Traditional Ways of Life

Before Europeans came to Yukon in the 1800s, the Indigenous peoples followed the same traditions that they had for centuries. Everything they needed could be found in the natural world around them. Nothing was wasted, and many things were shared. 

Hunting was a crucial part of their livelihood. In order to get enough food throughout the year, hunters had to know how to make weapons and traps to catch different kinds of animals (caribou, moose, beavers, rabbits, etc.) and fish, as well as where to place those traps. Then, once their prey was caught, people had to cook and preserve it. There were important rituals that went along with each of these steps. They had to be done properly in order to make sure that a hunt would be successful and that the animals weren’t overhunted.

Information about the best hunting and fishing places were passed down from one generation to the next. Elders who had years of experience travelling across the land would guide their families to these spots, and for the most part people went back to the same places at the same times every year. Each family had a specific range that they would travel across throughout the year. (Today, those ranges make up part of the traditional territories of the Indigenous peoples of Yukon.)

In the summer months, when the rivers were full of fish, families would camp out at the best fishing spots along Yukon’s many rivers. The late fall and early winter were important times for caribou hunting, because a successful hunt meant there would be a large amount of meat to get through the winter, when it was harder to find food. Many families would work together to capture the caribou.

Every part of an animal was used. Antlers and horns were shaped into spoons, bowls, and tools. The insides of animals were cleaned and used as containers, nets, and even sewing thread. Clothing, shelter, and boats were made from animal skins. Some shelters were also made from wood, as were snowshoe frames and traps. Canoes and baby carriers were made out of tree bark.

The Indigenous peoples of Yukon also knew how to get food from plants and trees. Women were responsible for collecting all kinds of berries, roots, and herbs to eat. They would often take their children with them to go pick fresh fruits, singing and shouting along the way so they wouldn’t surprise any bears, who also liked to eat the berries.  

In the early days, most people moved around from place to place, following the animals they hunted. Because they never stayed in one place for long, they would build temporary shelters that could easily be taken down and carried with them. Lean-tos and circular houses were common, and sometimes they were big enough to fit six families inside! The outside of the shelter was covered in moss, bark, or animal skin, and soft spruce branches were placed on the floor to help keep out the cold. A fireplace was built inside the shelter, so everyone could keep warm and cook their meals.

How did these Indigenous peoples carry their shelters, belongings, and food, plus sick or older people, and babies, across the long distances they had to travel? They didn’t use dog sleds or wooden toboggans back then. Instead, during the winter they pulled everything in toboggans made of animal skin. Most of the time women dragged these toboggans behind them, while the men went ahead to make the trail and keep an eye out for animals to hunt. 

When the snow melted, people would use mooseskin boats to travel along the rivers. These boats could hold up to two families at a time, but could only be in the water for 4-5 hours before they filled with water and had to be dried out. Sometimes it was easier to just tie a few logs together and make a temporary raft.

Culture

Yukon First Nations had many different social groups; bands and households are two examples of these groups. Bands were made up of people who spoke the same language and who were usually related to each other. Band members didn’t all live together in the same place, but they did share the same hunting and fishing areas.

Households were much smaller. A group of adults and children that shared their food, cooked together, and stayed in the same shelter were considered a household. Life in Yukon was hard. People couldn’t live on their own, because many different skills were needed to survive. And if one person fell sick, they needed others to look after them, so it was always better to have more people around. A single household could be made up of three to four families at a time. But First Nations people didn’t always stay with the same household. They could come and go to suit their own needs. 

Before European fur traders came to Yukon, there was a lot of trading between different First Nations groups. Whenever the traders got together, there was always a celebration and feast that took place before the trading began. People would tell stories, play games, dance, and sing.

Songs were used to mark all kinds of special occasions. They were often accompanied by drumming and dancing. Songs and dances were ways of telling stories, and storytelling was an important tradition among Yukon Indigenous peoples. A good storyteller was highly respected, because it was through stories that people shared important history and knowledge. 

Winter was the best time for storytelling. Families would sit together around the fire and take turns sharing stories. Elders would go first, because they knew the most about the history of their people, and could tell many stories about the past. 

Elders were highly respected among the Indigenous people. They had the most experience and knew the most about the land, the people, and the animals. Elders were an important link between the past and the present, passing on traditional knowledge and stories of earlier times. Older people were also thought to be closer to the spirit world, and were believed to have more spiritual power. 

Yukon First Nations were very spiritual. They believed that there were many spirit powers in the universe, and that these powers could exist in anything: mountains, lakes, animals, arrows, and so on. It was important to live in harmony with these spirit powers, because if people made them angry, then bad things would happen.