Champagne and Aishihik First Nations
Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, the form together a Canadian First Nations in the Yukon.
They belong to the Athabascan language family, more precisely to the Southern Tutchone. The name is derived from the two main settlement places around Champagne on Dezadeash River, and thus in the drainage area of the Yukon, and Aishihik in the catchment area of the Alsek River, which flows into the Gulf of Alaska. However, most of them live today at Haines Junction, some also Klukshu. Their traditional territory EXTEND up in northwestern British Columbia, where only 12,000 of the 41,000 km ² of its territory lay. Places like Kloo Lake, Klukshu, Canyon, Shäwshe and Hutshi are uninhabited today.
The Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development reckoned in 2001 exactly 550 members. The Aboriginal Canada Portal is at 729 tribesmen. The trunk itself is the number of members with 1,129.
Chief is Diane beach, Kathy Van Bibber is one of the six Councils ( councilors ).
The two tribes were among the first in 1993 to First Nations who completed the Yukon Territory a land rights agreement.
History
Early History
Earliest livelihood may have been the caribou herds, but also elk, sheep and marmots, hares and to Alaska pikas. Then there were birds and fish, especially salmon. The harsh climate required a semi-nomadic life, where families in spring and summer camps for fishing came together, but also in the short autumn to hunt.
Possibly from its trading partners, the Tlingit, especially the Chilkat who bartered primarily furs, they took over plank houses. But most probably lived in shelters made of twigs, branches and skins. The clothing was adapted to the climate.
Shamans did himself as a healer and were responsible for contacting with spiritual powers. They also helped in locating prey.
From the end of the Ice Age to 5000 BC
More than 10,000 years, people lived in the territory of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations today. The oldest find is a caribou antler tool which could be dated to 9300 BC. The former hunter followed woolly mammoths, bison and horses, which have died out later.
Around 8000 BC, the majority of the glaciers had melted, but covered two millennia numerous lakes in the region. Forests established only slowly. The oldest tool tradition of the Yukon is known by her first locality as Northern Cordilleran, a mountainous region in northern British Columbia. The stone projectile points were quite large, the tools they won of rough stones, came to graver. The inhabitants were highly mobile and did little with them.
Micro Blades, 5000 to 3000 BC
By 5000 BC the massive tools were replaced by Kompositwerkzeuge in which bone, antler and especially very small blades ( micro blades ) were assembled into tools.
Notched tips
Around 3000 BC changed the art of tool making. The Micro Blades disappeared and were replaced by sideways notched (side- notched ) spearheads, and a wide range of scratches. For the first time it can be shown that based on fishing seasonal migration. The annual spawning trains of salmon were established. This phase is referred to as the Northern Archaic tradition.
Volcanic eruptions in the area of the White River and the late prehistoric period (ca. 100-1750 )
The region of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations is characterized by strong volcanism. In the area of the White River, near the border of Alaska and Yukon, occurred at 100 and 800 AD, two of the largest volcanic explosions. The second disaster with enormous rain of ash, which probably brought the life in the region almost to extinction, the Late Prehistoric (late prehistoric ) followed called phase.
For the first time copper was processed, a material that was widely traded from the White River area. It was made into tools such as awls and arrow tips, but also to jewelry. Bow and arrow are likely to be due to the influence of the Inuit.
Obsidian came about from the St. Elias Mountains, red and gold and white chalcedony agates came from the area of Carmacks and the Mount Nansen to the west, the southern Tutchone negotiated with various types of stone.
On August 14, 1999, about 160 to 340 years old 's body was discovered, the ausaperte from a glacier in Tatshenshini - Alsek Provincial Wilderness Park. The soon to the name Kwäday Dän Ts'ìnchį body of well- frozen, about 20 -year-old man who was also called the " Canadian Iceman " (analogous to the Iceman ), and ( Long Ago Person found) received - from the Southern Tutchone about: " long ago person found " - and associated artifacts, such as a carved stick, a hat made of wood fibers and an atlatl, plus a leather bag with edible leaves and remains of fish were brought to Whitehorse. He was accompanied by representatives of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, was made in the traditional territory of the Fund. The BC Iceman The Iceman from British Columbia, was also examined genetically. 240 members of the First Nations could compare their genes, and it turned out that 19 were related of them with the dead, 17 of them from the wolf clan.
First Europeans and Klondike Gold Rush
Europeans and Tlingit encouraged the winter hunting, so that the phases of the common Siedelns in the two Tutchone strains were shorter. This in turn promoted the dispersal of families. The area of the two strains was one of the few that had not been visited by Europeans, because this prevented the Tlingit, especially the Chilkat. Further north destroyed the Chilkoot 1852 a trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company, to protect their trade monopoly. Therefore, only a few gold seekers arrived in the region. The Chilkat provided in return edible seaweed, baskets made of wood fibers, shells, from which jewelery could be prepared, slaves, but also European trade goods and the coveted fat of the candle fish ( Eulachon ).
This situation changed with the Klondike Gold Rush from 1896. Well over 100,000 whites came to the region, but the Chilkoot and Chilkat monopolized now on their passports, which were the only access from the coast to Dawson, the works that were incurred for themselves. So they worked only as a carrier.
But already in 1901 presented the Indians only slightly more than 10 % of the population in the Yukon. The Canadian government was not only succeeded in the state's authority over the masses maintain gold digger, but she also won increasingly over the Indians. Also contributed to missionaries.
Alaska Highway, land claims and self-government
Haines Junction was established since 1942 with the construction of the Alaska Highway and served as a supply depot for up to 20,000 road workers. From 1943 arose, often along ancient trade routes, the, the Haines Highway connects the Alaska Highway to the Alaskan Haines over the Chilkat Pass.
To protect wild stocks from the hunters who came to the region with the road construction, the Kluane Game Sanctuary was set up from the 1972 22,015 km ² Kluane National Park emerged (pronounced Klu -ah- nee ) Its name derives Lu'An of Munich, a Tutchone - word that means " lake with many fish " means from. The park headquarters is located in Haines Junction, and the place became the main access point to the National Park.
1973 began the struggle between the two tribes around their territory with a program of Elijah Smith called Together Today for our Children Tomorrow, which he handed to the Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau. Dave Joe was the chief negotiator of the Yukon Indians, the later Council of Yukon First Nations. Of great importance also had the Harry Allen and Dorothy Wabisca, also chief Paul Birckel.
1993 there was a first agreements with four tribes, among them the Champagne and Aishihik, which since then have an area of 2427 km ². Champagne and Aishihik First Nations The Management since 1995 with the park, which also applies to the Tatshenshini - Alsek Provincial south park.
Nine of the eleven strains of the Council of Yukon First Nations ( CYFN ) have now can enter into contracts for land claims and self-government. Most government functions are since then in her hand.
Current Situation
Adopted in 1998, the tribe 's first laws on income tax and for fishing. You have 1999 full force since January 1. The Indians go for part return to their traditional hunting and fishing activities in accordance to secure their livelihood, which was forbidden them around fifty years.
On 4 February 2009, representatives of the First Nation and the Government of Yukon's a contract that will be to teach bicultural in kindergarten, that is, to take into account the Euro -Canadian and Native American culture equivalent. For schools currently an appropriate curriculum is developed, which should explicitly encourage the use of the Southern Tutchone. In autumn 2009 a corresponding instruction at the " St. Elias School " in Haines Junction begins. Since 2008, administrative employees are trained in cooperation with the Yukon College to the needs of the First Nation. The number of participants in training in March 2009 amounted to 30
By 2011, a cultural center to be completed.