Yukon First Nations graduation turns 50

Asad Chishti · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 13, 2025 10:43 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

The parking batch of the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre successful Whitehorse was afloat connected Friday, and the gathering surrounded by well-dressed young radical and their arrogant families. Despite the smoky conditions successful the city, determination was overmuch to celebrate. 

Over 120 Yukon First Nations students celebrated their precocious schoolhouse graduation this week, and participated in the 50th First Nations graduation ceremonial connected Friday. 

The graduates were from communities each crossed the territory, including the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, Liard First Nation, Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation, Carcross/Tagish First Nation, Taku River Tlingit First Nation, and others.

Graduates astatine the yearly ceremony wear traditional regalia, unsocial to them and representative of their journeys. Family members often help make the regalia.

Graduate Marielle Wenzell is Taku River Tlingit and credits her parent for her outfit arsenic good arsenic the peculiar interaction a cedar graduation headdress by Michelle Williams brings. She felt arrogant up of the ceremony.

Tyler Goodwin-Hall, from Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation, worked connected his overgarment with his Nona. It was a method challenge, helium said.

Elisha Dulac from the Kluane First Nation, whose traditional sanction is Kama Dzea, wore regalia decorated with weasels and bison, animals she's harvested since childhood. Both her parent and grandma helped plan her regalia. She said connected Friday that she was grateful for the tiny assemblage she's from, and each the enactment which led her to graduation day.

Speaking to CBC News astatine the ceremony, Council of Yukon First Nations Grand Chief Peter Johnston offered immoderate proposal to the graduates. He said showing up is key, arsenic good doing your best, having wide intentions, and not being excessively hard connected yourself. 

"We've got to admit our young radical arsenic overmuch arsenic we can," helium said.