Back to the Yukon: Digital Storytelling with Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Youth and Elders
During my 20’s I spent most of my summers in the Yukon, working for the Klondike Institute of Art & Culture, CBC North, and bartending in Dawson City. I would live in a rustic, off-the-grid cabin with my then-boyfriend, enjoying the incredible life we had up North: wilderness adventures, late-night bonfires by the Yukon River, and learning about this special part of the world that very few people have ever been. We would spend the other part of the year in Montreal, working on our university degrees and programs. I flew back and forth doing this dance for seven years, in what I knew to be a really incredible balance of urban and rural existence. I went on to do my Master’s in Toronto, got a job at the National Film Board. One thing led to another, and I reluctantly left the Yukon behind…
But never forgotten.
You see, the Yukon was extremely formative for me as a young woman learning who I was, and what was important to me. Dawson City was also where I started to learn about Indigenous history and colonization. Dawson City is where I learned how to make animated films, and and Dawson City is where I taught my first media workshops to kids. (!!!)
So when the Tr’ondek Hwechin Education Team asked me if I’d like to return to Dawson this month to facilitate a Digital Storytelling Workshop with youth and elders, everything in me screamed: YES! We had run a similar program in 2021, and apparently the elders were still talking about how meaningful the experience was for them.
And so off I went, flying from Vancouver to Whitehorse, staying over one night, and then flying off to Dawson City the next morning.
Our week of workshops were held at the brand new TH Youth Centre, and I was fortunate enough to have the assistance of Peter Menzies, Basia Hinton, Alistair Findlay-Brook & Jen Kehoe - the incredible teachers and staff at the Robert Service School & TH Education Team.
We worked with 8 youth, first storyboarding our projects, practicing photography composition tips & tricks, and then beginning to weave voice and images together in iMovie. We were also lucky enough to have Allison Anderson from the Hän Singers perform several songs for use in our projects! So powerful.
Students spoke about identity, their lives, what was important to them, and where they belonged. Two students even made their own music for their projects as well, playing a drum and guitar.
We wrapped up the Youth Workshops with a fantastic Group Screening at the TH Cultural Centre, inviting all high school students to attend as well.
Thursday and Friday were spent working with 3 elders from the community who were interested in learning how to make their own Digital Stories, but this time with the assistance of the youth who had just completed their own.
This intergenerational experience is rich with capacity-building at the local level, allowing the youth to practice what they had learnt, while sharing a really beautiful experience with an elder — learning about the elder, while the elder learns from and about the youth as well.
Friday evening was the culmination of everyone’s hard work, with a Community Feast and Screening of all 23 completed projects made by youth, elders and support staff. A chance to celebrate, learn from, and be inspired by, the TH Hall was packed with family, friends, and members of the community who had heard about the event and wanted to learn more.
A big Mähsi cho to TH Education Manager Ashley Bower-Bramadat for making this program happen, and for ensuring it’s success. The youth, elders and myself are all very lucky to have you behind us.
If you are interested in learning more about our Intergenerational Digital Storytelling Workshop Series, and how we can help deliver this experience in your community, please send me a message and I would be happy to speak with you.
Until then, I will be dreaming about my next Northern trip…
For the Community Screening Jessie introduced herself in the local Hän language. An important step in the right direction for guests & language revitalization!
Jessie ‘s excited about her new earrings made by high school student Jaymi Lord. Photo by Jen Kehoe.