and septic pump out to accommodate Carcross Commons visitors. Carcross Common retail spaces are available to both C/TFN citizens and non-C/TFN citizens as a way to support financial sustainability of the initiative. The Commons has seen over 400,000 visitors since it opened, with 97% from cruise ships that dock in Skagway, Alaska.
Visit the site for Destination Carcross which includes C/TFN’s marketing around the Carcross Commons along with its other tourism offerings and answer the following questions:
- Community engagement is an important factor when creating a business. What steps could the Carcross Commons take to strengthen community engagement and the overall benefit the Commons has for C/TFN citizens?
- Currently, the primary visitor to the Carcross Commons are cruise ship passengers from Skagway. What other market segments could be attracted to the Carcross Commons to help diversity visitation and support increased financial sustainability of the project?
- What other changes could be made to the Carcross Commons to increase its overall sustainability and benefit to the local community?
- What other areas of the Destination Carcross initiatives could be leveraged to support stronger business opportunities and future growth for C/TFN? How?
