Vuntut gwitchin government, old crow, yukon territory. To preserve, protect, document and promote the culture and language of the vuntut gwitchin. Explore the rich cultural heritage of the gwichin through artifacts, historic and. The existence of the vuntut gwitchin people has been traced back 30,000 years. We exercise our inherent right to self government, to take the responsibility for the general welfare of our citizens, and to provide for the good government of our communities, lands and resources. First nation to the history and culture of the yukon and. The vuntut gwitchin have an ancient history marked by a continued connection to the land and the animals. Online collection of seven gwichin and other alaskan athabaskan legends about the trickster hero raven. Old crow is the northernmost yukon community, located 128 km 80 miles north of the arctic circle at the confluence of the crow and porcupine rivers. Lapierre house is situated among the most remote destinations in north america. Vuntut gwitchin first nation collection vg20010406. For the van tat gwichin, the northern yukon is home, with a living history passed on from elders to. Vuntut gwitchin community yukon first nations tourism.
The youngest vuntut gwitchin chief in recent history only moved back to his home community six years ago after a difficult childhood on the streets of whitehorse. This traditional knowledge book by erin sherry and the vuntut gwitchin first nation is available through the heritage manager natural resources. Bluefish caves, 54 km southwest of the vuntut gwitchin first nation village of old crow, overlooks the bluefish river, a tributary of the porcupine river cinqmars 1979. Vuntut gwitchin first nation final agreement executive council. The firelight group with vuntut gwitchin government 7 1 introduction this project was initiated by the vuntut gwitchin government vgg to better understand environmental change in their traditional territory, and how this change has been tracked over time. The yukon historical and museums association handed out the 36th annual yukon. The john tizya centre in vuntut national park is a place for visitors to learn about the culture and huntergatherertrader history of the vuntut gwitchin people, the most northern community in the territory. The cultural centre is named after john tizya, a respected vuntut gwitchin elder, educator, trapper, catechist, and hunter, who raised his family on the land and built one of the first cabins at the site of present day old crow. The whole area of crow flats is covered by small and large lakes, thus giving our name. Vuntut gwitchin chief dana tizyatramm covid19 response. For gwichin people, arctic drilling poses a threat to caribou and culture. The vuntut gwitchin first nation is a first nation in the northern yukon in canada. The centre has an exciting exhibition area, with displays of the vuntut gwitchin s dynamic culture, the porcupine caribou herd, the landscape and oral history. Land of the vuntut gwitchin an informative site about the geography, history, and culture of the gwitchin community of old crow.
Vuntut gwitchin s lawyers, krista robertson and statnyk, gave their submissions on feb. Earlier this week, members of the vuntut gwitchin first nation and the gwichin tribal council met in fort mcpherson, n. People of the lakes by vuntut gwitchin first nation. Read natural resource policy recommendations for the. Firth was also a major contributor to the book whitehorse. Firth is the author of several books relating to yukon heritage. The head of the family, the captain of the corral, was called dinjii chit, same as camp boss when a hunt was planned, some young men were sent to bring the caribou in. For gwichin people, arctic drilling poses a threat to. The latter book, published in 2019, captures the story of one of the yukons oldest, and most haunted hotels. Vuntut gwitchin government reserves the right, but is not obligated, to remove comments or posts that are racist, sexist, abusive. Read natural resource policy recommendations for the vuntut gwitchin first nation. The heritage branch consists of four full time staff members and a number of part time or seasonal professionals. A traditional knowledge book by erin sherry and vuntut gwitchin firs. Vuntut gwichin first nation cultural orientation and.
Vuntut gwitchin look to correct mismarked cultural sites. The book begins with an introduction to gwichin oral history, which provides an. Vuntut gwitchin is the name of people who live in the settlement of old crow, yukon. Traditional knowledge book by erin sherry and vuntut gwitchin first nation. These caves, located on the traditional territory of the vuntut gwitchin, contain evidence of.
Applying the charter, robertson argued, is the incorrect way to address dicksons issue with the residency requirement. Written by indigenous scholar bob joseph, this book is a guide to understanding the legal document. The trump administration, eager to explore alaskas oil reserves, is planning seismic tests on the calving grounds. Old crow vuntut gwitchin first nation oral history edit the gwich. Traditional knowledge book by erin sherry and vuntut gwitchin first nation excerpt from the land still speaks. This vuntut gwitchin first nation final agreement has been initialled by the negotiators for the vuntut gwitchin first nation, the government of canada and the government of the yukon, signifying their intent to recommend the vuntut gwitchin first nation final agreement for ratification in accordance with chapter 2. It had 221 inhabitants as of 2016, most of them gwichin. Yukoners honoured for their contributions to yukon. Zur mit dem aboriginal history book prize ausgezeichneten publikation vgl. The name vuntut gwitchin derives from our annual muskrat trapping season, where we move approximate 27 miles north from old crow, for the months of april to june. The language originally spoken by the people is gwich.
