The First Nations people of the Dawson City area are known as the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in. The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in are part of a larger Hän Nation that extends to Eagle, Alaska. The Hän language they speak is an Athapaskan dialect.
For generations, the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in relied heavily on the salmon runs of the Yukon River, and had fish camps along its shores. They also hunted big game, moving to different areas of their land according to the seasons.
At the time of the Klondike Gold Rush, the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in were relocated to the Moosehide reserve, which became their permanent home until the 1950s. Moosehide is five km downriver from Dawson City.
During a period of tremendous change, the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in continued to keep close ties to their land and people. Chief Isaac, the leader of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in during the Gold Rush, guided his people through the tremendous upheaval caused by the influx of newcomers. The impact of cultural loss continued when many youth were sent to residential school. In 1957, changes in government practices at Moosehide caused the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in to move into Dawson City, where they have become an important and integral part of the community.
Today, the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in are actively involved in relearning their heritage, language, songs, and dances and passing them on to the children. The Dänojˆ Zho Cultural Centre, on the shore of the Yukon River in Dawson City, serves as a focal point for the people's cultural revival, as does their biennial gathering at Moosehide.
The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in signed their land claim and self-government agreements in 1998, following the structure set out in the Umbrella Final Agreement. Since then they have been implementing their settlements through many new initiatives. The Heritage Department has flourished and is working on a five-year heritage strategic plan. The First Nation is working on a number of heritage developments, such as restoration of the Forty Mile, Fort Constantine, Fort Cudahy Heritage Site; management planning for Tr'ochëk Heritage Site; and heritage work at Black City on the Dempster Highway.
As of April 2004, the registered population reported by the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in was 964, about 420 of whom live elsewhere in the Yukon and in other parts of Canada.
