With guidance from our Elders, Yukon First Nation Leadership and our Citizens, YNLC will strive to adhere to and achieve the strategic objectives and actions of the YNLC 2018-2021 Strategic Plan.

Our Vision

Babies are learning their traditional language as their first language in the home and intergenerational transmission is restored.

Our Values

  • Language must live in the home, with families and throughout the community
  • Language is connected to cultural vitality, land, identity, health and success in life
  • Language learning is lifelong, holistic and across all sectors of society

Our Mandate

YNLC supports YFNs with language revitalization by providing training, capacity building, technical expertise, advocacy and being a central repository for all to access and use.

Our Principles

  • YNLC will respect the self-governing rights and respective language initiatives of YFNs
  • YNLC programs and services will be based on YFN priorities for language revitalization
  • YNLC will be community driven and YFN controlled
  • YNLC will advocate for YFN languages

YNLC and CYFN are proud to announce our inaugural graduation and fluent speaker recognition ceremony. Celebrate all the dedicated language graduates with us!

May 28, 2021 - Livestream starts at 2:00 pm.

Click here to view the 2021 Graduation Ceremony Program (PDF)

Yukon Native Language Centre Update

March 19, 2020 - Please be advised that the Yukon Native Language Centre staff will be working from home where possible, and that the language centre will be closed until further notice. The health and safety of everyone involved in Yukon First Nation language training, curriculum development, archiving and digitizing, recording audio and video and many community language initiatives, and especially work with our Fluent Speakers and Elders, is of the utmost importance to us. Click here for more information.

Events Calendar

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News and Events

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Watch the latest Haa Shagoon videos from Northern Native Broadcasting, Yukon
Registration is now open for Yukon First Nations Language Proficiency Programs - Summer 2022

April 4, 2022 - INLG 433 & 434: Mentor-Apprentice Program I & II - This course supports focused language learning alongside a mentor/speaker in a specific Yukon First Nations Language. Applying ​best practices of life-long language learning, this student-driven course follows the interests of the learner over 40-hours of immersive and direct language learning with a mentor/speaker.

INLG 435: Curriculum & Materials Development II - Course details & registration information coming soon!

Click here for more information.

Season's Greetings from YNLC!
The Yukon Native Language Centre, Council of Yukon First Nations and respective Yukon First Nations, are pleased to provide a poster of “Season's Greetings” in all 8 Yukon First Nations languages. Please do share with as many folks as you can.

View/download the Poster: PDF format or Image (.jpg)format

First Peoples' Cultural Council is hiring!

FPCC is looking for someone to lead the Mentor-Apprentice and YES programs. Click here to view full job posting.

YNLC Translations Every Child Matters Poster

September 24, 2021 - The Yukon Native Language Centre, Council of Yukon First Nations and respective Yukon First Nations, are pleased to provide a poster of “Every Child Matters” in all 8 Yukon First Nations languages. Please do share with as many folks as you can. View/download the Poster: PDF format or Image (.jpg) format.

Celebrate with us vitrually!

Graduation and Fluent Speaker Recognition Ceremony - Friday, May 28th, 2021

Please join us virtually for the inaugural ceremony to honour the 2021 Yukon Native Language Center graduates and fluent speakers at 2:00 pm.

Click here to view the 2021 Graduation Ceremony Program (PDF)

Graduate Certificate in the Linguistics of a First Nations Language

Application Deadline: May 14, 2021
The Graduate Certificate in the Linguistics of a First Nations Language (GCFNL) offers training to students for careers as language researchers, post-secondary educators, and material developers. Students gain expertise in communicative skills, language documentation and analysis of a particular First Nations language.

Click here for more information.

Registration is now open for April Courses

April 1, 2021 - YNLC is pleased to offer two language courses this month:
April 26-30 - SFU INLG 335: Language Revitalization
April 19-23 - SFU INLG 335: Language Learning and Technology. Register early!
Click here for more information.

