PHOTO: Cathie Archbould Photography
Live a Simple Life
Beautiful 2nd floor modern clinic.
Latest equipment technology - piezo, and GBT therapy (EMS/Oral Sciences), 3D CBCT, Trios 3 scanner, etc.
High remuneration depending on experience and candidate.
$10,000 signing bonus for a 2-year contract (certain conditions apply)
All applications are strictly confidential. Please send your resume ATTN Joel Odulio: eliason4th@gmail.com 200 - 4078 4 th Avenue, 2 nd Floor, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 4K8 F. 867-393-3701 | eliasdental.ca
BUILD A LOG CABIN. USE A DOGTEAM.
USE AN AXE AND SAW.
USE A WOOD COOK STOVE.
PACK YOUR WATER.
HUNT FOR FOOD. FISH FOR FOOD.
MAKE YOUR FURNITURE. BUILD TOBBOGANS, CANOES, SNOWSHOES.
DIG A CELLAR.
HARVEST FOOD, BERRIES, RHUBARB.
MAKE TOYS.
SEW CLOTHES.
PLAY THE FIDDLE AND GUITAR.
USE A MANUAL SEWING MACHINE. USE CANDLES.
USE HAND TOOLS. USE WINDMILL AND SOLAR PANELS.
TRAP FOR FUR. HAVE YOUR OWN LIBRARY. BUILD A HIGH CACHE. USE A WHEELBARROW.
PLAY BOARD GAMES. MAKE A FISHWHEEL TO FISH.
LEARN ARTS AND CRAFTS. LIVE OUT IN THE BUSH.
When I was a kid, this Elder gave me a Gwich‛in name, CHIH AHAA. Translated, it means “walking ahead.”
Allan Benjamin | CHIH AHAA
Allan Benjamin is a poet, a cartoonist, a fiddle player and a snowshoe racer from Old Crow, Yukon. Allan is a Vuntut Gwich‛in artist who provides cartoons and poems to What‛s Up Yukon. He introduces us to two sets of characters who represent Allan‛s family and traditional Gwich‛in life growing up in Old Crow.
WEASEL WORKERS
How to ski backwards
My initial introduction to Whistler’s famed Weasel Workers was a memorable one although, oddly, this is the first time I’ve ever written about it.
It was the winter of 1984-85, exactly 40 years ago, when I first arrived at Whistler, B.C. from the Yukon, hoping to land a job grooming ski runs to finance the subsequent summer season of prospecting for placer gold deposits in the Klondike and Atlin.
The newcomers that Yukoners call “cheechakos” are called “gorbies” in Whistler and I was the biggest gorby of them all. I had never skied before, yet landed a job as the first sports editor of the local weekly, the Whistler Question, and self-assigned myself the dubious task of writing a feature about the volunteers who prepared the local race course and called themselves “Weasel Workers” for reasons that will become obvious shortly.
It’s actually just a popular nickname. Their registered legal name is Coast Alpine Event Club.
The first Weasel I met was standing on the Orange Chair race hill looking up at the chairlift when I snow plowed up to him, introduced myself as a writer doing a piece on the Weasels and he said, “That’s nice. Are you here to
write or work?”
I said “both” and he pointed up to the lift and said those big orange “Willy Bags” piled up there needed to be brought one at a time down the course to “The Toilet Bowl,” where a crew of young Weasels would attach them to the fence to keep the racers out of the trees.
“I’ll know when you finish that and will find something else for you. We can talk about your story when we stop for a lunch break at midday.”
Just like that, I was the newest Weasel on the mountain and set off down to the lift station to get back up to my first job which I had no idea how to do.
your skis where you want to go and give ‘er. The bags work like a giant brake to hold you back.” Then I heard him say “Gorb on course” into his radio and everybody on the crew within sight stopped working to enjoy the show.
I pretty much knew within the first 10 seconds that I had just been pranked, which was a complete surprise. It was flat close to the lift but as soon as the big bag felt the exhilaration of gravity again, the party began.
As I was standing there scratching my head, a middle-aged man who looked like a lawyer skied up with a radio and said: “You must be the gorby.”
When I asked him what was the technique for getting the bags down to the job, he replied with a straight face, “Easiest job on the mountain. Just grab one of the long ropes on either end, point
on their own, formed a reverse snowplow which allowed me to get both edges into the snow in an out-of-control braking position but I had no way to bend my knees and apply pressure.
