Thirty years of Yukon First Nations language resources goes online

FOR RELEASE
July 23, 2018

The Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN)’s Yukon Native Language Centre (YNLC) has digitized nearly 10,000 pages of language resources in all eight Yukon First Nations languages. The collection includes literacy sessions, language lessons and storybooks that have been created and collected over the past 30 years.

To digitize the collection, YNLC collaborated with the Government of Yukon’s Department of Education First Nations Programs and Partnerships (FNPP) unit and Carleton University. Until now, the resources were only available in hard copy at the Language Centre.

The resources are now available for searching, downloading, printing and offline use for free on YNLC’s website, ynlc.ca, by clicking ‘Languages’ on the menu bar.

Quote

Making Yukon First Nations language resources readily available will significantly increase the potential for language revitalization. It is a major step toward the collective goal of increasing the number of First Nations language speakers in the Yukon.

CYFN Grand Chief Peter Johnston

Quick facts

  • The eight recognized indigenous languages of the Yukon include Gwich’in, Han, Upper Tanana, Northern Tutchone, Southern Tutchone, Kaska, Tagish and Tlingit.
  • In 1977 the Yukon Native Languages Project was begun by the Council of Yukon Indians, now the Council of Yukon First Nations.

Contact

Juliann Fraser
CYFN Communications Advisor
867-393-9200 ext 9223
juliann.fraser@nullcyfn.net