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Our Elders
Elders from the Yukon and neighbouring areas have contributed in many ways to the work of the Yukon Native Language Centre. For example, they provide information which aids in language documentation, they make recordings from which teaching materials are developed, and they offer guidance in training sessions.
Our Multi-Generational Vision
Babies are learning their traditional language as their first language in the home and intergenerational transmission is restored.
Our Vision 2024-2029
Highly fluent speakers of all ages are advocating for, communicating in, and sharing our languages broadly in all aspects and domains of their lives.
Our Staff Value…
- Safe, comfortable and accessible language spaces, resources, and programs.
- Honouring our ways, our ancestors, our future generations and our languages.
- Driven dedication and hope for full language revitalization and use.
- Grounding our work in connection and respect.
- Relationships and collaboration with Yukon First Nations, our partners, and language advocates.
Yukon First Nation Value Statements
- 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
Our Staff
Kelsey Jaggard
Interim Director
Kelsey was born and raised in Mokinstis, Calgary, Alberta, within Treaty 7, and the traditional territory of the Iyarhe Nakoda – Chiniki First Nation, Bearspaw First Nation, Wesley First Nation, Piikani, Kainia, Siksika, and Tsuut’ina Nations. Her ancestry is from Scotland within the Buchanan and Baird clans. She moved to the Yukon in 2021 where she worked to complete her Masters in Indigenous Education while working at YNLC as a Language Training Coordinator. Since then, she has had the opportunity to work alongside Yukon First Nations with the aim of strengthening the 8 languages within the territory through various programs and initiatives. She holds her hands up to the fluent speakers, Elders, language leaders, and community members who paved the way for this current generation of language learns to walk upon.
Näntsäna Murphy
Office Administrator
Näntsäna, who was given an old Northern Tutchone family name, is Champagne and Aishihik First Nations and grew up in Beaver Creek. She has worked at YNLC as the office administrator over the past 5 years, and has had the privilege to work with and assist people from all over the Yukon in accessing language resources, courses, information, and other requests that arise.
Abigail Turner
Language Resource Officer
Yagee Kadáan łdakát yeewháan, Hello Everyone,
Chʼáakʼ Yádi yóo x̱at duwasáakw Lingít x̱ʼeináx̱ ḵa Abigail áyá ax̱ saayi dléit ḵaa x̱ʼéináx̱. My name in Tlingit is Chʼáakʼ Yádi and Abigail in English. Gusʼkʼiḵwáanx̱ ḵa Daḵlʼawéidi áyá x̱at. I am European & Tlingit, part of the Daḵlʼawéidi clan. Deisleen Ḵwáandáx̱ yei x̱at yatee ḵu.a Kwalinxʼ ḵux̱a.oo yeedát. I come from the Teslin people but live in Whitehorse right now.
I started working for YNLC as part of the Youth Today Language Leaders Tomorrow program in 2021, studying Łingít Yóo X̱ʼatángi. My position as Language Resource Officer began part-time in January 2024, moving to full time this past September. Although I am still learning the ins & outs of my role here, I am keen to help support the creation, and improve the accessibility of language resources across the Yukon. Please reach out to me if you have any questions about existing resources or any ideas for resources youʼd like to see created! Gunalchéesh 
Myles Blattmann
Archivist
Sratthegan uuzhi, Myles Blattmann uuzhi hų guchan kʼi. Ezhet Yukon Native Language Centre zhu edisile, tsʼen Archivist ichi. Iyelan tage cho hudan tsʼin yachi. Dän kʼi eju si husi tsʼen ditthak hų. Mahsi cho ke sedintthak
Connie Jules
Language Training Officer
Yakʼê yagi. Yidát, yì ìn kakkhwanîk, axh shagûn, łingít xhʼênáxh, Khàganê yû xhat duwasâkw, łingít xhʼênáxh, Connie Jules, dlèt khâ xhʼênáxh. Dakhłashà yê xhat yatì. Dèsłìn daxh yê xhat yatî.
Axh tlâ Khàshdáxh Tlâ yû dusagûn, łingít xhʼênáxh, Minnie Jules, dlèt khâ xhʼênáxh. Du tlâ, axh łîłkʼw, Skaydu.û yû dusagûn, łingít xhʼênáxh, Graffie Jules dlèt kha xhʼênáxh. Axh tlâ du îsh, Tsʼitás yû dusagûn Kaska xhʼênáxh, Charlie Jules in English. Axh îsh Khashdúkh yû duwasâkw, łingít xhʼênáxh, Ralph Smarch, dlèt khâ xhʼênáxh.