I was just trying to stay upright, slow the damn thing down and not fall over backwards, which would have made me drop the rope, not a viable option with five weasels starting to scatter downslope.
I was frozen in that reverse snow plow and felt my quads, hams and glutes ignite like they were on fire and about to blow up.
It was directly behind me when I went into my high speed snow plow but was soon about to bowl me over, so I cut across the fall line, passed the rope behind my back and it narrowly missed me as it picked up speed and quickly spun me around backwards so I was facing uphill while the bag zeroed in on the target far below and picked up more and more speed. There was no longer time to think so I just reacted much like getting sucker-punched. My faithful Coyote 200 skis, thinking
But, to my astonishment and amazement, the wooly mammoth actually felt like it was slowing down and gradually stopped with me still standing on the uphill side holding the rope, the proper position to be in to sideslip a Wooly Bag downhill.
I heard scattered applause in the distance and an unknown Weasel skied by saying softly, “Nice recovery,” and disappeared with a laugh.
And I’m proud to report, at nearly the age of 80, that I was a party pooper on my first day as a Weasel and continued the job as soon as I got my legs back. I spent the rest of the day moving all eight bags down the mountain to their Toilet Bowl destination. And I never did find out the name of the lawyer who lied to me. n
LOGO: Supplied by
Whistler Weasel Workers
BUSTING THE BIGGEST NEUROMYTH LEARN YOUR WAY
A
months
Fawn Fritzen is a professional brain geek at LDAY Centre for Learning. LDAY supports Yukoners of all ages who have learning differences.
Neuromyth
During the workshop, we played a game of True or False. Students worked in pairs to sort through a number of statements before we reviewed them as a group.
One of the statements went like this:
“Some people are visual learners, some people are auditory learners, and some people are hands-on learners. You should always use your own style to study.”
When we got to this question and asked the class if they thought it was true or false, the students unanimously and confidently shouted out, “TRUE!”
They were astonished to find out this is absolutely FALSE.
The idea of having “one best learning style” is the most persistent neuromyths out there. In fact, my own daughter had to complete a questionnaire in her Grade 10 Careers class to identify her learning style. Infuriatingly, this fallacy is still actively being spread.
It’s true that we may have strong preferences. But research over decades has shown our preferences don’t dictate how our brains actually learn. (Research also shows most people are pretty bad at identifying how they learn best. Our judgment gets clouded by what feels good and what is familiar.)
So if using “your” learning style isn’t the best way, what is?
Brains learn best when they get to engage with information using multiple modes. To help us remember the modes, we can use the acronym “VARK”. VARK stands for Visual, Auditory, Read/Write,
and Kinaesthetic.
Let’s imagine you’re preparing to take the test to get your learner’s driving licence. What are some ways you can use VARK to really get to know the information?
Visual
• Draw pictures (even bad ones will help) to remember different road signs.
• Make a diagram of parking rules to detail how far you have to be from intersections, railway crossings, and fire hydrants.
Auditory
• Repeat information out loud to yourself.
• Ask your newly-licenced friend to talk through their road test with you.
Read/Write
• Create your own test questions as you read through course material.
• Write notes as you go, then review and write a summary sentence for each section.
Kinaesthetic
• On a snowy night, try out the high beams, low beams, and fog lights to see how they impact the field of view.
• Walk around a vehicle with an experienced friend who can show you how to do a pre-trip check of the lights, windows, tires, and possible obstacles.
• Try out simulated tests online!
Using multiple modalities to learn information engages more of your
PHOTO: Christian Kuntz
brain in the process. Not only does this make it “stick” better, it’s also way more interesting than just reading and re-reading a textbook. (Re-reading is one of the most common — and least effective — study strategies.) And let’s face it, it’s pretty hard to get your brain to remember boring, irrelevant information.
When I first learned about using multiple modes, I found it both surprising and empowering. At the time, I not only identified myself as a “read/write learner”, I was also convinced that I was a terrible auditory learner and avoided it as much as I could.
I was fine in lectures, where I could see, hear, and write notes at the same time. But listen to an audiobook or podcast? Nope, I would tune out and have to skip back multiple times.
By learning about VARK, I realized all I needed to do was to combine the auditory input with another modality. I could be writing notes or doodling about the subject. But I could also do something seemingly unrelated (but automatic) like washing dishes or going for a walk.
