Carcross/Tagish First Nation

The Carcross / Tagish First Nation, form one of the three Canadian First Nations in the Yukon, where descendants of the scoring to the Northern Athabaskan Tagish usually live as a minority. Their traditional residential area lay south of Whitehorse and handed southward to northern British Columbia. They lived on the Tagish River between Tagish and Marsh Lake. Today, however you count them culturally and linguistically often to the Tlingit ( Lingít ).

The name Tagish ( " the ice ( of spring ) breaks " ) is the noise, which causes the first breaking ice in the spring, Carcross, however, is the largest town in the region. It lies between Bennett and Nares Lake, between which attracted herds of caribou, therefore Caribou Crossing, Carcross shortly. In Tagish but the place was called Todezane, in Tlingit Natase Hin.

The Carcross / Tagish are descendants of Tagish and Tlingit in the hinterland ( Lingít ) families from the Pacific coast and Taku ( T'aaku Ḵwáan ) (also Geese Flood Upriver Tribe called ) from the Taku River and Auke ( Aakw Ḵwáan ) (also Small Lake Tribe called ) from the Alexander archipelago and the Alaska Panhandle from the vicinity of the present town of Juneau at the Tagish. The natural environments and thus the lifestyle and culture of the two tribal groups there were very different.

During the 19th and 20th century, more and more among the Tlingit already decimated by disease and wars around Carcross Tagish settled, married into the local families and as they soon culturally and linguistically dominated the group, they called themselves and the living with them Tagish later than Tagish Ḵwáan; Kwaan means in Tlingit ( Lingít or Lingít ) about " regional tribal group ", they now saw themselves as a tribal group of the Tlingit on ( former ) Tagish territory. Thus, the Tagish were culturally influenced by the Tlingit.

Today ( September 2013 ) was named one of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, the Carcross / Tagish First Nation 635 tribesmen.

Language

Their language, Tagish ( Tagish or the K'e ), one of the Nordathapaskischen languages ​​in northwestern Canada and is linguistically the neighboring Tahltan ( Tāłtān or Dahdzege ) and Kaska ( Dene Zage ) so close, so some linguists argue Tahltan is a language with three divergent but mutually intelligible dialects ( Mithun 1999).

Today, there are among the approximately 400 Tagish only two speakers, a deaf speaker and a member of the tribe, which is only partially the Tagish powerful as most either Tlingit ( Lingít ), Southern Tutchone or today mostly speak Canadian English is the language most endangered and threatened with extinction.

Lucy Wren ( Agaymā / Ghùch TLA ) is considered the last Tagish ( Tagish or the K'e ) spokeswoman of the Carcross / Tagish First Nation.

History

The original winter village of Carcross / Tagish was about 5 km south of today's Carcross. Excavations proved that here since 4500 years people live.

How many Native American groups of the northwest coast of North America, the Carcross / Tagish were divided into two Moietys, which in turn consisted of six clans - also the inheritance and kinship and relationship through the matrilineal ( maternal line) were marked. The clans of the Wolf Moiety ( Gooch ) were Daklaweidi ( Orka ) and Yanyedi (Wolf ), the four clans of the Crow Moiety ( Crow moiety, or Yeitl ) were called Deisheetaan ( beaver ), Ganaxtedi ( Raven ), Ishkahittaan ( frog) and Kookhittaan ( Crow ). Only between the Moietys could be married, not inside.

These clans were of great importance for the culturally significant potlatches, which were hosted by them. To set up 1912, the last traditional potlatch - Dawson Charlie - Skookum Jim and the Daklaweidi clan. This was already illegal, because the big celebrations were banned by the government in 1884 ( until 1951 ).

Each clan appointed a spokesman, the Kaa Shaa you Heni ( Headman who gets up ), who represented the clan at ceremonies and consultations and had to speak there. Were eligible to vote earlier only the men of the clan, the clan mothers today play an important role. Each clan had its own symbols found themselves on blankets, clothing, etc..

The Carcross / Tagish First Nation maintained numerous paths in the southern Yukon, Alaska and northern British Columbia, including the Chilkoot Trail counted, one of the two main routes of the gold diggers end of the 19th century. This trail has long been a trade route to the coast, where the Tagish established as an intermediary between the coastal Tlingit and Athabascan groups in the north and east. Here were dried seaweed, shells and wooden boxes, but also the hair of mountain goats that were used for the production of traditional Chilkat blankets, and furs of importance.

The harsh climatic conditions forced a nomadic way of life within the meaning of repeated annually migrant cycles. In the summer you went to fish by means of various nets and spears, the fish was dried on big racks and stored as stock. In the autumn was elk hunting in the winter, trapping ( trapping ). The so captured furs were used for clothing, but also the barter and gift market. The women were responsible for collecting berries. Moreover served numerous edible plants both the diet and the restoration of health.

Dawson Charlie and Skookum Jim had triggered the Klondike Gold Rush, which brought tens of thousands of prospectors to the Yukon River and its tributaries. Since the tribal territory of the Carcross / Tagish was closest to the ports over which the mass of men arrived, they were also affected as the first of the consequences. So the newcomers deforested large parts of the area around Lake Bennett to build boats and rafts, which they reached the Yukon River downstream towards Dawson, and for firewood. To feed the numerous newcomers, caribou were hunted, the Southern Lakes Caribou Herd has been almost eradicated.

