Big Idea Part 2: First Peoples of the Klondike Gold Rush, the Tr'ondek Hwech'in
The Tr'ondek Hwech'in were the first peoples to occupy the valley at the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon Rivers, now known as Dawson City. This area is known as being the centre of the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896, and to this day is subjected to vast amounts of mining, gold exploration, and environmental degradation. The Tr'ondek Hwech'in are a Han speaking people and today consist of of about 1100 people. Lifestyles of these peoples before the introduction of colonial settlers was primarily hunting and gathering. Seasonal wildlife stocks, such as freshwater fish of the numerous rivers and larger game of the valleys and mountains, led the Tr'ondek Hwech'in to …show more content…
As the community of Dawson is located in a remote region, importation of food was unrealistic, and local food sources were first to be exploited. Fish stocks were hit hard and as the government caught wind of the issue in 1900, a Fishery Inspector for Yukon was sent in. This turned out to be too late to have any effect since miners of personal claims were allowed to fish without licenses, and salmon fishing was unregulated. The butcher shops of Dawson were also well stocked with moose, ptarmigan, grouse, and rabbit, all which came from the local land. Starvation ensued in camps and on reserves, and the Tr'ondek Hwech'in relationship with the ont-time providing land was