Figuring that out has opened up a whole new world of information and time to soak up things I’m curious about. Plus, it’s made washing dishes a lot less tedious.
Reflection questions:
• Do I think of myself as a onestyle learner?
• What are some ways I could incorporate other modalities into my work or home life? n
Freelance with Sam Holloway
Sam Holloway is a widower who alternates between his cabins at Marsh Lake and Ross River
“THAT’S ALL BEHIND US NOW”
If You Love Somebody…
When I was seven years old, my father brought home a tiny bundle of hair in his hat. He got it from a breeder of English sheepdogs and this was the runt of the litter, unable to get to the mother’s teats and was starving. The guy told my dad that “you can have this little turkey because he’s going to die anyway.”
“Turkey” was to be my dog if I could get him to live. There was never a shortage of baby bottles around our house and I fed him broth, goat’s milk, and sometimes just sugar water. Slowly, he opened his eyes and began to walk around and over the next few weeks became the creature I have loved the most in my life. He grew up and walked with me to a country school every day and then went home. He was always there to meet me after
school. Somehow, he knew if I got out early and showed up then. The other kids were always amazed at it and he would tackle anything or anyone who threatened me.
Turk and I ran through the fields every day after school until my chore time. A nearby farmer kept a prize bull in a field all by itself and my dog and I often crossed that field, making sure the bull was at the other end. But one day I forgot to check on the bull. I was halfway across when it came thundering down the field toward me and I couldn’t make it to the fence in time.
Out of nowhere, in a fury of black and white, came Turk and bit the bull on the back of the legs. I dove under the fence and a few seconds later, Turk landed on the grass beside me.
I thought he was dead but he only had the wind knocked out of him. The bull had flipped him high in the air with one horn but Turk had so much hair that he was not hurt at all.
bit and I would yell at Turk, “Get home, Turk, and I will see you later.”
But he still met me every day until ... I got off the bus one afternoon and looked around but there was no sheepdog waiting for me.
Turk had a defect, probably caused by starvation during his first days on earth. If he ate any quantity of raw meat, he would lapse into an epileptic fit, staggering around with his eyes turned inside out, falling down like our alcoholic neighbour.
stumbled onto the tracks during one of his spells. I gathered the parts I could find into a potato sack and buried him in our favourite field.
No one knew how I cried that day, in the basement of that old house, and in the fields where I ran until my lungs were bursting and ran some more. My mother knew I was sad but with eight young ones to look after, she couldn’t do more than smile and say, “It will get better, son. Give it some time.”
The years went by and I started taking the bus to high school every day — and always, Turk was there to meet the bus when I got home. But now I had friends and sometimes stayed in town for a
I looked all over for him and then had an inkling of where he might be. We lived close to the CPR railroad tracks and trains came roaring past at all hours of day or night. We were so used to the racket that we hardly noticed them.
I walked down the tracks and found clumps of hair and blood and guts and bones scattered between the rails — and I knew my pal was gone. He must have
The lesson that has followed me ever since is this: If you love someone or any of God’s creatures, make sure you let them know that, every, every day.
These occasional memoirs are dedicated to Ex-Commissioner James Smith. At the end of our visits and reminiscing, he always threw his hand back over his shoulder and said, with a big laugh,“And that’s all behind us now!” Jim Smith lived long and accomplished much. n
Best Friend
Submit your digital photo, name of the dog and their person, and a caption of 15 words or less (don’t forget a photo credit) to: yukondogs@whatsupyukon.com
By submitting your photo, you are giving permission for What’s Up Yukon to publish your photo for print and online use. We may also use your photo in marketing.
PHOTO: Sam Holloway
Sam and Turk - 1958
Nicole Bauberger is a multi-disciplinary visual artist as well as a writer and performer living in Whitehorse. She has contributed to What’s Up Yukon since our first issue, February 9, 2005.
A MEDITATION ON WASTE AND NUMBERS
I am a fan of the work of the people at Zero Waste Yukon, and have often done my best to lend my artistic practice and imagination to their efforts
Ilove the vision of bending our take-make-waste linear material culture to more circular economies. I was scheduled to teach a workshop as part of their Zero Waste Holiday Challenge.
