Cultural Affiliation: Southern Tutchone of Athapaskan descent,
Tlingit
Tribal Council Affiliation: Southern Tutchone Tribal Council
General:
Haines Junction is the first major community northwest of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, on the Alaska Highway. It is Parks Canada's administrative headquarters for Kluane National Park, a World Heritage Site.
In the past, Haines Junction was used by native people as a temporary staging area on trapping, hunting and fishing trips. The Southern Tutchone name for the area is Dakwakada, meaning "a high cache," which was erected near the present weigh scale station to store food and furs while hunting and fishing in the area.
The area was a trade route for the Tlingit and Chilkat Indians of Haines, Alaska, USA, who traded with the interior Indians from Dalton Post to Ft. Selkirk. The Southern Tutchone acted as intermediaries in trade between coastal and interior Indians. Many of these trails were later used during construction of the Haines and Alaska Highways.
Pioneer Jack Dalton also used the trade route which later became known as the Dalton Trail, named after his famous cattle drive to Dawson City.
After the building of the Alaska and Haines Highways, a maintenance camp was built at their junction. A small school was included in the camp for the children of highway workers. The commercial potential of the area was recognized by John and Sally Backe who built the first cafe and motel in the area. Haines Junction now has a variety of tourist accommodation and services.
As of December 1994, the population of Haines Junction was 796. It was predominantly a non-aboriginal community until The Department of Indian Affairs built houses for the members of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations just east of the town. Most of the homes for Champagne and Aishihik First Nations' members were built at Haines Junction and Champagne until a community development plan included Canyon Creek as another centre for building homes. Some residents now commute from Canyon Creek to Haines Junction for work and business. Other settlements or camps within the area include: Nesketaheen, Klukshu, Champagne, Hutchi Lake, Aishihik Lake, Kusawa Lake, Kluane Lake and Kloo Lake. The First Nations constructed housing units near the Takhini River on the Alaska Highway in 1993-94.
Land Claims And Self-Government:
The Champagne and Aishihik First Nations were the first to ratify their
Band Final, Land Claims and Self-Government Agreements. The Final Land
Claim and Self-Government Agreements were officially signed in Whitehorse
by Paul Birckel, Chief of Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, Tom Siddon,
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and John Ostashek,
Yukon Government Leader on May 29, 1993.
Legislation was passed by the House of Commons on June 22, 1994 and approved by the Senate in July. It became effective on February 14, 1995.