The Tr’ondëk-Klondike, situated in Canada’s northwestern Yukon Territory, has been formally inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage web site, becoming a member of Kluane National Park because the Yukon’s second UNESCO World Heritage Site and changing into the Yukon’s first cultural World Heritage web site.
The Tr’ondëk-Klondike tells a part of the story of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation’s experiences through the rise and peak of the Klondike Gold Rush in Dawson City, between 1874 and 1908. Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in is a self-governing First Nation, with a inhabitants of roughly 1300 residents. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is a serial property comprised of eight distinct heritage areas all through the standard territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, with Dawson City on the coronary heart.
Dawson City, itself a nationwide historic web site, resembles a city frozen in time, with elaborate dance halls, picket boardwalks and historic buildings that hark again to the late 1800s when 100,000 prospectors sought their fortunes through the gold rush. Today, guests to Dawson City can immerse themselves in various adventures, exploring the area’s historic, cultural, and outside choices:
- A go to to the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre is a must-do between June and September to find first-hand the distinctive tradition of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in. Or take a guided tour of the Hammerstone Gallery within the Dawson City Museum to grasp the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in perspective of the gold rush period.
- Just 55 kilometres from Dawson City lies one of many Yukon’s most hanging pure phenomena and a world-class mountain climbing vacation spot, Tombstone Territorial Park. With its dramatic wind-carved alps, together with the craggy granite peak of Mt. Monolith, the inside of the park options rainbows of hanging, wind-swept tundra.
- Travellers to Dawson City can take a entrance row seat to the wonderful northern lights with Klondike Experience in Dawson City (open February – October). Knowledgeable tour guides entrance you with cultural and historic tales in regards to the area as you nibble on snacks and revel in sizzling drinks across the campfire in a fascinating winter wonderland.
- To really expertise the Yukon’s First Nations cultures, travellers should journey on the mighty Yukon River. Fishwheel Charter Services in Dawson City, takes guests on river excursions with skilled information Tommy Taylor, a Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in citizen. Tours supplied embody Dawson City river excursions, customized multi-day river journeys, customized single of multi-day snowmobile adventures, and rustic cabin leases.
The UNESCO World Heritage inscription has been made doable by the management of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Government and the Tr’ondëk-Klondike World Heritage Site Advisory Committee, with assist from the Government of Yukon and Parks Canada.
“Tr’ondëk-Klondike provides us with another opportunity to tell our story – the story of Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and our continual stewardship of this land since time immemorial,” says Hähkè Darren Taylor, Chief of Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in.
“In this nomination we honour our ancestors who stewarded the land before us, and we look to the future, with the knowledge that these special places will be respected by generations to come.”
With this inscription, Tr’ondëk-Klondike joins the increasing record of World Heritage websites in Canada which incorporates awe-inspiring areas corresponding to Nahanni National Park, Wood Buffalo National Park, Gros Morne National Park, and the Historic District of Old Québec.
The distinctive cultural make-up of the area is the product of the coexistence of Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and settlers over the past century and a half. The Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in expertise and adaptation to European settler colonialism marked the panorama with distinct cultural heritage attributes that stay to today.