Our Peoples Voices

Today's episode features Bessie Cooley interviewing her brother Kakank' (Frank Jackson is his English name) in the Tlingit Language, while in Teslin in 1995.

Kakank' tells the story of their parents and how they came to settle in Teslin, which relates to the Alaska Highway coming through in 1942.

The highway also brought with it soldiers who carried diseases.

Much of  their conversation revolves around the formation of Tlaxhanes'khuwu, Johnstontown on the southern end of Teslin Lake.  How it was formed and by whom and it's usage and importance.

Frank has extensive knowledge of his family and their migrations and camps.  He speaks about his Grandfather Ghuchshayi (Shorty Johnston) and Grandmother Kh'eyada (Annie Thom Johnston) and all about their traplines and fishing camps.

Frank tells about the people who came from Alaska on a trail which is how the Yanyedi moeity began through Khakhhitan.

He gives us what he can of the story of Kuyexh Tla, who built a raft to bring news to the community of a place Xakwux'ayi (point on the cross side of the narrows) which was the before Johnstontown.  He says no more of the story for it is not one that has been given to him to tell.

The last Christmas spent in Johnstontown in 1941 has many stories of jubilation, dancing and feasting.  Frank recalls who did what chores, and who played what instrument, and the bounty of food grown in their local garden.

Bessie asks Frank to tell the story of their grandfather and his trip up a mountain across from Three Aces, called Jack's Portage.  They seem to have been curious, inventive and a little mischievous.

Part one of this interview ends with a splash!

Frank Jackson interviewed by Bessie Cooley on HaáShagoon, season.

Our peoples Voices is an audio adaptation of HaáShagoon, a television program produced years ago by NNBY - Northern Native Broadcasting Yukon. This segment will be rebroadcast on the CHON-FM airwaves Wednesday's at 9:00am.

Log on next Saturday morning for the next broadcast of material from our HaáShagoon archives.

In addition, students and speakers fluent in their respective aboriginal languages gathered at the Yukon Native Language Centre in Whitehorse at the Ayamdigut Campus for a Structure and Grammar Course on Athabaskan, Tlingit, Kaska, Vuntut and Han-Gwitchin and Tutchone languages in early March, 2018.
 
During this time YNLC and NNBY / CHON-FM recorded 6 Yukon First Nation language presentations. Video and audio recordings were made of the aboriginal language speakers that were on site to contribute to the ongoing efforts of documentation and revitalization of Yukon Native languages through media promotion, resource development and access.

Please click here to learn more about this project.