For thousands of years the tundra, forests, lakes, rivers, and mountains of the north yukon sustained the ancestors of modern gwitchin. The name in the gwichin language means people of the lakes. Vuntut gwitchin first nation community of old crow vuntut gwitchin first nation history old crow is the only yukon community located north of the arctic circle. Gwichin downloadable learner resources about these resources. Vuntut gwitchin government vgg in two excellent books. For the van tat gwichin, the northern yukon is home, with a living history.
Through culture camps, language workshops, storytelling events, and trips out. The chapter entitled, gwichin history and culture was written by ingrid kritsch and alestine andre and is one of nine chapters in this guide book. The vuntut gwitchin first nation holds claim to this massive wilderness area known as niiiliinjik where fish spawn. Situated on the banks of the porcupine river, old crow is accessible only by aircraft or by. Vuntut gwitchin electoral district news newspapers books scholar jstor december 2009 vuntut gwitchin is an electoral district which returns a member known as an mla to the legislative assembly of yukon in canada. A first nations peoples who belong to the vuntut gwitchin first nation. Until about 1840, gwichin traders travelled great distances and traded through middlemen known as trading chiefs. The john tizya centre is located in old crow, the only yukon community located north of the arctic circle.
The centre houses the vuntut gwitchin government heritage offices where oral history research, traditional land mapping and cultural skills are part of the daily work. Named after one of the communitys most respected elders, the centre has audio recordings of other elders sharing their traditional. The vuntut gwitchin first nation examined the level of contaminants, like cadmium and mercury, in the bodies of 77 old crow residents. Vuntut gwitchin chief dana tizyatramm said this morning from old crow the resolution received solid support last saturday, the third and final day of the first nations annual general assembly. The vuntut gwitchin first nation has voted to rejoin the council of yukon first nations cyfn as an associate member. Lessons from an industry impacted first nation in northern b. People of the lakes stories of our van tat gwichin elders googwandak nakhwachanjoo van tat gwichin was inspired by the vuntut gwitchin elders and vuntut gwitchin heritage committee, who directed the oral history research and subsequent production of the book. The community was a gathering spot for families going down the porcupine river to trade.
The vuntut information and operations centre highlights the natural and cultural treasures to be found in vuntut national park and elsewhere in vuntut gwitchin traditional territory. This book consists of oral accounts that the elders have been recording for 50 years, representing more than 150 years of their history, all meticulously translated from gwichin. His next book will recount the story of father mouchet and his contribution to crosscountry skiing in the yukon. Vuntut national park protects the northern part of the vuntut gwitchin first nation traditional territory, and is valued as a place where gwichin teachings are passed from generation to. The vuntut gwitchin government has been careful about the way visitors interact with community members for this reason. This page provides links to digital copies of language lessons, literacy session booklets, and story books that have been prepared over the past thirty years by the yukon native language centre and elders and community members from gwich. In old crow on february 9, 2010, a history of the vuntut gwitchin based on 10 years of community research was launched. The niiinliinjik fishing branch territorial park is a sacred area with a long history of special use. Old crow teechik in gwichin is a community in the canadian territory of yukon. The vuntut gwitchin people have a strong cultural connection to.
For an oral history account of the vuntut gwitchin people in their own words see people of the lakes. Mary kassi vuntut gwitchin oral history collection lapierre house. It was established in 1995 as part of the vuntut gwitchin first nation final agreement, to conserve, protect and present to canadians a portion of the north yukon natural region, to recognize vuntut gwitchin history and culture, and to protect the traditional and current use of the park by the vuntut gwitchin. Belongings from the land has been developed in collaboration with the gwichin social and cultural institute. Nakhwach anjoo van tat gwichin this book is a history of the vuntut gwitchin based on ten years of community research that was released in february 2010. Vuntut gwitchin first nation many people have a mental picture of the canadian north that juxtaposes beauty with harshness. Van tat gwichin shirleen smith, vuntut gwitchin on.
We exercise our inherent right to self government, to take the responsibility for the general welfare of our citizens, and to provide for the good government of. Nakhwachanjoo van tat gwichin this book is a history of the vuntut gwitchin. To visit old crow, journalists, filmmakers, researchers, and tourists must fill out an application form, providing the government with information about the purpose of their visit, the people they will be interacting with, and. For the van tat gwichin, the northern yukon is home, with a living history passed on from elders to youth. A traditional knowledge book by erin sherry and vuntut gwitchin first nation. We are the vuntut gwitchin of the north yukon, with boundless pride in our ancient cultural heritage and ancestral homelands.
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