So this is merely a quibble. But I find “Zero Waste” as a slogan counterproductive. Whatever I try to do, there is still waste. You can’t reshape anything without offcuts. To aspire to waste nothing at all seems discouraging to me. This can lead to just giving up. This column aspires to cultivate hope.
To that end, I will share one personal story of waste reduction gone wrong, and a design for something I use that reduces but does not eliminate waste.
I worked very hard to prepare for and take part in the ReDesign Fair, which Zero Waste Yukon was part of supporting. The week before, I had so many projects to complete and organize!
It felt great to be bringing this body of work in material diverted from the waste stream to its audience. I even made little books out of cracker boxes, with QR codes to some of my favourite Material ReCulturing articles. You can find some of these at Yukon Artists At Work.
Wednesday, I took a break for lunch, frying up some leftover potatoes in the fridge with eggs, pleased that those potatoes were not going to waste.
For dinner I had a lovely moose stew with biscuits.
I am sad to report that I encountered that stew again in the middle of the night. Alas, at lunch, unbeknownst to me, I had given myself a rather violent bout of food poisoning.
In the words of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, ’twas a rough night.
I’m not sure how I didn’t detect that those potatoes were bet-
ter suited for the compost bucket than for my lunch, but I had a lot on my mind. And then my moose stew got wasted too.
Clearly, Zero Waste doesn’t mean eating potatoes that are too old. I suppose if I were smarter I would have eaten them up sooner, or cooked fewer in the first place.
I have made my living for years in part by selling small paintings. There are adhesive plastic hangers that make hanging them easy and simple. As part of moving my practice towards a better relationship with materials, I have come up with a way to make these hangers myself out of plastic from the waste stream.
As a gift to you, I am sharing the instructions on how to make these, in case you can use them.
Using these instead of purchasing hangers means that I am eliminating the waste of packaging and shipping those products. There are still offcuts from the plastic, which I imagine will now just fall through the cracks of any recycling process.
Am I just making more microplastics? I’m also using new packing tape. I suppose I could just stop eating salad from plastic boxes – if I did that I could likely still find the plastic, though, because other people will still use them.
I should probably stop using acrylic paint too, as it’s a way to make microplastics. I am not there yet.
Perhaps I’m too literal-minded. But Zero is Zero. So is this
Gather your tools and materials
Make your markings
a failure or a move in the right direction?
Looking at Zero Waste Yukon’s lovely website, I realize that to change their name would waste all the thinking and design work that’s gone into their webpages.
I’m not writing this column because I have all the answers. I’m writing it out of my own confusion, and to gather and celebrate your stories of successes.
So please do send me stories of the steps you’re taking and the things you’re learning how to do. I want to gather up these ideas so they don’t go to waste.
I’m also hoping to write an article inspired by my Grandma. I wore her hand-me-downs for years. When I heard Yukon Indigenous elders speaking about
not wasting any part of the moose I hear her talking about butchering pigs in Saskatchewan, how they used every part of that pig.
I have this idea that, Indigenous or non-Indigenous, we’re living in a culture that has rapidly become more wasteful. What do you think? What did your elders and grandparents do, or show you, or share with you, that embodies a different relationship with materials than our current culture practices?
Please send your stories to materialreculturing@yahoo. com. Thank you. And take care with what you eat. n
~ How to Make a Lightweight Picture Hanger ~
This will hang a small painting or drawing on canvas board or on light particleboard or plywood. Depending on the weight of the material, 8x10” is probably the maximum size, though for plywood or particle board I would probably not go larger than 5x7”.
Materials:
- Rigid but flexible clear plastic, like that found in salad boxes, though there are abundant other sources.
- Clear packing tape
- Permanent marker
- Pen or pencil
- Flat-headed thumbtack for preference, though a small nail will work too
Tools:
- Ruler - 3-hole punch with a half inch metal plate at the centre hole
Steps:
The finished product
-1. Cut out the blank for your hanger from the clear plastic, about 1.5x2 inches, though a variety of sizes around this can work.
2. Make 2 points with the ruler and your marker to find the centre line down the longer dimension of your rectangle.
3. Push the hanger into the 3-hole punch lining up the centre line with the centre line on the middle plate in the 3-hole punch.
4. Move the hanger to one side, to within about 1/16-1/8 inch of the edge of the metal plate. Punch again.
5. Do the other side the same way. This will give you a horizontal slit with a kind of serrated edge, like commercial picture hangers.
