Walking Together To Revitalize And Recognize Yukon First Nation Languages

Yukon Aboriginal languages are rapidly declining, Tagish, one of the 8 First Nation languages in the Yukon, has now become extinct with no living speakers left. In response to this, Yukon First Nation leaders have given a direct mandate to the Council of Yukon First Nations' Self-Government Secretariat to focus on an initiative, which aims to revitalize and shift the current trend of language loss. 

 The Walking Together To Revitalize And Recognize Yukon First Nation Languages will focus on some key elements:

  • Create a strategic plan for language revitalization under the guidance of key stakeholders;
  • Conduct and analyze research and develop comprehensive models;
  • Assist and support a forum for sharing and providing feedback;
  • Build upon and complement the efforts currently underway by all levels of government-First Nation, Yukon and Canada;
  • Encourage collaboration and cost effectiveness;
  • Increase capacity for all key stakeholders and service providers; and to
  • Create generic models and templates to focus on revitalization and preservation of language projects and programs

Marilyn Jensen is the Coordinator of the program and she will traveling to the communities to visit and have conversations with all of those working on the language front. A Working Group will be established which will consist of a member from each of the 14 Yukon First Nations, this group will build a plan of action to shift the current trend of language loss in the Yukon.