The Yukon Native Language Centre is excited to release our first YNLC Newsletter “Neek” – meaning News or To Tell in Tlingít.
The goal of Neek is to ensure Yukon First Nations, community partners, language staff, citizens, and the public stay connected and informed about the work YNLC is carrying out to uphold all Yukon First Nation languages. Within each issue, you will find updates on the array of language initiatives, programming, and projects that the Yukon Native Language Centre is undertaking to bring Yukon First Nation languages back to the forefront of peoples everyday lives. Future issues will include Community Spotlights: Highlighting a Yukon First Nation’s language initiatives and staff, language comics, audio links and more!
At YNLC, we recognize the health and well-being of Yukon First Nations people is intricately linked to citizens knowing and speaking their ancestral languages, understanding and having pride in their histories, and being able to share that knowledge with future generations. These understandings are reflected in YNLC’s updated 2024 – 2029 Strategic Plan that builds off of the re-envisioned mandate and path forward laid out in 2017 by Yukon First Nations.
I canʼt say enough about the amazing YNLC staff I am humbled to work along side everyday at the Centre; their commitment to the growth and revitalization of Yukon First Nation languages is what continues to inspire me. From digitizing recordings of speakers, childrens book translations, Mentor Apprentice Programs, full-time language programs, to curriculum framework development, the staff at YNLC are consistently going above and beyond to increase access of language materials, capacity, and training. Join me in holding up their accomplishments as they share about their work in the following pages.
We look forward to seeing you in the Centre soon!
Kelsey Jaggard
More About Kelsey: I have had the pleasure of being the Yukon Native Language Centreʼs Interim Director since May 2023 and witnessed the important efforts of communities and staff working towards the perpetuation of Yukon First Nation languages. I 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, and Wesley Frist Nation, and Piikani, Kainia, Siksika, and Tsuutʼina Nations. However, my ancestry is from Scottland within the Buchanan and Baird clans. I moved to the Yukon in 2021 where I worked to complete my Masters in Indigenous Education while working at YNLC as a Language Training Coordinator. Since then, I have had the opportunity to work alongside individuals from all 14 Yukon First Nations with the aim of strengthening the 8 official languages within the territory through various programs and initiatives which you will learn about in this issue. I hold my hands up to the fluent speakers, Elders, languages leaders, and community members who paved the way for this current generation of language learners to walk upon.
Youth Today: Language Leaders Tomorrow
The Youth Today, Language Leaders Tomorrow (YTLLT) program launched itʼs second cohort of youth language trainees to learn their ancestral Yukon First Nation (YFN) language on a full-time basis in August 2024.
Elder Edarume’ Alyce Joe and Northern Tutchone trainees at hide camp.
The goal of the YTLLT program is to foster future generations of leaders who will contribute to the strengthening of their languages, pursue careers in languages, and become language champions to carry their languages into the future. This new cohort is made up of 14 language trainees and focusses on three of the eight Yukon First Nation Languages: Hän, Dän Kʼí (Northern Tutchone), and Tlingít. Each cohort consist of 4 – 5 language trainees, and one language coordinator to connect them with community language initiatives, fluent speakers, language classes, land-based learning, and immersion sessions. Since August 2024, the various cohorts taken part in hide-tanning camps, First Hunt, met with fluent speakers, taken part in weekly language classes and language revitalization courses, started genealogy and language research projects, and will be launching their first resource development project in the coming weeks.
Based on feedback from the previous YTLLT cohort, YNLC worked to secure a home-based learning environment for the Hän students in Dawson City, and the Dän Kʼí and Tlingít students in Whitehorse with the hope of normalizing learning spaces that reflect studentʼs everyday lives. The program also hopes to strengthen trainees skills in language advocacy and leadership training that they can bring into their future careers. While the language trainees are in the early stages of their journey, YNLC is beyond excited that many of the trainees wish to become language teachers within Early Childhood Education and the K-12 system, Linguists, and Community Language Leaders!