6. Use a pen or pencil to draw a centre line down the back of your small artwork.
7. Cut a piece of clear packing tape. Attach it to the picture hanger about 3/8-1/2 of an inch down from your holes. There should be 1/2-3/4 inch of tape around the two sides and bottom.
8. Line the centre line on your artwork up with the one on your picture hanger. Let the top of the hanger be about 1/2 inch or so down from the top edge.
9. Press the tape down securely around the 3 bottom edges of your hanger.
10. Press your thumbtack into the wall at the desired place.
11. Hang your artwork on the thumbtack. The friction of the thumbtack head will work with that of the painting against the wall to keep it level.
PHOTOS: Nicole Bauberger
column with Nicole Bauberger
A YUKON COMPANY WINS AN ANTARCTIC CONTRACT
Antarctica Runway
Yukon’s Pelly Construction Builds for the British Antarctic Survey
By Keith Byram and Patricia Cunning
McBride Museum
Color photography by Keith Bryam and Jennifer Bryam
Additional photography by Leanne Brassard
Editing:
Ali Nordahl, Karen Bryam, and Lori Bryam Austin and Jennifer Bryam
Design and typeset by Nhesa Patoy, Arctic Star Printing
330 pages
Book dimensions:
30 cm by 30 cm (12 in. by 12 in.)
Weight: approx. 4.5 kg (9 lbs.) $75.00
Thirty-four years ago Pelly
Construction built a runway and airstrip for the British Antarctic Survey at Rothera Research Station in Antarctica. It was quite a feat for the relatively young company whose first large
project had been the creation of the Dawson Flood Dike in 1987.
The BBC reported in 2024 that work had begun to upgrade and resurface the runway, but between November 1990 and April 1991, the entire Bryam family was involved with the creation of the original runway.
The station as it currently exists is described on its website: bas.ac.uk/polar-operations/ sites-and-facilities/facility/rothera/
“Rothera Research Station, the largest British Antarctic facility, is a centre for biological research and a hub for supporting deepfield and air operations. Situated on Adelaide Island to the west of the Antarctic Peninsula the site includes the Bonner research laboratory, offices and workshops and a crushed rock runway, hangar and wharf.
“Rothera supports a wide range of BAS, UK university and international collaborative science programmes including the Dirck Gerritsz laboratory that is operated by the Netherlands polar research programme.
“Built on a rock promontory at the southern tip of the Wormald
Ice Piedmont, Rothera Research Station is situated on Adelaide Island to the west of the Antarctic Peninsula.
“Adelaide Island is 1,860 km south of the Falkland Islands and 1,630 km south-east of Punta Arenas, Chile. The island, which is 140 km long, is mountainous and heavily glaciated. Its highest peak is 2,565 metres.”
The website offers a drone video tour of the entire station, including the runway, as it existed in 2024.
This book covers the history of Keith Bryam’s career, from his early work building runways for the Canadian Air Force, through his work on various projects in Gander, Newfoundland; Chatham, New Brunswick; Gimli and Winnipeg in Manitoba; Comox, British Columbia; Moose Jaw, and Yorkton in Saskatchewan.
The move to Whitehorse in the late 1960s eventually caused him to hook up with General Enterprises, which later led to the formation of Pelly Construction,
and its first big project, that dike in Dawson. It was a year later, in 1988, that Keith first heard about the possibility of the job in Antarctica through an ad in the Journal
Gwen and Keith Byram of Pelly Construction q q Jennifer Byram
of Commerce. He was immediately obsessed with the idea. His daughter, Jennifer, recalls “He kept the ad in his pocket. During Christmas celebrations he sat alone in his chair and read the ad over and over again.”
That was the fall of 1988. By
p The cover of Antarctica Runway cont’d on page 19 ...
column with Dan Davidson
Dan Davidson retired after more than three decades teaching in Yukon schools. He has continued to write for various publications, including two columns in What’s Up Yukon.
PHOTOS: Dan Davidson’s photo captures from the book
Auto Centre
HELP WANTED
Integra Tire Whitehorse requires a full time permanent Warehouse Person
NOC Code 75101
The Applicant must be able to work weekends. Fall Arrest Certificate, Driver's and Forklift License is required. Wage is $24.00-$28.00/hour depending on experience. Group Insurance Benefits available.
