The signs have replaced older ones along Front Street, the C-4 subdivision, and near the Robert Service School. Photo by Katarighe./Wikimedia Commons CCA by SA 3.0
Dawson City has installed 25 new stop signs that include both English and Hän languages, marking a significant step in promoting the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation’s culture. The signs have replaced older ones along Front Street, the C-4 subdivision, and near the Robert Service School, according to a report by Chris MacIntyre for CBC.
Darren Taylor, Hähkè (chief) of the First Nation, noted that the visibility of the Hän language is growing in Dawson City. “Language is an important part of our culture,” Taylor said. “It’s the core identity of who we are as a people. It’s reflective of our environment,” he told CBC. He hopes the signs will particularly impact local youth by emphasizing the cultural importance of the language.
Taylor is also considering future projects, including renaming some streets to honour long-time community figures. However, he acknowledged that such changes would require extensive collaboration with various groups, including the city and the chamber of commerce, CBC reported.
Dawson City mayor Bill Kendrick welcomed the new signs as a positive development in the city’s ongoing collaboration with the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in. “It’s a small act of reconciliation,” Kendrick said. “We’ve had service agreements for many years with Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in.” This initiative reflects ongoing efforts to integrate and honour Indigenous languages within municipal frameworks, a move supported by both the city and the First Nation.