NRC Video Project Anouncement

March 31, 2021 - The Yukon Native Language Centre, Council of Yukon First Nations and respective Yukon First Nations, are pleased to present this project, completed by the Yukon Native Language Centre. It was created to support community-based language workers throughout the Yukon Territory in applying current best practices in language documentation to create, annotate, share, and preserve high-quality digital video recordings of Yukon First Nations speaking in their Indigenous languages.

Click here to view the NRC Videos.

Northern Tutchone Language Workshop

March 11, 2021 - Hosted in partnership by First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun, Yukon University - Mayo Campus, Council of Yukon First Nations, Yukon Native Language Centre on March 16-18, 2021 at the NNDFN Government House Multi-Purpose Room and Zoom at YNLC in Whitehorse. View the poster for more information.

Registration is now open for Yukon First Nations Language Proficiency Programs - Winter 2021

January 8, 2021 - The Yukon Native Language Center (YNLC) partners with the Simon Fraser University (SFU) and respective Yukon First Nations to offer a language learning program for students who wish to acquire conversational and literacy skills in a particular First Nations language, to teach this language in schools, or to enhance their language for cultural reasons or professional objectives.

All courses are taught with the expertise and knowledge of language revitalization practitioners, linguists and/or fluent speakers. Tuition and student fees are provided for Yukon First Nation citizens. Register now as seats are limited and courses fill up very fast. Registration is now open.

Click here for more information.

Season's Greetings from YNLC
The Yukon Native Language Centre, Council of Yukon First Nations and respective Yukon First Nations, are pleased to provide a poster of “Season's Greetings” in all 8 Yukon First Nations languages. Please do share with as many folks as you can.

View/download the Poster: PDF format or Image (.jpg)format

Rock Your Mocs at YNLC

November 15, 2020 - YNLC staff participate in 'Rock Your Mocs'.
Rock Your Mocs photo

World Virtual Indigenous Circle on Open Science and the Decolonization of Knowledge

November 7, 2020 - The Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the UNESCO Chair in Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education are collaborating in supporting an international webinar series in support of the UNESCO consultations on the creation of a Recommendation on Open Science, an international normative document to be adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in November of 2021.

Webinar takes place Thursday, November 12, 2020 at 10:00am. Click here to Register.

Language Nests as an Emergent Global Phenomenon: Diverse Approaches to Program Development and Delivery

September 24, 2020 - Language nests as an emergent global phenomenon: Diverse approaches to program development and delivery. The International Journal of Holistic Early Learning and Development, 1, 25-38. Chambers, N. A. (2015).

Liard First Nation’s Language Department wins the Council of Federation Literacy Award

September 14, 2020 - YNLC would like to congratulate Liard First Nation’s Language Department on receiving the Annual Literacy Award. Read news story here.

Registration is now closed for Yukon First Nations Language Proficiency Programs - 2020-2021

September 4, 2020 - The Yukon Native Language Center (YNLC) partners with the Simon Fraser University (SFU) and respective Yukon First Nations to offer a language learning program for students who wish to acquire conversational and literacy skills in a particular First Nations language, to teach this language in schools, or to enhance their language for cultural reasons or professional objectives.

All courses are taught with the expertise and knowledge of language revitalization practitioners, linguists and/or fluent speakers. Tuition and student fees are provided for Yukon First Nation citizens. Register now as seats are limited and courses fill up very fast. Registration is now closed.

Click here for more information.

Language Instructors/Tutors and Fluent Speakers Opportunity

September 4, 2020 - The Yukon Native Language Centre (YNLC) is seeking individuals to teach and tutor students for the following courses and is also seeking fluent speakers to support the instructors/tutors.

Instructor/Fluent Speakers Teams are encouraged to apply! Applications will be accepted until August 18, 2020. Please submit a cover letter indicating the language you would like to teach and your ideas on how you would set up the course. Also provide an outline of your teaching experiences.

Click here for more information.