Drop resume off at 107 Industrial Road Attn: Cal Murdoch or email to cal@yukontire.com
or email them to: events@whatsupyukon.com
Please visit whatsupyukon.com for up to date event details. Some events may be postponed or cancelled after we print.
ART SHOWS
Until Apr 26 Cardboard Tales by Aurore Favier Arts Underground Each piece in the exhibition is handcrafted entirely from cardboard, from sweeping Yukon vistas to a 30-square mosaic exploring textures & patterns.
Until Apr 26 Echo by Amberley Cooke & Esa Suominen Arts Underground An exhibition of tangible depth you can feel over the clay with sewn texture impressions, a hand carved clay skull stamp and glaze finishes.
Until Apr 30 Drawn Together. One Artist and Fourteen Hundred Swans by Martha Jane Ritchie YAC Yukon Arts Centre Gallery An exhibition of work inspired by two weeks of living and working at Swan Haven during the 2024 Spring migration and Celebration of Swans
Until May 21 My Big Bougie Beaded Earrings Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre
A vibrant celebration of Indigenous artistry and self-expression, showcasing bold statement earrings as symbols of identity, creativity, and presence.
Until May 23 Nature’s Touch – Art by Isaac and Isabel YAC Yukon Arts Centre Gallery Our art is about the beautiful Wilderness and our family’s Culture. We enjoy bringing the peacefulness of nature into our artwork, because it is good for the soul and it is where we connect with our ancestors and friends.
Until May 23 Field Notes from Kluane YAC Yukon Arts Centre Gallery showcases new works by Christine Koch, the 2023 Kluane National Park Artist in Residence.
Until May 23 Aleocharinae: An Entomologist and an Artist YAC Yukon Arts Centre Gallery A unique exhibition bridges art and science through stunning blown glass sculptures inspired by the intricate genitalia of obscure rove beetles (Aleocharinae).
Until Jun 28 The Andover-Harvard Yukon Expedition: 1948 Arts Underground A series of photographs from The Andover-Harvard Yukon Expedition: 1948, presented by MacBride Museum.
LIVE MUSIC
Fri Apr 25 Gemini Fire & Yukon Jack 8:00 PM Kopper King & Neighbours
Pub Celebrate the grand re-opening of the old KK Tavern with Kim Rogers, Gemini Fire, Yukon Jack and Peggy Hanifan!
Fri Apr 25 Soirée PYJAMA Party with Major Funk 8:00 PM Association franco-yukonnaise (AFY) An intimate slumber party themed featuring special guest performances with our brand new STRING SECTION collaboration! https://majorfunkmusic. com/shows
Fri Apr 25 Ryan O-Neil - Mobb Diggity - Northstarr - Sweet Jones
8:00 PM Lefty’s Well Local musicians Ryan O-Neil, Mobb Diggity, Hip Hop Duo - Northstarr with sounds by DJ Sweet Jones!
Sat Apr 26 Klondike Karaoke Finals
7:00 PM YAC Yukon Arts Centre Come out and cheer on the 14 finalists competing for cash prizes in our annual Klondike Karaoke performance on YAC’s mainstage. Admission is free!
Sat Apr 26 A Concert of Sacred Polyphony 7:30 PM Sacred Heart Cathedral An evening of harmonious melodies. Immerse yourself in the beauty of sacred music performed by talented musicians.
Sat Apr 26 Pink House and The BandShe 8:00 PM Lefty’s Well Sat Apr 26 Country Josh Solo 8:00
PM 98 Hotel Come see this gem, Country Josh take the stage solo.
Fri May 2 Cosmic Grooves 8:00 PM 98 Hotel Dance the night away to Blair Breaks, Nate Vincent and VCHO.
Fri May 2 & Sat May 3 Spring Concert - Simple Gifts 7:30 PM YAC Yukon Arts Centre Simple Gifts showcases our four choirs, Whitehorse Community Choir, Neptunes, Chamber Choir and Persephone Singers as they sing choral songs that uplift and show the beauty of vocal harmonies. https:// yukonartscentre.com/
Sat May 3 East Coast Kitchen Party 2.0 6:00 PM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Get ready to dance, eat, and have a blast with friends, family, and other members of our community as we raise funds toward the much needed new kitchen for the food bank! https://whatsupyukon.events/56fe32
Sat May 3 Flute & Piano Recital 7:00 PM Trinity Lutheran Church Ben Johnston-Urey and Donna Reimchen will be presenting a flute and piano recital featuring programmatic works by Cesar Franck and a selection of Ukrainian composers.
