Yukon Native Language Centre

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Yukon Native Language Centre The Yukon Native Language Centre supports Yukon First Nations through revitalization initiatives.

On September the 23rd, the Dän Kʼí Intensive Language Program kicked off with 14 participants.The program focuses on b...
10/13/2026

On September the 23rd, the Dän Kʼí Intensive Language Program kicked off with 14 participants.

The program focuses on building cultural identity through storytelling and conversation. Students are learning place names and landforms, the importance of prayer, different animals we hunt for, as well as the Dän Kʼí values (Łeyatsʼeli – Sharing, Łekatsʼete – Caring, Natsʼintráá – Respect, Hatsʼedän – Learning/Teaching).

They had the privilege to meet and learn from Elder mentors Judith Kuster (Ukanätthäd), Elly Shorty (Hädinchäwa) and Anne Ranigler (Enkhumé) who we are always grateful to visit with and learn from.

The learners are doing a fantastic job! Congratulations to our future language teachers.

Dän yunji hatsʼedän, nayełęą zhí hunji. – We are learning to speak our language with our friends. 🧡

YNLC 2026 Fluent Speaker Recognition series. 🧡This week, we celebrate Táli Udhát - Eileen Gayle (Nieman) Miersch, a flue...
10/06/2026

YNLC 2026 Fluent Speaker Recognition series. 🧡

This week, we celebrate Táli Udhát - Eileen Gayle (Nieman) Miersch, a fluent Dän Kʼí speaker from White River First Nation.

Táłi Udhát Eileen Gayle Nieman is the second child of Näts’aya Agnes (Jack) Nieman and Paul Nieman Senior. Her maternal grandfather Ehjuk Copper Jack gave her this Northern Tutchone name after his favourite food, freshly fried jackfish livers.

During her childhood growing up in Snag, Eileen spent most of her time from age two at the home of her grandparents, Ehjuk Copper Jack and Nänts’äna Jessie Jack. She credits all the time spent with her Gramma and Grampa for learning to understand and speak Northern Tutchone. “That’s why I’m fluent in my language.”

Eileen attended school in Whitehorse, staying at Christ the King convent, up until Grade 10. She then took jobs waitressing at various establishments along the Alaska Highway, including Beaver Creek where she worked for quite a while for Clyde and Helen Wann.

While working for the railway at the Bennett B.C. Station on the White Pass and Yukon Route, Eileen met her first husband, Larry Roth. They were married in 1964 at what she remembers as the “biggest wedding ever” in Skagway with the wedding reception at the Golden North Hotel.

In 1966, their first child, Larry Junior, was born. He was followed by Tara Leah two years later. A highlight of Eileen’s time in Skagway was joining a group of women, dressed in period costume to greet the arrival of Westours new cruise ship, the Polar Star.

In 1969, Eileen moved to Whitehorse to be near her parents. She met her second husband Glen Elroy Miersch in 1973. They had two girls: Glenda Agnes (b. 1974) and Eileen Blanche (b. 1976). Glen passed in 1983. Tragically, Eileen lost her daughter Glenda in 2023. She has seven grandchildren: Tyrel, Cameron, Kelsey and Hayley (Glenda); Tanner and Mattea (Blanche); and Margaret.

Eileen moved to Haines Junction in 1987 after reuniting with a high school friend, Richard Hume. She lives there today and continues to sew and create beautiful beadwork as well as give support to her large loving family.

Niyę sáw nîidhín, Eileen, for sharing your language.

📸: Alistair Maitland

It’s low-bush cranberry season! 😋How do you say ‘low-bush cranberry’ in all eight of the Yukon’s First Nation Languages?...
10/05/2026

It’s low-bush cranberry season! 😋
How do you say ‘low-bush cranberry’ in all eight of the Yukon’s First Nation Languages?

Tā̀gish – ītl’èt

Neeʼaaneek – nihtl’ä̀t

Dän Kʼè – ńtlʼä̀t

Dän Kʼí – nintl’ä́t

Łingit – ìtlʼát

Gwich’in – natl’àt

Denezā́gi – itl’ét

Hän – në̀tl’ä̀t

Ye zhǜr chʼǟw yän? Ńtlʼä̀t chʼe.
What berry is this? This is a low-bush cranberry. - Dän Kʼè

For National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Yukon Native Language Centre is honouring the importance of language,...
09/30/2026

For National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Yukon Native Language Centre is honouring the importance of language, culture, and identity by creating 'Every Child Matters' phrases in Yukon First Nation languages. 🧡

Language carries our history, our teachings, and the voices of generations before us. Keeping Yukon First Nation languages strong is an important part of remembering the children who were taken from their families and communities, honouring Survivors, and carrying our cultures forward.

Today, we recognize that Every Child Matters, in every language, in every community, and across generations. 🧡

YNLC 2026 Fluent Speaker Recognition series. 🧡This week, we proudly recognize Ruth Ridley, Bertha Ulvi, and Ethel Beck -...
09/29/2026

YNLC 2026 Fluent Speaker Recognition series. 🧡

This week, we proudly recognize Ruth Ridley, Bertha Ulvi, and Ethel Beck - fluent Hän speakers from Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in.

💜 Ruth Ridley of the Seagull Clan, Hän Hwëch’in within Eagle Village Council, was born on August 15, 1950, in Fairbanks, Alaska, to Susie and Louise Paul. She is the granddaughter of Joe and Eliza Malcom.

