The Yukon and Northwest Territories are in Canada’s north and border above British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. The Indigenous peoples in the Yukon and Northwest Territory are the Dene, Southern and Northern Tutchone, Tlingit, Tagish, Kaska, Tanana, Han, Gwich’in(1), Inuit and Metis.
Inherent in Dene dances are the rich traditional stories to guide current and future generations to live a good life as taught in the strong timeless beliefs and values. Dances become the vehicle to retell stories and traditional oral teachings and are more than just memories; the dances capture the very soul of the Dene and a way to perpetuate their history, culture and values. Songs among the Dene are believed to be gifts from the Creator that are received through ceremony with isolated meditation in the bush(11). Dances among the Dene are a way to reinforce traditional teachings and transmitting knowledge to future generations through repetition(12).
This article is a non-comprehensive and living document that provides an overview of artistic activities in the region. It will be revised as necessary as part of our ongoing process of continuous updates.
1) http://travelyukon.com/aboutyukonterritory/firstnations/
11) http://nativedance.ca/index.php/Dene/Our_Dance_Stories?tp=p&bg=0&ln=e&gfx=h&wd=2
12) http://nativedance.ca/index.php/Dene/Why_We_Dance?tp=p&bg=0&ln=e&gfx=h&wd=2