Axh yátxʼi, dàxʼùnínaxh yatì. Axh síkʼ has, Tludanêxʼi kha Skaydu.û yû duwasâkw, łingít xhʼênáxh, Santana Jules kha Skaydu.û Jules, dlèt khâ xhʼênáxh. Axh yîtkʼ has Kètlshà îsh kha Khàshdáxh,łingít xhʼênáxh, Rod Smarch kha Blayde Smarch, dlèt khâ xhʼênáxh.
Axh yejixhané, yidát, Yukon Native Language Centre. Chʼa àn khu.á, nahîsʼadí kaxh Tu Łidlini Sgûn, jìdáxh. Axh tùwú yakʼê, yâxʼ yê jixhanêyí.
De áwé.
Gunałchîsh
Click here to see translation.
Tina Jules
Curriculum Developer
Axh tuwáa sigóo yéi yee daayaxhakhaayí, gunalchéesh áwé yá Kwanlin Dün Khwáan, kha Ta’an Kwäch’än Khwáan. Hasdu léelk’u hás aaní kát woosh xhoot wutudi.át, yáax’ yéi jitooné, ách áyá sh tóoghaa haa ditee.
Axh shagóon daat yee een kakkhwanéek. Lingít xh’éináxh Skàyda.û yóo xhat duwasáakw. Axh léelk’w, axh tláa du tláa, x̱at uwasáa. Dleit kháa xh’éináxh Tina Jules yóo xhat duwasáakw. Dakhl’aweidí áyá xhát. Dakhl’asháaxh xhat sitee. Ghooch naaxh xhat sitee, Deisleen Khwáandáxh. Lingít kha Kaska Dene shaawádixh xhat sitee. Axh tláa Khàshdáxh Tláa Minnie Jules yóo dusáagun. Axh éesh Khishdúkw Ralph Smarch yóo duwasáakw. Axh léelk’w, axh tláa du tláa Skàyda.û Graffie Jules (Peters) yóo dusáagun. Axh léelk’w, axh tláa du éesh Charlie Jules Ts’itás yóo dusáagun. Mountain Slavey, Deisheetaan, Austrain, French, kha Cree dachxhán áyá xhát.
Axh yátx’i, dàx’ùnínaxh yatì. Axh sík’ has Khashdáxh Tláa, Gádzûsdà, kha Khaxhyêk yóo duwasáakw, łingít xh’ênáxh. Axh yîtk’ At Shukáxh yóo duwasáakw, łingít xh’ênáxh. Axh dachxhánk’i, dáxhnáxh yatí. Axh dachxhánk has Yench Khuwasáaw kha Eilyah.
Kwanlin Aaníx’ khux̱wdzitee. Naataasehéeni kha Taagish aaníx’ yéi xhat yatee. Kwanlinx’ áwé yéi jix̱áné. Haa yóo xh’atángi daakahídi, yóo xh’atánk at wuskóowu alyéixhi áwé axh yéi jinéiyi.
Haa shuká aa hás, kha Haa Shagóon x’éighaa áwé sh tóoghaa xhat ditee. Haa yátx’i sh tóoghaa xhat ditee, has likoodzée áwé. Haa yátx’ich hasdu yóo xh’atángi daat sh tóo amdlitóowu, axh toowú klighéi has kaaxh. Haa yátx’i toowú litseen. Gunalchéesh axh xh’eit yeensa.aaxhí wé yóo xh’atánk yéi jinéiyi daat. X’éighaa at sh tóoghaa xhat ditee i yéi jinéiyi yís. Ldakát uháan, t’éex’déin yéi jitooné haa yóo xh’atángi daat. Gunalchéesh áwé, yéi xh’ayaxhakhá, ldakát axh shuká aa hás, hasdu at wuskóowu, hasdu yóo xh’atángi, hasdu tula.aaní. Hasdu yéi jinéiyich áwé tlíl khut uduxíxch haa yóo xh’atángi. Gunalchéesh áwé ldakát hás axh eet has wudishée.
Click here to see translation.
