Explore Our Nations

Welcome to the Yukon First Nations!

The Yukon Territory is home to 14 First Nations and 8 language groups.langmap_sm

14 First Nations

  • Carcross/Tagish First Nation
  • Champagne and Aishihik First Nations
  • First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun
  • Kluane First Nation
  • Kwanlin Dun First Nation
  • Liard First Nation
  • Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation
  • Selkirk First Nation
  • Ta’an Kwach’an Council
  • Teslin Tlingit Council
  • Tetlit Gwich’in Council
  • Tr’ondek Hwech’in
  • Vuntut Gwichin First Nation
  • White River First Nation

8 Language Groups
(Coming from two major language families, Athapaskan and Tlingit)

  • Northern Tutchone
  • Southern Tutchone
  • Gwitchin
  • Han
  • Upper Tanana
  • Tagish
  • Kaska
  • Inland Tlingit.

In earlier times there were Inuit speakers living on the Arctic slope of the Yukon; today these people live in Alaska and the Northwest Territories, making brief seasonal travels in the area.

All the Yukon languages have terms for greeting people:

danje – “hello”, “how are you”

gunulscheesh - “Thank you”

Name for Raven – Tsurksi

Name for Wolf – Agay

Name for People – dun, dan, dene

Clans – Daklawedi

Yukon River – Chukon

The native language terms bring a rich resonance to the ancient narratives and preserve important concepts about the land, technology, and beliefs. Elders enjoy speaking their languages in order to pass along the intricate details of their traditional knowledge to younger people and newcomers.  They often say: “We are our language!”[i]

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[i] Yukon, Aboriginal Language Services, Voices of the Elders.