Fostering relationships and envisioning future : Kluane First Nation final agreements and transmission of overlap knowledge

This research addresses the unique political landscape of Yukon First Nations including the imposition of the Indian Act, historical relocation of First Nations, and the impact of land claims agreements and modern treaties in Yukon. Two First Nations, Kluane FN and White River FN, have completely overlapped Traditional Territories. Kluane FN ratified their land claims agreement in 2003, while White River FN remains an Indian Act Band. In this context, I interviewed four Kluane Knowledge Keepers, all who directly negotiated and implemented Kluane FN land claim agreements. I did this to understand the development of land claims and self-government in the Kluane area. Focusing on intergenerational knowledge transfer, I used interviews to build a foundation of knowledge about the progression of land claims in Kluane including impacts on relationships between White River FN / Kluane FN governments stemming from the amalgamation. The Knowledge Keepers I interviewed had a profound desire to share their knowledge with Kluane Youth about why Kluane People have chosen this path. Land claims as understood through the Knowledge Holder interviews produced several key themes: implementation, negotiation, amalgamation / de-amalgamation, citizen engagement, relationships / conflict resolution, overlap, culture, Elders / Youth. I synthesised one story from each of the four interviews to exemplify different perspectives regarding the implementation of land claims using the most notable implementation challenge for Kluane FN, the 100 percent overlap. I then completed two focus group discussions with two Kluane Youth to establish their base land claims comprehension, before sharing with them the history behind land claims through the stories of the Knowledge Keepers. Then, as a group, we imagined fundamental components of an ideal future for Kluane People. My research created the conditions for Youth to use storytelling to deepen their relationships to the implementation of land claims in Kluane growing their collective leadership potential. The primary outcome of my research is that Youth can use this information about land claims and reflections from their engagement with this research process to imagine an ideal future for Kluane FN grounded in Kluane histories.