This program would not be possible without the financial contribution of the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate, the Yukon Native Language Centre, and partnerships with Teslin Tlingít Council, Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin, and Carcross Tagish First Nation. The current program has guaranteed funding until August 2025, however, we envision it growing into a multi-year program to ensure students reach high-intermediate to advanced oral fluency.
From 2021- 2023, the Youth Today, Language Leaders Tomorrow pilot program Kwä̀dąy Dän Tän Yíx Yaa Yana.at Aa, meaning “We Walk the Path of Our Ancestors”, saw 11 graduates of the program and laid the foundation for the current three cohorts. All 11 graduates have gone on to gain language revitalization positions within their First Nation or within community organizations. Atléin Gunalchéesh, Ngha Shä̀wníthän to the first YTLLT cohort who serve as today’s language leaders and positive role models for other learners.
YFN Languages Curriculum Initiative
The Yukon Native Language Centre (YNLC) has embarked on a multi-year project to develop a progressive, sequenced language curriculum framework, guiding learners from beginner to fluent speaker. This initiative will create a Yukon First Nations curriculum framework adaptable to specific languages, cultures, and communities. The framework will support various lifelong language learning programs, including pre-natal, traditional parenting, early learning, K-12 language programs, adult post-secondary education,
Team members, Elders, and youth discussing how people learn language.
land-based learning, immersion programs, Mentor Apprentice Programs, healing programs, and more. Additionally, this project will provide tools for language teachers and program planners across these diverse programs, such as:
The project is in partnership with and supported by the Council of Yukon First Nations, First Nations School Board, and the Yukon First Nation Education Directorate. Language experts from the Gwich’in, Hän, Southern Tutchone, Northern Tutchone, Upper Tanana, Tagish, Kaska, and Lingít language groups comprise a Language Technician Team that provides advice, guidance, and language expertise for the project. The project outcomes will be community-driven, with local input shaping the development of tailored language curricula for different Yukon First Nations. Guided by a cross-section of Elders, fluent speakers, language teachers, language coaches, the Language Technician Team, and youth representatives, the project is rooted in Yukon First Nation ways of being, knowing, and doing, honoring past and current work in First Nations language curriculum. It incorporates research on related models and best practices to support the development of full fluency for language speakers with a strong cultural identity.
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The curriculum, teaching methods, and assessment approaches come from the creator, the land, and the ancestors.
In the 2023/2024 fiscal year, YNLC hired a Curriculum Development Specialist and Research Assistant to co-develop the curriculum framework and conduct language research. The team hosted three in-person and two online Language Technician Team Meetings, including Elders and youth representatives, developed a phased project plan, has recorded numerous videos of Yukon First Nations people that will inform the framework and established partnerships to support the program. Funding for the project has been secured until the end of June 2026.
Elder Chughala Lorraine Allen telling her story at a curriculum meeting with Shänch’ea.
Archives
CYFN and YNLC archive staff are working to develop archival policies to ensure that the Yukon First Nation language records are protected and accessible. As well as continuing our in house work to sort all of the material in all the different mediums and formats (audio/video/textual, etc) and connecting them together.
We are currently gearing up for another round of audio cassette digitization. We are getting our audio cassette decks serviced and looking at which recordings will be digitized this year. In previous years we have digitized cassettes based on lists of prioritized recordings provided by Yukon First Nation Governments. We still follow these lists, we are beginning to prioritize recordings that are related to our public resources, such as our noun dictionaries and books. In addition to the audio cassettes, we are going to start committing some of our time to scanning the transcripts that were created with the cassettes.
While all of this work is extremely time consuming, all of these resources are and will continue to be helpful tools in language revitalization efforts that drives YNLC.
Read Along Storybooks
We are excited to share that we now have 21 YNLC storybooks in 6 different languages, in a read-along format on our website! This means you will be able to listen to a speaker read the book as you follow along, with/without english subtitles. To access these books, select a language under the Language Resources bar and scroll down to the storybook section, or click here to see all read alongs.
