Yukon First Nation Self-Governance

◄  Previous (Water Walkers)                                       Next (Chilcotin Oral Storytelling) ►

Name: Mariah MacDonald (Champagne and Aishihik First Nations)
Grades: 10-12
Subject Areas: Social Studies 10-12, BC First Peoples 12
Artefact /Place/ Skill: Yukon First Nation Self-Governance

Making Space

How might teachers prepare their students to work with this content? What background knowledge might be required?

  • Teachers should research the steps that Yukon First Nations took to gain self-governance, these steps took over a century to achieve their own self-reliance
    • Chief Jim Boss – 1902
    • Yukon Native Brotherhood (YNB) – 1968
    • Together Today for Our Children Tomorrow – 1973
    • Self-Government Negotiations -1973-1993
    • Umbrella Final Agreement & First Nation Final Agreements – 1993-2006
  • Teachers should research the Yukon First Nations who have Self-Governments, their location, & their languages
    • Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation – Old Crow – Gwitchin
    • Champagne and Aishihik First Nations – Haines Junction/Whitehorse – Southern Tutchone
    • First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun – Mayo/Keno Hill – Northern Tutchone
    • Teslin Tlingit Council – Teslin – Tlingit
    • Selkirk First Nation – Pelly Crossing – Northern Tutchone
    • Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation – Carmacks – Northern Tutchone
    • Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in – Dawson City – Hän
    • Ta’an Kwach’an Council – Whitehorse – Southern Tutchone
    • Kluane First Nation – Burwash – Southern Tutchone
    • Kwanlin Dün First Nation – Whitehorse – Southern Tutchone
    • Carcross/Tagish First Nation – Carcoss/Caribou Crossing – Tagish
  • Teachers should research treaties around Canada and why Yukon First Nations weren’t offered a treaty.
    • Research why Yukon First Nations that fall under Treaty territory don’t have self-governance & remain under the Indian Act today
      • White River First Nations – Beaver Creek – Upper Tanana
      • Ross River Dena Council – Ross River – Kaska
      • Liard First Nation – Watson Lake – Kaska

Practice Humility

How might non-Indigenous teachers sensitively work with this subject? What might they need to consider in their own positionality?

  • Teachers should research the treaties across Canada and how Yukon First Nations’ lack of a treaty helped them in their process of self-governance
  • Teachers research the important people who were involved in the century-long process of advocating for First Nations Self-Governance
  • Teachers should research the culture of the Yukon First Nations as they’re vast and hold different traditions, languages, and systems of governance
  • Teachers should research Together Today for Our Children Tomorrow, Yukon Native Brotherhood, Self-Government Negotiations, Self-Government Negotiations, Umbrella Final Agreement & the First Nation Final Agreement
  • Teachers should look into the documents that came out of this historical event
  • Teachers should look into the journey Yukon First Nations took to advocate for their right to Self-Govern in Ottawa.

Acknowledge Sources

What can teachers do to find good supporting resources? How should they be cited, especially when it comes to Indigenous knowledges?

 

BC Curriculum Connections

How does it relate to BC Curriculum?

Click on the subject area below to expand the section.

Subjects

Social Studies 10

Big Idea(s):

  • The development of political institutions is influenced by economic, social, ideological, and geographic factors
  • Worldviews lead to different perspectives and ideas about developments in Canadian society

Curricular Competencies:

  • Assess the significance of people, places, events, or developments, and compare varying perspectives on their significance at particular times and places, and from group to group
  • Assess how underlying conditions and the actions of individuals or groups influence events, decisions, or developments, and analyze multiple consequences
  • Explain and infer different perspectives on past or present people, places, issues, or events by considering prevailing norms, values, worldviews, and beliefs

Concepts & Content:

  • Government, First Peoples governance, political institutions, and ideologies
  • Environmental, political, and economic policies
  • Domestic conflicts and co-operation

Social Studies 11

Big Idea(s):

  • Understanding the diversity and complexity of cultural expressions in one culture enhances our understanding of other cultures
  • Indigenous peoples are reclaiming mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being despite the continuing effects of colonialism

Curricular Competencies:

  • Assess the significance of people, places, events, phenomena, ideas, or developments
  • Assess the short-and long-term causes and expected and unexpected consequences of people’s actions, events, phenomena, ideas, or developments
  • Infer and explain different perspectives on people, places, events, phenomena, ideas, or developments

Concepts & Content:

  • Colonialism and contemporary issues for Indigenous people in Canada and around the world
  • Rights of individuals in Canada
  • Methods used by individuals, groups, and organizations to promote social justice

Social Studies 12

Big Idea(s):

  • Understanding how political decisions are made is critical to being an informed and engaged citizen
  • Political institutions and ideology shape both the exercise of power and the nature of political outcomes

Curricular Competencies:

  • Assess the significance of political issues, ideologies, forces, decisions, or developments, and compare varying perspectives on their significance at particular times and places, and from group to group
  • Compare and contrast continuities and changes for different political institutions and organizations at particular times and places
  • Assess how underlying conditions and the actions of individuals or groups affect events, decisions, and developments, and analyze multiple consequences
  • Explain and infer different perspectives on political issues, decisions, or developments

Concepts & Content:

  • Structure and function of Canadian and First Peoples political institutions

Contemporary Indigenous Studies 12

Big Idea(s):

  • The identities, worldviews, and languages of Indigenous peoples are renewed, sustained, and transformed through their connection to the land
  • Indigenous peoples are reclaiming mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being despite the continuing effects of colonialism
  • Indigenous people continue to advocate and asser rights to self-determination
  • Reconciliation requires all colonial societies to work together to foster healing and address injustices

Curricular Competencies:

  • Assess and compare the significance of the interconnections between people, places, events, and developments at a particular time and place, and determine what they reveal about issues in the past and present (significance)
  • Compare and contrast continuities and changes for different groups in different time periods and places
  • Assess how underlying conditions and the actions of individuals or groups affect events, decisions, and developments, and analyze multiple consequences (cause and consequence)

Concepts & Content:

  • Varied identities and worldviews of Indigenous peoples, and the importance of the interconnection of family, relationships, language, culture, and the land
  • Factors that sustain and challenge the identities and worldviews of Indigneous peoples
  • Resilience and survival of Indigenous Peoples in the face of colonialism
  • Community development, partnerships, and control of economic opportunities
  • Responses to inequities in the relationships of Indigenous peoples with governments in Canada and around the world
  • Restoring balance through truth, healing, and reconciliation in Canada and around the world

First Peoples’ Principles of Learning

Which First Peoples’ Principles of Learning apply?

  • Learning recognizes the role of Indigenous Knowledge
  • Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story
  • Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational

Inviting Community

What is one way that teachers could work with community members for this project?

Indigenous Perspectives

How does your lesson relate to decolonization or reconciliation of education?

  • To gather more information on Yukon Self-Governance I would recommend contacting the Yukon First Nation Bands, or the Council of Yukon First Nations

Council of Yukon First Nations

Back to top

Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning
Faculty of Education
Vancouver Campus
1304–2125 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z4
Email decolonize.together@ubc.ca