Sat May 3 The Damn Shames 8:00 PM 98 Hotel Rip it up Damn Shames style ... .What a Damn Shame this will be the last full gig for a wee hiatus. Starts at 8, don’t be late.
Monthly
Mondays
Gray Jay Café 6:00 PM Tony’s Pasta & Seafood House.
Tuesdays
Live Music 8:00 PM Lefty’s Well
Wednesdays
Intermediate Jam - Bluegrass & Old Time 7:00 PM Whitehorse Legion bi-weekly Hosted by the Yukon Bluegrass Society Karaoke 8:00 PM Lefty’s Well
Whitewater Wednesday 8:00 PM 98 Hotel
Thursdays
Muster Point 6:30 PM Baked Cafe Muster Point live and featuring a rotating lineup of local guest artists.
Ginger Jam 7:00 PM Lefty’s Well
Fridays
Live Music 6:00 PM Tony’s Pasta & Seafood House
Live Music 8:00 PM Lefty’s Well
Saturdays
Live Music at Whiskey Jacks 7:00
PM Whiskey Jacks Pub & Grill. whiskeyjacks.ca/
Live Music 8:00 PM Lefty’s Well
Sundays
Open Jam 8:00 PM 98 Hotel
GENERAL EVENTS
Until April 27 Awaken Festival 2025
TBD Gwaandak Awaken Festival! Participate in workshops and showcases designed for Indigenous and Northern artists. https://www. gwaandaktheatre.ca/awakenfestival-2025
Tue Apr 22 Awaken Festival 2025Funding Opportunities for Yukon Artists 4:00 PM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Join Alainnah Whachell & Virginie Hamel and explore funding opportunities for artists. Bring your thoughts and questions, for an in depth discussion. https://www. gwaandaktheatre.ca/home-awakenfestival-2025/in-person-workshops
Tue Apr 22
Earth Day - Renewing Our Connections with Mother Earth 3:00 PM Rotary Peace Park Earth Day celebration featuring music, crafts, films, free food, and more! Our team will be there to share about the Wind River trip and screen the related short film, Connections.
Tue Apr 22 Awaken Festival 2025Sound of the Beast 6:30 PM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Created and performed by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard. https://yukonartscentre.com/ Tue Apr 22 Workers Wellness Workshop Series 12:00 PM Yukon Employees & Union Unlock new key healthy habits, connect with other workers and be inspired by others. Attend online or in-person.
Wed Apr 23 An Evening of Geopolitics with Chris Kilford 5:00 PM Yukonstruct An evening discussing global politics with Chris Kilford - hear about Turkey, Taiwan, Poland and more.
Wed Apr 23 Beginner Laser Cutter - Earrings 6:00 PM Yukonstruct Makespace Create your own custom earrings in this beginner laser cutter and jewelry-making workshop by designing, cutting, and assembling pairs of wood earrings. https:// yukonstruct.com/
Wed Apr 23 Awaken Festival 20257 Steps for Starting 4:00 PM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Playwright/ emcee/agitator DM St. Bernard shares some first steps to move from impulse into creation. Suitable for artists at all levels of experience. https://www. gwaandaktheatre.ca/home-awakenfestival-2025/in-person-workshops
Wed Apr 23 Awaken Festival 2025 - Savage is a Word in the English Dictionary 6:30 PM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Crafted and performed by Brefny Caribou https:// yukonartscentre.com/ Thu Apr 24 Archival Inspiration: Stories that move us 5:30 PM Yukon Archives New exhibit the Yukon Archives’ staff are sharing some of our personal favourite records from the vault. https://yukon.ca/en/places/ yukon-archives
Thu Apr 24 Awaken Festival 2025 -
Talk Treaty to Me 6:30 PM Kwanlin
Dun Cultural Centre Created and performed by Theresa Cutknife and Samantha Fraughton also featuring performances by Mitchell Saddleback and Sheldon Stockdale. https:// yukonartscentre.com/
Thu Apr 24 Skills Canada Yukon Territorial Competition Whitehorse
Don’t miss your chance to show-off your skill-set against other territorial competitors and be in the running to represent Team Yukon at the Skills Canada National Competition! https:// www.skillsyukon.com/
Fri Apr 25 Free film screening:
All the time in the world 7:00 PM NorthLight Innovation Screen this must-see movie from Dawson City filmmaker Suzanne Crocker presented by Green Party candidate for the Yukon, Gabrielle Dupont. Snacks will be served. https://yukongreen.ca/
Fri Apr 25 Paint & Sip - Rooster
6:30 PM The Mini Makerspace
Join Meghann Atina as she guides you through your masterpiece, all materials provided, with a free drink! https://whatsupyukon.events/c9167b
Sat Apr 26 True North Adventure
Day 10:00 AM Fraserway RV Whitehorse A celebration of everything we love about the Great Canadian Outdoors! FREE BBQ - Kid friendly fun with a bouncy castle and family activities and epic prize giveaways worth up to $500!