If youʼre interested in creating your own read-along book, check-out the written instructions under the Teaching Resourcesbar. In addition to this, we will soon have an instructional video to help walk you through the process.
If you notice any typos as you follow along, please email aturner@ynlc.ca.
A Project in Progress
The Robert Munsch translation project, which has been in the works since 2021, is finally nearing completion! We currently have 17 books, in 4 different languages that are in various stages of the design process, with a number of others in the linguistic vetting process.
Elder Keyishi Bessie Cooley translating a book into Tlingít.
Project partners include First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun, Champagne and Aishihik First Nation, Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation, Carcross/Tagish First Nation, Liard First Nation, Kluane First Nation, and Selkirk First Nation. Support for this project was through the Community Development Fund. We are looking forward to sharing these with you!
300-Hour Intermediate Mentor Apprentice Program
YNLC launched its first pilot 300-hour Intermediate Mentor-Apprentice Program (MAP) in February 2024! The Mentor is the speaker, and the apprentice is the language learner. MAP is a program that is used by many endangered Indigenous Languages and is grounded in a natural learning process. Prior the development of the Intermediate MAP , YNLC and Simon Frazer University SFU) have delivered MAP as part of the Oral Language Proficiency Certificate and Diploma.
In February, YNLC hosted orientation for the teams over two weekends to get them started in a good way, to establish relationships with each other and to learn immersion-based techniques to practice with a speaker, as well as independent study methods.
The initial part of the program consisted of 9 Mentor-Apprentice language teams learning Kaska Dene, Dän Kʼè, Dän Kʼí, Tlingít and Gwichʼin throughout the territory.
MAP teams at orientation February 2024.
Activity-Based Immersion Approach
The intermediate MAP is based on learning language through activity-based immersion with a focus primarily on understanding, listening and speaking. The speaker and the learner do the activities together, with a conversation going back and forth. The idea of an intermediate MAP program is for the learner to gain speaking exposure every day or at least 10 contact hours per week with a speaker in immersion.
Elder Stanley Njootli Sr. and Sophie Flather demonstrating immersion set.
Strengthens Oral Proficiency through Conversation
Mentor Apprentice Programs have shown positive impacts for program participants such as improved oral proficiency, strengthening of intergenerational relationships with a speaker and a learner as well as improved mental well-being and an increase in learners pursuing further language learning opportunities. Upon comple
Duration
The program provides opportunities for intermediate-level language learners to focus on speaking and understanding their language in every-day and cultural contexts, by working one-on-one with a Language Mentor or Fluent Speaker for 10 hours per week. This intensive program has teams spending 300-immersion hours in the target language throughout the 9-month program, 30 weeks.
Financial Support
Mentors are paid an hourly wage for their time and knowledge they are sharing with apprentices, and apprentices receive a stipend upon every 100 hours of completed time with the speaker, along with an oral assessment to demonstrate your learning.
Post-Secondary Accreditation
Apprentices are eligible for credits through Simon Fraser University upon completion of an oral assessment with the Speaker, Apprentice, Program Coordinator and YNLC Training Officer.
Elder Annie Bernard and her apprentice, Winnie.
Current & Future Courses
Fall 2024 Courses
Students in the Language Revitalization class created language maps to based on environmental scans of their ancestral languages. Students were responsible for researching speakers of the language, orthographies, dialects, virality, available resources and courses in the language, and their stories, histories, and traditional laws to help guide them in their journey.
Other courses offered this fall include:
Introduction to Phonetics
Advanced Tlingít Grammar II
Hän Level 1
Meet our staff
Näntsäna Murphy
Office Administrator
Hi folks, my name is Näntsäna, an old Northern Tutchone family name that was passed down to me. I have worked at YNLC as the office admin. over the past 5 years, and have 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. I hope you enjoy this snapshot into the happenings of YNLC and all the hard work from our staff.
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 🙂
