"This year marks the 30th anniversary of Kwäday Dän Kenji (Long Ago Peoples Place), an extraordinary cultural site dedicated to preserving and sharing the Traditional Knowledge of the Southern Tutchone Peoples.
“Located near Champagne, Yukon, in the Traditional Territory of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, this outdoor cultural space represents the vision of founders Harold Johnson and Meta Williams. Since its beginning, Kwäday Dän Kenji has served as a living classroom, offering visitors a meaningful opportunity to experience traditional land-based practices firsthand. The site features authentic pre-contact shelters constructed from materials such as spruce poles, tree bark, dried mud and moss.
“Long Ago Peoples Place is a setting for learning, healing and cultural pride. Through guided walks and immersive workshops, visitors gain insight into traditional life skills, food systems and other ways of knowing. It is a vital space for cultural reconnection, reflection and the celebration of Indigenous strength, fostering understanding among visitors and deep pride among youth and community members alike.
“As it celebrates 30 years, Kwäday Dän Kenji (Long Ago Peoples Place) remains a vibrant expression of cultural continuity – a place where knowledge is passed on through stories, through the physical act of building and through being on the land.
"I encourage Yukoners and visitors alike to respectfully experience this remarkable place to learn from the land, to deepen their understanding of Yukon First Nations and to carry forward the knowledge shared at Kwäday Dän Kenji (Long Ago Peoples Place)."
Laura Seeley
Cabinet Communications
867-332-7627
[email protected]