There are eight language groupings amongst Yukon First Nations. There are two major language families: Athabaskan and Inland Tlingit. Athabaskan is further subdivided into seven dialects of Athabaskan which are: Gwich'in, Han or Tr'ondek Hwech'in, Upper Tanana, Northern and Southern Tutchone, Tagish and Kaska. The Athabaskan language family extends over an immense area of North America and is the largest language family. The Tlingit people and language originate from Southeast Alaska and they made their way into the Yukon at least 300 years ago to trade with the people of the Interior, the Athabaskans. Many of our people in the Southern areas have both Athabaskan and Tlingit ancestry.