Han clans
The Han clans, known as "people of the river," are an Indigenous group primarily located along the Yukon River, spanning both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border. Historically, the Han people, including communities referred to as Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in, Hän, and Hankutchin, thrived in a matrilineal society that relied on fishing, hunting, trapping, and gathering. They are characterized by their rich cultural heritage and unique practices, such as living in semi-subterranean dwellings and utilizing birchbark canoes.
The arrival of European settlers, particularly during the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 19th century, significantly disrupted their traditional ways of life. This period saw increased dependence on European trade goods and the introduction of a cash economy, which affected their subsistence practices. Throughout the 20th century, the Han faced numerous challenges, including epidemics that devastated their population.
In contemporary times, the Han people are engaged in self-governance and reside primarily in the Han Kutchin Indian village near Eagle, Alaska, or Dawson City, Yukon. While many traditional skills have diminished, there are ongoing efforts to reclaim and preserve Han cultural practices and language, supported by institutions like the Yukon Native Language Centre. Today, the Han community continues to adapt while striving to maintain their identity and heritage in a rapidly changing world.
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Subject Terms
Han clans
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Subarctic
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Athapaskan
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Yukon River, both sides of U.S./Canadian border
- POPULATION SIZE: 614 (Statistics Canada, 1999 census)
The Han, meaning "people of the river,” are Indigenous people of the Yukon-Alaska boundary. They lived along the Yukon River from 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Circle, Alaska, to 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) south of Dawson City, Canada. The Han people have many names, including Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in, meaning “people of the Klondike region,” Hän, Hankutchin, and Han Hwech’in.
The Han people were among the most severely impacted of all Yukon First Nations by the sudden increase in White gold mining in the late twentieth century. Before the Klondike Gold Rush, three autonomous, wealth-oriented, matrilineal Han communities lived along the river and survived primarily by fishing for king and chum salmon, whitefish, and pike. The Han also hunted, trapped, and gathered some food. These communities included the Nuclako-Fort Reliance, Johnny's Village, and Charley's Village in Alaska. They lived in riverine villages on the Yukon River, in semi-subterranean dwellings, and in domed skin houses when hunting and traveling; on water, they used birchbark canoes and moose-skin boats.
At the time of their first contact with European Americans and the establishment of Fort Yukon in 1847, the Han were already influenced by European trade goods. The purchase of Alaska in 1868 by the United States brought White trapper-traders and gold miners who, through trade, diminished Han dependency on traditional hunting and fishing by encouraging trapping and a cash economy, making the Han increasingly dependent on European American material culture. From 1919 to 1925, the Han suffered from epidemics of mumps, influenza, and measles.
In the twenty-first century, the Han people exercise self-government, living in the Han Kutchin Indian village near Eagle, Canada, or Dawson City, Yukon. Many are seasonally employed in road construction, trapping, government positions, and firefighting. Few traditional skills remain, though some beading, birchbark baskets, and snowshoes are manufactured, mostly for sale. The Han are now predominantly Episcopalians. However, efforts to reclaim Han heritage and cultural tradition have made a positive impact on the community. The Yukon Native Language Centre continues to document and preserve the Han language.
Bibliography
Campbell, Thomas N. “Han Indians.” Handbook of Texas Online, 1 July 1995, www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/han-indians. Accessed 10 July 2024.
Clark, Annette M. "Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in (Han)." Canadian Encyclopedia, 4 Mar. 2015, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/han. Accessed 10 July 2024.
"Indigenous Cultures of Yukon." Alaska Shuttle, alaskashuttle.com/blog/indigenous-cultures-of-yukon. Accessed 10 July 2024.
Mishler, Craig, and William E. Simeone. Han, People of the River: HäN HwëCh’in: An Ethnography and Ethnohistory. U of Alaska P, 2004.
Mishler, Craig, and William E. Simeone. "Han, People of the River." University Press of Colorado, upcolorado.com/university-of-alaska-press/item/5771-han-people-of-the-river. Accessed 10 July 2024.
"Our Language." Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, www.trondek.ca/our-story/our-language. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Smith, Gerad M. Ethnoarchaeology of the Middle Tanana Valley, Alaska. University of Alaska Fairbanks Department of Anthropology, 2020. doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.17882.98247. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.