The local Indians worked as a carrier, often offered the newcomers medical attention and brought many through the winter by they offered food or fuel, shelter or protection.

The construction of the rail link from Skagway to Whitehorse, but ended in Carcross, reached numerous workers in the region. The Carcross / Tagish, negotiated under the Tagish Johns by train and reached that many were hired by them. Even the postal service to Dawson offered jobs.

In the 19th century the influence of Russian missionaries to Alaska, it was noticeable but only in 1899 visited the Anglican Bishop Bompas the southern Yukon. Gustave Johnson worked here as a lay missionary. 1901 drew Bishop Bompas of Forty Mile at Dawson for " Caribou Crossing". There he baptized the first Daisy Mason, daughter of Skookum Jim, who had been one of the triggers of the Klondike Gold Rush. At the residence of the bishop, a converted Roadhouse, 1903 opened the first school. On August 8, 1904, the church was consecrated. 1905 was followed by I. O. Stringer as a bishop. Reverend J. Hawksley 1914 first Yukon Indian Superintendent. On July 30, 1917, the church was moved from the south side of the rapids on the other side of Nores River.

Opened in 1911, the Residential School, had to visit all Indian children. Head was Archdeacon Canham from Fort Selkirk. Soon Indian children came from across the Yukon. The public school was intended for whites only, so that children who left the boarding -type schools, received no formal education.

An even more dramatic upheaval in living conditions brought in 1942, beginning expansion of the Alaska Highway during the Second World War. The numerous American construction worker dragged a disease, there was only a slight resistance against the Indians. Above all, tuberculosis was rampant, and many children were sent to the Charles Camsell Hospital in Edmonton, where they had to live separated from their families for a long time. Tobacco and alcohol were consumed to a significant degree, neglected trapping and hunting, and soon the welfare took the place of independent living. In addition, the Americans introduced the in their states, in part customary racial segregation, so that Indians and blacks were separate courses in cinema, school and restaurant. Chief Johnny Johns tried to make improvements, especially he demanded own land for his tribe.

1947 established the charge of Indians Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development an annex in Carcross, which forced many changes. The potlatches could only be celebrated in secret and on a small scale. In the Residential School English could only be spoken, even other cultural characteristics, such as dances were strictly prohibited. Violations are punishable by fines or imprisonment, at school with corporal punishment.

Only in 1960 were Indians first-ever nationwide participate in elections, in 1961 for the first time. Elections to the Parliament of the Yukon in Whitehorse But the leaders of the Carcross Tagish and how Johnny Johns, initially did not know how to change their position. So they got a information from Australia, and sat on the rights of indigenous people. In the Yukon, the Yukon Native Brotherhood and the Yukon Association of Non- status Indians ( Yansi ) were founded. The latter sought the non-recognized as Indians by the state tribal members. These had often lost their status by the fact that they had left in search of work their tribe, or non- Indians had married. The latter was true for women until 1985, when the corresponding passage in the Indian Act was amended. This split the Carcross / Tagish addition.

Founder of the regional Indian movement were Joanie and Ted Anderson in Whitehorse. Also, Elijah Smith, one of the spokesmen of Yukoners Indian Movement, was among some of the sessions in the Council for Yukon Indians (now Coudert Residence ) present. Smith led Mike Smith and Dave Joe to receive a law degree in order to guide the processes that lay ahead. The main principle was to accept no distinction between status and non- status Indians, but to look at the Yukon Indians as a unit. 1980, the two organizations combined accordingly to the Council for Yukon Indians. These organizations came a women's organization, the Yukon Indian Women 's Association in the 70s. Anne Wally from Kookhittaan communities rose up in the eighties, the first female chief.

In the 60 years were Ida Calmegane from Deisheetaan communities and Annie Auston from the same clan staff of the first Indian organization that included the Yukon, the Yukon Indian advancement association. Clara Schinkel from the same clan was one of the main negotiators with the Government of Yukon, when it came to self-government.

1973 filed a delegation led by Elijah Smith and several Yukon chiefs - including Dan Johnson of the Carcross / Tagish - the prime minister in Ottawa a resolution. This resolution entitled Together Today For Our Children Tomorrow was the beginning of the negotiation process with the government. In the complicated negotiations Edi Bohmer played an important role.

1984, Nacho N'yak Dun and the Carcross / Tagish fought under Chief James Stanley against mere money compensation for the lost land, and there should be no self- government, no hunting and fishing rights. It was only on 29 May 1993, the company entered a contractual agreement, a framework agreement ( the Umbrella Final Agreement ). By 2004, signed 11 of the 14 tribes in the Yukon the contract. Extremely difficult the negotiations on self-government (self -government). The negotiations of the Carcross / Tagish led the representatives of the six clans and Chief Andy Carvill.

The South Klondike Highway was opened in 1978, the rail link to Skagway interrupted its operation from 1982 to 1988. In 1990, however, burned the SS Tutshi, one of the few remaining original ships. 1991 from the railroad depot, the visitor center, 2003, the railway also Carcross was restarted. The Carcross / Tagish built the Four Mountains Resort to participate in tourism.

Archeology

The tribe manages the Tagish North West Mounted Police Post Historic Site 30 km east of Carcross. It was created in October 1897. In the 15 buildings survived 43 officials, who conducted the operations in connection with the collection of revenues and the enforcement of state order. In the archaeological excavation campaign in the summer of 2007, many students of the Carcross / Tagish involved.