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The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Peoples of Old Crow

Today, Old Crow is the home community for the Vuntut Gwitchin – People of the Lakes. We have strong family ties connecting all our communities, including other Gwich’in nations in Alaska and the Northwest Territories. This has been so for centuries.

We love to meet and connect for trade and celebration, and to seek harmony with one another. This is called Gwiyiinji’ ihłak meaning “one mind.” Long ago people congregated in times of plenty to travel and work together, singing their beautiful songs to make their work less toilsome. They worked together in almost telepathic unison.

We use our connection to the animals, the environment and celestial regions to follow game, make good decisions, and make predictions. This is the land where our families operated caribou fences until the mid 1800s, totally reliant on the land and its bounty. Our Gwich’in oral traditions say that humans and the caribou were once relatives and could easily communicate with each other. However, separation was inevitable and when the split happened, the Gwich’in and the caribou exchanged pieces of their hearts. Many times, when a kill occurs, the successful hunt is attributed to the fact that the caribou was a relative that gave its life to provide sustenance to the community.

If we share when possible, if we help people in need, if we find ways to work and coexist together, we will increase our likelihood for prosperity as a nation. This is the Gwich’in way. Come see our world as we see it and hear our stories first hand.

Language is the key to all

For thousands of years we have prospered here – trading, dancing and singing through the challenges of our Arctic existence. Juk gweendoo (today), we are doing our best, not just to preserve, but to bring back our language and to evolve with it into the future. Language is the key to all. Eventually, it will be language that allows the human race to accomplish things we can’t even dream of today. This will only happen if we preserve our remaining endangered Indigenous languages. The more we learn our language, the more we begin to see things in a different light.
Brandon Kyikavichik, Interpreter at the John Tizya Centre

Things to do in Old Crow

John Tizya Centre

John Tizya Centre

Town and Mountain Tour

Town and Mountain Tour

Winter / $125 per person

Traditional Ice Fishing

Traditional Ice Fishing

$300

Tea at Tl’oo Kut

Tea at Tl’oo Kut

Year-round / $100 per person

Porcupine River Dogsled Adventure

Porcupine River Dogsled Adventure

Winter / $250

Half-Day Dogsled Excursion

Half-Day Dogsled Excursion

Winter / $450

Storytelling at Ski Chalet

Storytelling at Ski Chalet

Winter / $250

Caribou Lookout

Caribou Lookout

Year-round / $150 per person

​​Northern Lights Excursion

​​Northern Lights Excursion

Winter / $300

Crow Mountain Dogsled Adventure

Crow Mountain Dogsled Adventure

Winter / $100

Two Hour River Tour

Two Hour River Tour

Year-round / $200 per person

Artists in Old Crow

Photo of Sharron Vittrekwa

Sharon Vittrekwa

Photo of Shirlee Frost

Shirlee Frost

Points of interest in Old Crow

  1. Crow Mountain Road - Take in spectacular scenery and clean fresh air as you hike up Crow Mountain Road. Go to the top for an awe-inspiring experience.
  2. Community Life - Hear Elders’ stories, chat with residents, participate in community activities and experience first-hand how we are adapting to an ever-changing environment, while working to save our nearly extinct Gwich’in language.
  3. Porcupine Caribou Herd - With a range about the size of the United Kingdom, we can’t guarantee a sighting of the Porcupine Caribou Herd, one of the last remaining healthy barren ground herds in North America. But you may see them or other animals and birds on their amazing migrations across our lands. oldcrow.ca/caribou.htm
  4. Dog Sledding - Give it a go! There is no better fun than dog sledding in a place like Old Crow.
  5. John Tizya Centre - Explore our cultural centre with its interpretive exhibits, books, artifacts and, best of all, our great staff and their entertaining stories. The centre is our foundation, the point from which we will preserve, promote and evolve with our cultural base.

The Yukon First Nations Culture and Tourism Association (YFNCT) is a non-profit, stakeholder-based organization that is committed to growing and promoting vibrant and sustainable arts/culture and tourism sectors.

Yukon First Nations Culture and Tourism Association
1-1109 Front Street (White Pass Building)
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A-5G4

Phone 867.667.7698

Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)