their society together. There were two wolf moiety clans: Daklaweidi and Yanyedi, and four crow moiety clans: Deisheetaan, Ganaxtedi, Ishkahittaan and Kookhittaan.

“They had a good life in Carcross. They would fish and hunt and trap. In the summer, they would take the kids. So I grew up in that kind of an atmosphere. We didn’t live off the land entirely but we always got our moose or caribou or salmon or fish.”

Edi Bohmer, a member of the Ganaxtedi Clan, with her grandparents: Grandma Edith and Grandpa Patsy Henderson. Carcross, Yukon, 1937. (Edi Bohmer)

A potlatch celebrated life, death and other momentous occasions. It was at the centre of the community and brought people from other villages closer together.

The potlatch was a time to honour a loved one’s life. It provided, and continues to provide to this day, an opportunity to visually see the clan system in motion. It was a chance to see who was who and to arrange marriages, alliances and plans for the future.

The last large, old-time potlatch was held in 1912 for Dawson Charlie and was hosted by Skookum Jim and the Daklaweidi Clan.

Life was lived in balance and harmony, with all aspects of society in order, functioning to suit the needs of the people.

The people were self-reliant, hunting and fishing for their food and making a living by trapping furs, sewing and selling their goods.

"Grandma was a real hunter and a go-getter even though she was getting blind and stuff. She always wanted her own money and she worked hard for her own money, a few dollars. My dad used to work on the railroad. The railroad came in 1902 and dad used to work on the railroad in the summertime. My mother sewed stuff for