Selkirk First Nation (SFN)

About

'We, the Selkirk People, exercise our inherent right of Self Government, and having aboriginal rights, title and interest since the beginning of time in a vast area of land, provide for ourselves a basis for our First Nation, for our law and for our government, in order to assure for ourselves today and for countless generations in the future, protection of our language and culture, and a life that fulfills our uniqueness as human beings and sustains our well being.'

-Selkirk First Nation Constitution Preamble-

Long ago, the people of the Selkirk First Nation were known as the Hucha Hudan people, meaning Flatland People. The reason for the Flatland name was because of the landscape in Fort Selkirk, where the land is flat on both sides of the river. Although the modern world has made its footprint in our lives, we still rely heavily on the land for survival.

Our citizenship population is approximately 671 and growing every year. About 40% of the citizens reside in Pelly Crossing while the other 60% live elsewhere in the Yukon and across Canada. 

Through our rich history, culture and traditions, we, the Selkirk people, are striving to become a self-sufficient First Nation. Since the beginning of time, our people have used our land for healing, nurturing and guidance. Our footsteps today still walk alongside our ancestors in practicing our traditional lifestyles and will continue for generations to come.

The Northern Tutchone people have their own way of social organization, which is known as the clan system. There are two clans: Wolf and Crow. Clan membership is based on the mother, which means a child belongs to its mother’s clan. Whatever clan a person was born into, this is the clan that they will have throughout their lives. The clans represent who we are, our connection to other families and our connections to our environment.

 The Northern Tutchone people’s society was based on the concept of the group – emphasis was not placed on the individual but the community as a whole.

Elders were, and continue to be, the threads of our community, holding it together. Their roles are an extensive list of responsibilities that assist in the safekeeping of the traditional cultural ways.

Elders hold knowledge and are our history keepers. (Excerpt from the SFN Website)