DAWSON CITY – As part of a continuing effort to revitalize the Hän language, the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and the City of Dawson have teamed up to convert local stop signs to bilingual versions. They feature both the English word above and Hän word (Ho’ìnje’) below.
The first of these signs, to be followed by others, was unveiled at a ceremony held at the corner of Front and York streets, next to Äłät Nëhëjël (the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Community Hall).
Mayor Bill Kendrick, the emcee for the recent event unveiling the signs, introduced elder Clara Van Bibber’s opening prayer and a performance by the Han Singers.
Hähke (Chief) Darren Taylor spoke of having been cut off from the Hän language when he was younger. He noted there has been a concerted effort since the 1990s to use the Hän language to label public buildings, name streets in the TH subdivision and bring it into everyday use. (Indeed, several of the prayers at St. Paul’s Anglican Church have been recited in both languages for about 15 years now.)
Taylor said it’s been hard work for which many people deserve credit. He looks forward to a time when some of the streets named for settlers, explorers and others might acquire TH-related names or names of local families.
Kendrick hit some of the same notes in his short speech. This was just the first of many Stop signs to be converted, including in the downtown core and around Robert Service School.
Indeed, by the next day there was a new sign at Front and King next to the General Store.
