Website: https://ttc.yt/
Description: Teslin Tlingit Council (TTC) is a self-governing First Nation based in Teslin in Southern Yukon Territory. Teslin Tlingit people have shared ancestry with the coastal Tlingit people of Southeast Alaska and the Inland Tlingit people of Taku River First Nation and Carcross/Tagish First Nation. The Village of Teslin is set on the confluence of Nisutlin Bay and Teslin Lake, located 183 kilometres east of Whitehorse on the Alaska Highway. The name Teslin is derived from the Inland Tlingit word tás ten, or “long sewing sinew”, which refers to the 148 kilometre long and narrow Teslin Lake flowing from British Columbia into southeast Yukon. Teslin is located within Teslin Tlingit Traditional Territory and was a meeting place for Inland Tlingit people in the summer months. With the construction of the Alaska Highway in 1942, Teslin became a permanent settlement. Today, Teslin is an incorporated municipality within Yukon Territory and houses the majority of Teslin Tlingit Council’s government offices. Oral tradition is a precious source of Teslin Tlingit knowledge, and suggests the presence of Tlingit people in the Yukon further back in time than written history. It is the stories told by our Elders that provide knowledge of Inland Tlingit history and tradition. The Teslin Tlingit people are organized into five clans, each playing a vital role in preserving their cultural heritage, maintaining community balance, and fostering connections to the natural world. These clans are Kùkhhittàn (Raven Children), Ishkìtàn (Frog), Yanyèdi (Wolf), Dèshitàn (Beaver), and Dakhł΄awèdi (Eagle). Each clan represents specific responsibilities, values, and traditions that guide the social, spiritual, and political life of the Teslin Tlingit.
Land Claim Agreements: Teslin Tlingit Council Final Agreement and accompanying Implementation Plan, Teslin Tlingit Council Self Government Agreement and accompanying Implementation Plan
Signatories to the Agreement: Teslin Tlingit Council Clan Leaders and Chief, Yukon Government – John Ostashek Government Leader, and Canada – Tom Siddon Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Key Dates Yukon First Nations Final Agreements: Agreements signed May 29, 1993 and Effective Date February 14, 1995
Brief description of the region covered by claim: Teslin Tlingit Council is a self governing First Nation based in Teslin in Southern Yukon Territory and Northern BC. The community of Teslin is located at the confluence of Nisutlin Bay and Teslin Lake – which is a 148 km long and narrow lake flowing from British Columbia into southeast Yukon, 183 km east of Whitehorse on the Alaska Highway.
Total Land Area: Teslin Tlingit Traditional Territory covers 27, 275 square kms in Yukon Territory; and approximately 10, 000 square kms in BC. TTC retains title of 2,395.74 square kms of Settlement Land under TTC Final Agreement.
First Nations/Inuit within the Land Claims Areas: Teslin Tlingit
Indigenous Languages Spoken: Tlingit