A fluent speaker of the Hän language, Ruth has dedicated her life to preserving and sharing her language and culture. While raising her two children, Brian and April, she also worked closely with the University of Alaska Fairbanks alongside linguists Wilhelm Derusse, and Michael Krauss, and John Ritter with the Yukon Language Center contributing her knowledge to important language documentation efforts.

Throughout her life, Ruth has been a committed teacher and language bearer, generously sharing her knowledge with others and supporting the revitalization of the Hän language for future generations.

💜 Bertha Ulvi was born on August 7, 1944, in Eagle Village, Alaska. She is a respected member of the Hän Hwëch’in the Native Village of Eagle and belongs to the Seagull Clan. Bertha is the daughter of Susie and Louise Paul, and the granddaughter of Joe and Eliza Malcom. She raised her children, Peter and Karma, in Eagle, instilling strong cultural values and a deep connection to community.

Bertha was among the first health aides in Alaska, dedicating her early career to supporting the wellbeing of her people. Alongside her work in health, she has been a strong advocate for language preservation, actively contributing to teaching and sharing the Hän language with younger generations. Her lifelong commitment to her community, culture, and language continues to inspire those around her.

💜 Ethel Beck of the Seagull Clan, Hän Hwëch’in of the Native Village of Eagle born on September 6, 1942, in Eagle Village, Alaska, to Susie and Louise Paul. She is the granddaughter of Joe and Eliza Malcom.

Ethel worked as a health aide, serving her community with care and dedication. She is the mother of two children, Tony and Joanne, and a proud grandmother of four grandchildren. Following her retirement, Ethel continued to give back to her community as an Elder and knowledge keeper, dedicating her time to the Hän language and sharing her cultural knowledge with future generations.

Mä̀hsi’ cho for sharing your language and helping ensure it continues to thrive in Yukon communities. 🙌🏽

YNLC 2026 Fluent Speaker Recognition series. 🧡This week, we honour Grace Wheeler, a fluent Dän Kʼí speaker from Little S...
09/23/2026

YNLC 2026 Fluent Speaker Recognition series. 🧡

This week, we honour Grace Wheeler, a fluent Dän Kʼí speaker from Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation.

Grace is a respected language teacher, mentor, and knowledge keeper who has dedicated her life to preserving and sharing the Northern Tutchone language. She has a special gift for teaching, offering guidance with patience, kindness, and a gentle approach that inspires learners of all ages.

A graduate of the Yukon Native Language Centre (YNLC) Yukon Native Language Teacher Program, Grace has been a leader in language revitalization within her community. She taught at Tantalus School for more than 20 years, helping generations of students connect with their language, culture, and identity.

Grace has also contributed to the development of valuable Northern Tutchone language resources, including the Northern Tutchone Language Book – Carmacks Dialect, the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation Noun Dictionary, and the Little Salmon Carmacks Beginner Book. Her work has helped ensure that Northern Tutchone language knowledge is preserved and accessible for future generations.

Beyond her language work, Grace generously shares her skills and knowledge through sewing instruction and by encouraging traditional ways of life. Whether she is curling, fishing, or spending time on the land, she remains deeply connected to her culture and community.

Through her lifelong commitment to teaching, mentorship, and cultural preservation, Grace has made a lasting impact on her community and continues to inspire those around her.

Niyę sáw nîidhín, Grace, for your dedication to language. 🫶🏽

📸: Alistair Maitland

There's still time to register for Intermediate Łingít Grammar!The Yukon Native Language Centre’s Intermediate Łingít Gr...
09/15/2026

There's still time to register for Intermediate Łingít Grammar!

The Yukon Native Language Centre’s Intermediate Łingít Grammar course has already started, but there is still time to register until the end of this week.

Join Dzéiws̱h Dr. James Crippen for weekly classes running Mondays and Wednesdays from 3 - 4:30 p.m. Classes are offered hybrid, either online or in-person at YNLC.

To register, call YNLC at (867) 668-8820, toll-free at 1 (877) 414-9652, or email [email protected].

YNLC 2026 Fluent Speaker Recognition series. 🧡This week, we recognize Mary Jane Moses, a fluent Gwich'in speaker from th...
09/15/2026

YNLC 2026 Fluent Speaker Recognition series. 🧡

This week, we recognize Mary Jane Moses, a fluent Gwich'in speaker from the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.

Mary Jane Moses has lived in Old Crow since 1979 but came from Fort McPherson, NT and is proud of her Tetl’it Gwich’in roots. She has lived in Old Crow for 47 years and enjoys her way of life connected to her culture within the Vuntut Gwitchin traditional homelands. She is retired from working with Vuntut Gwitchin Government as Heritage Coordinator where she was instrumental in documenting Elders stories, knowledge, place names and trails out on the land. She continues to work in this area with more focus on language and helping mentor beginner and intermediate speakers along with her passion of doing translations of Elder interviews. She received an Honorary Bachelor Degree in June 2022 in Culture and Heritage from Yukon University.

Mary Jane keeps closely connected to her Gwich’in culture and language and is a dedicated advocate for education of youth. She has 4 grandchildren and is active in the local church ministry. She has a strong cultural background and uses the teachings taught to her by her parents and others and passes them on to future generations. Mary Jane has been a filmmaker since 2001 and has produced 12 films. She incorporates her Gwich’in language into the films and this gives her great pride to see the Gwich’in way of life portrayed on screen and to hear the actual language, which brings the whole message alive, because we are a living people, we are a living, vibrant culture with many stories to tell.

Màhsi’ choo, Mary Jane, for preserving and sharing your language. 🙏🏽

📸: Alistair Maitland

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