Watch the latest Haa Shagoon Videos from Northern Native Broadcasting, Yukon

View Haa Shagoon Videos

Yukon First Nations Language Proficiency Programs - 2020-2021

August 11, 2020 - The Yukon Native Language Centre (YNLC) – Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) and Simon Fraser University (SFU) are excited to offer another academic year of Yukon First Nations Language Proficiency Programs. If you wish to acquire conversational and literacy skills and/or advanced oral proficiency in your language, then these are the programs for you! All courses are taught with the expertise and knowledge of language revitalization practitioners, linguists and/or fluent speakers. Tuition and student fees are provided for Yukon First Nation citizens. Register now as seats are limited and courses fill up very fast. Registration begins on August 18, 2020.

Click here for more information including Registration and Enrollment Forms.

Teaching Haudenosaunee Languages

June 25, 2020 - Green, Jeremy D. Tehotakerá:tonh. 2018. Teaching Haudenosaunee Languages: A Manual of Methods, Approaches, Techniques, Strategies & Activities Useful and Effective for Teaching Haudenosaunee Languages at Six Nations of the Grand River Territory

A (brief) Introduction to Technology for Language Documentation

June 19, 2020 - Tsi Tyonnheht Onkwawén:na invites you to a three-part workshop with Andrea Berez-Kroeker (University of Hawaii at Manōa) introducing technologies for Indigenous language documentation. If you make audio recordings, transcribe audio, work with audio or video recordings as a language learner or teacher, or create resources with audio or video, this workshop is for you! Registration is limited to 15 participants - please register before Friday, 03 July. Click here to view details.

Kashook’ Áa Ḵaa Ee Dultóowu Yé - Tlingit Language Massive Open Online Course

June 25, 2020 - Outer Coast is excited to be offering its first Tlingit Language open online course. Kashook’ Áa Ḵaa Ee Dultóowu Yé will offer an opportunity for all levels of language learners to practice Tlingit in a welcoming online environment. MCed by X̱’unei Lance Twitchell, this course will invite elders and other teachers from across Southeast Alaska to lead classes and share their knowledge. The course will also facilitate specialized conversation sections where learners of all levels can practice the language with others of their ability.

Kashook’ Áa Ḵaa Ee Dultóowu Yé is offered at no cost to all who wish to participate. This course begins Monday, June 29 and ends Friday, July 31. All sessions will run 7:00 – 8:30pm over Zoom. Click here to view details and register.

Roots and Stems Indigenous language Podcasts from Sealaska Heritage

June 19, 2020 - Roots and Stems explores ways to support and join language revitalization efforts. Hosted by Sealaska Heritage, an Alaska Native nonprofit organization, the podcast features interviews with those in the field sharing their experiences in language learning and community. Click here to listen to podcasts.

"Encouragement Phrases" Posters Available for all Yukon First Nation Languages

May 7, 2020 - The Yukon Native Language Centre, Council of Yukon First Nations and respective Yukon First Nations, are pleased to provide posters and pictures of “Encouragement Phrases” in all 8 Yukon First Nations languages. We hope that these downloadable posters and pictures will provide you, your family and friends with the opportunity to exchange encouraging phrases in your language during this time. Please do share with as many folks as you can and feel free to reproduce as posters, placemats, etc.

Click on your language to view the posters:

Gwich'in, Hän, Kaska, Northern Tutchone, Southern Tutchone, Tagish, Tlingit and Upper Tanana

The Syntax in Tlingit Verbs by James A. Crippen

April 28, 2020 - The Syntax in Tlingit Verbs - A thesis by James A. Crippen

Use of Videoconferencing in Kaska Language by Victoria F. Sear

April 26, 2020 - Connection, Collaboration and Community: Reflections on the use of Videoconferencing in Kaska Language Documentation, Revitalization and Education - A Thesis by Victoria Frances Sear.

kwäjanä̀da kwänì video
April 3, 2020 - "They say there is a sickness going around” video by Luke Campbell – Southern Tutchone – Champagne and Aishihik First Nation. Click here to watch the video.