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Liard

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POPULATION From 1997 First Nations register by DIAND

  : 891

ADDRESS

  : P.O. Box 328


Watson Lake, YT
Y0A 1C0

OFFICES found by travelling highway

  : P.O. Box 328

DISTANCE from capital city of Whitehorse, Yukon

  : 454 Kilometres, 283 Miles

Traditional LANGUAGE

  : Kaska of Athapaskan Descent

Affiliated TRIBAL COUNCIL

  : Kaska Tribal Council

Community NAME

 :

Watson Lake

Community Name History

Named after Frank Watson, a Goldseeker from Lake Tahoe, California, who settled there in 1898.

10 Kilometres from the southern border of the Yukon British Columbia border.

 

 

 

 

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Traditional Way of Life

The original inhabitants of the area, Kaska-Dena were seasonal migrants travelling within their territory while hunting and gathering food supplies.
"The Kaska people live in the mountainous headwaters of the Pelly and Liard Rivers in the eastern Yukon. They hunted caribou, moose and Dall sheep and traded furs with coastal Indians."(The Yukon at a Glance, P. 5)

The area of the Liard First Nation extended to Upper Liard, Frances, and Highland rivers and extended into the upper Pelly drainage in the north to the Dease River in the southwest. Lower Post was the main settlement. After the Second World War, the Department of Indian Affairs began building settlements for the native people, Upper Liard became the Liard River First Nation community. In 1961, the five Kaska First Nations amalgamated into the Liard Indian First Nation with settlement and administrative base in Upper Liard. In 1985 Liard Reserve #3 was still a part of the Liard River First Nation. Their area included the upper Liard River area from the Cassiar mountains in the west to the Simpson Mountains in the east.

 

 


 

 

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Tourism Development

Watson Lake is an incorporated town and many First Nations people live there and in the surrounding communities of Two-Mile and Two and a Half Mile. It is the regional service and business centre for the area. Forestry and energy exploration add to the economic growth. Sa Dena Hes a lead -zinc mine opened in 1991 and employed First Nations people until the closure in 1993. At the present time the mine is currently employing a small number of people.

"The Watson Lake Region has a rich and varied history. In general, however, this history is not well preserved or interpreted. The region does not have a museum or other type of historical institution, and there are no developed historic sites in the area...

there is considerable potential to present such other themes as fur traders, early explorers, and First Nations history and culture.

...The Liard First Nation is an important part of the region`s population and economy. It is an active participant in the tourism industry through its recent acquisition of Campground Services, and it has expressed interest in pursuing other tourism developments as well. The LFN is a major stakeholder who should be aware of and involved in implementing this plan. Such involvement would help the LFN in achieving its development goals, and strengthen the region`s presence in its tourism industry.

...First Nations Stick Gambling is a good visitor interest/tourism potential." (A Tourism Development Plan for the Watson Lake Region 1996, Pp.1-10)

 

 

 

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