True North Media House covers Yukon Day at the Aboriginal Pavilion

By Cherisse Dye and Jason Sanders

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On Sunday, February 21st, the Yukon First Nations hosted a gathering of press and VIPs to celebrate their culture and promote business development in the territory. The morning began with a brief introduction and short intermission to encourage mingling and networking among the media and territory representatives.

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A table by the speaker’s podium held five beautiful pieces of artwork designed and crafted by some of the Yukon’s most talented artists. Some artists highlighted during the event were Ken Ingemund Anderson, Nancy Hager, Ann Smith, Eugene Alfred, Shirlee Frost, Jean Taylor, Vernon Asp, and Dennis Shorty.

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The energetic intermission ended as a line of drummers and dancers from the Yukon were ushered into the small venue to illustrate a small part of the deep culture contained within the territory. This would be a taste of the performance to come later.

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Gifts were then exchanged between the Four Host Nations and the Yukon chiefs. The local First Nation hosts welcomed the visitors with handcrafted blankets and cravings while the Yukon chiefs thanked them with five pieces of Northern artwork.

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Dakamada Dancers.

The attendees were then led to a globe outside the initial presentation area where comedians, actors, dancers, drummers and singers entertained them for the next forty minutes. Each song, dance, or scene told a short, but important part of First Nations’ history.

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Dakhka Khwaan Dancers

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Boyd Benjamin

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Raven Spirit Dance

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As the performance came to an end, the collective troupe poured out onto the stage and into the crowd for the finale, proudly celebrating their First Nation heritage with the audience. An excellent end to an excellent Sunday morning.

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