View source for Champagne and Aishihik First Nations

{{Infobox ethnic group
|group=Champagne and Aishihik  
|population= Enrolled members
|popplace={{flag|Canada}} [[Yukon]]
|rels= [[Christianity]] (incl. [[syncretistic]] forms)
|langs=[[English language|English]], [[Southern Tutchone]] (endangered) 
|related= Coastal Northwest tribes 
}}
The '''Champagne and Aishihik First Nations''' (CAFN) is a [[First Nations in Canada|First Nation]] [[band government]] in [[Yukon]], Canada. Historically its original population centres were [[Champagne Landing, Yukon|Champagne]] (home of the ''Kwächä̀l kwächʼǟn'' - "Champagne people/band") and [[Aishihik, Yukon|Aishihik]] (home of the ''Äshèyi kwächʼǟn'' - ″Aishihik people/band″), with bands active in both coastal and interior areas.

Most of its citizens have moved to [[Haines Junction, Yukon|Haines Junction]] to take advantage of services offered there, such as schools. The First Nation government has its main administrative offices there. Other settlements used included [[Klukshu, Yukon|Klukshu]]. Many also live in [[Whitehorse, Yukon|Whitehorse]] where the First Nation government has offices. The language originally spoken by the Champagne and Aishihik people was [[Southern Tutchone]].

The Champagne and Aishihik First Nations was one of the first four First Nations to sign a [[Yukon Land Claims|land claims]] agreement in 1992. The First Nation is also pursuing a land claim in its traditional territory in the northwestern corner of [[British Columbia]].

==History==
In 1999, the mummified remains of a man were found by a group of hunters in a glacier in [[Tatshenshini-Alsek Park]] in [[British Columbia]], Canada. [[Radiocarbon dating]] of artifacts found with the body placed its age at between 300 and 550 years.  Researchers contacted Champagne and Aishihik First Nations about the find before making any announcement. Their representatives visited the site and named the body as ''[[Kwäday Dän Ts'ìnchi]]'', "Long Ago Man Found" in their language of Southern Tutchone.<ref name=background>{{cite web |url=http://www.tsa.gov.bc.ca/archaeology/kwaday_d%C3%A4n_ts%E2%80%99inchi/project_introduction.htm |title=Kwaday Dän Ts'inchi Project Introduction |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612044728/http://www.tsa.gov.bc.ca/archaeology/kwaday_d%C3%A4n_ts%E2%80%99inchi/project_introduction.htm |archivedate=2008-06-12 }}</ref>

DNA and other scientific testing was done with the agreement of the First Nations representatives. In 2007, [[Mitochondrion|mitochondrial]] [[DNA]] testing of 241 area volunteers of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations revealed 17 living persons who are related to Kwäday Dän Ts'ìnchi through their direct maternal line.<ref>Pringle, Heather. "The Messenger", ''Canadian Geographic Magazine'', Dec 2008, p. 73</ref> Among them were Sheila Clark and Pearl Callaghan, two of seven sisters. Clark said of the findings, "It was extremely moving. I couldn't believe it."<ref name="lavoie"/>

Fifteen of the 17 related individuals identify as Wolf [[clan]], suggesting the man may also have belonged to the Wolf clan. In the [[matrilineal]] kinship system, children are considered born into their mother's clan and descent is figured by the mother's line. The individuals were split roughly in half between those who lived in coastal areas and those who lived inland, reflecting historic territories of bands.<ref name="lavoie">[http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2007515/posts Judith Lavoie, Canwest News Service, "Iceman's DNA Linked To Coastal Aboriginals (Canada)"], ''Leader Post'', 26 April 2008, accessed 5 October 2014</ref>
As arranged by the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, after the tests they had the remains of the man cremated and buried with ceremony near where they were found in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park.<ref name="lavoie"/>

== Demographics ==
In the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 Census of Population]] conducted by [[Statistics Canada]], Champagne Landing 10 had a population of {{val|22|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|17|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|30|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:22-20}}|20|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|20|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|4.82|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|22|4.82|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name=2021census>{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202&geocode=A000260 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Yukon | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=February 18, 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.cafn.ca/ Champagne and Aishihik First Nations web site]
*[https://fnp-ppn.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/fnp/Main/Search/FNMain.aspx?BAND_NUMBER=507 Champagne and Aishihik First Nation profile], Government of Canada's Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
*{{cite web |url=http://www.tsa.gov.bc.ca/archaeology/kwaday_d%C3%A4n_ts%E2%80%99inchi/project_introduction.htm |title=Kwaday Dän Ts'inchi Project Introduction |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612044728/http://www.tsa.gov.bc.ca/archaeology/kwaday_d%C3%A4n_ts%E2%80%99inchi/project_introduction.htm |archivedate=2008-06-12 }}

{{First Nations in the Yukon}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:First Nations in Yukon]]
[[Category:First Nations governments in Yukon]]
[[Category:Southern Tutchone]]