20

Kohklux Map, 1860.
1860
Fort Selkirk, Yukon

21

Trading & Conflict with the Chilkat Tlingit

Before K'uch'an traders reached the Yukon interior, Northern Tutchone people had been trading with other First Nation people for generations. The coastal Chilkat Tlingit had access to European goods by the mid-1700's through their trade with the Russians. The Chilkat were eager to trade these goods to the interior peoples, and made long trading trips into the Yukon. They also brought important prestige items, like dentalia shells and mother of pearl, which are not found in the Yukon. The Chilkat in turn took home furs to trade back to the Russians.

In 1860, the Chilkat Cheif Kohklux and his wives drew a map of their people's route from the coast to the interior for the American astronomer Davidson. The map is impressive not only becasue of it's detail and accuracy, but becasue it was the first time they used a pencil and paper!

According to LSCFN Elders, sometime in the recent past a conlflict arose between the Tatchun people and the Chilkat. The fight started due to the Chilkat's disrespectful behavior towards the Tatchun people. All the Chilkats died except for one boy, who escaped back to the coast where his people lived. At the time the Tatchun Chief Kwänatäk ordered the people to prepare for the retaliation of the Chilkat. The Tatchun people built a fort for protection, which had no openings except for small holes to aim weapons. When the Chilkat returned and saw the fort the people had built, they left rather than fighting, returning later to negotiate peace.