Sat Apr 26 Annual Spring Tea 2:00
PM Hellaby Hall Scones with Jam & cream, sandwiches and sweets - Sale of gently used crockery and kitchen items. All are welcome!
Sat Apr 26 Special Olympics Festival Dinner Auction 6:00 PM Takhini Arena Special Olympics Festival Dinner Auction presented by Canadian Tire
Sun Apr 27 Awaken Theatre Gathering ft. keynote by Michelle Thrush 9:00 AM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre The inaugural Awaken Theatre Gathering is an opportunity for established theatre artists, educators, to connect with Indigenous creatives in both the Yukon and beyond. https:// www.gwaandaktheatre.ca/
Sun Apr 27 Women in Business - Speed Dating 3:00 PM Velvet Antlers Productions Yukon Ladies Ask: Women in Business Speed Dating Event! A high-energy, onehour, speed-dating-style networking session. https://docs.google.com/ forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd3vBP4H_ s94cjFtzqQsawEeIMWmYwyNXddYzTtFdhb9Ke4g/viewform
Mon Apr 28 Day of Mourning 12:00 PM Shipyards Park Reflect upon workers who have been injured on the job, and we honour those who died in work-related incidents or as a result of occupational disease.
Mon Apr 28 Hide Tool Making Workshop 10:00 AM Nàkwät’à Kù Potlatch Tool making workshop will be led by Joshua Lesage, for more info call 332-7049
Mon Apr 28 Info Session - Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot 9:00 AM NorthLight Innovation Explore a new Immigration Pathway for Yukon Businesses - Presented by the Whitehorse Chamber and TIA Yukon, https://www.whitehorsechamber.ca/ events/information-session-economicmobility-pathways-pilot
Wed Apr 30 Yukon Writers’ Festival 2025 Opening Reception 6:30 PM Best Western Gold Rush Inn Yukon Writers’ festivals featuring authors Cole Pauls, Chelsea Vowel, Keven Sylvester, Patti Flather and Teresa Wong. https://yacyukon.weebly.com/
Wed Apr 30 Visible Mending Workshop 6:30 PM Raven ReCentre Join the movement to celebrate mending, embrace imperfection and resist fast fashion. Learn how to repair, add flair to and extend the life of clothes you love. Admission: by donation
Thu May 1 2025 Yukon/Stikine Regional Heritage Fair Open House 12:30 PM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Check out the student projects, learn about Canadian heritage, celebrate learning, and cast your vote for the Park’s Canada People’s Choice Awards. https:// yukonstikineheritagefair.ca/
Fri May 2 Live Comedy - Todd
Ness ft. Celeste Lampa 7:00 & 9:30
PM Boiler Room Lounge Two Killer Comics. One Hilarious Night. Laugh your face off with Todd Ness and Celeste Lampa — two of the funniest comedians working in Canada!
Fri May 2 Seniors and Elders’ Social 1:00 PM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Whitehorse residents ages 60 and older are invited to the City’s annual Seniors’ and Elders’ Social. www. http://bit.ly/3XtnJMI
Sat May 3 Yukon Writers’ Festival
Closing Reception 7:00 PM St. Elias Convention Centre Yukon Writers’ Festival featuring Cole Pauls, Chelsea Vowel, Kevin Sylvester, Patti Flather and Teresa Wong. Call 667-5239 for more info. https://yacyukon.weebly. com/
Sat May 3 Live Comedy - Todd Ness ft. Celeste Lampa 7:00 Boiler Room Lounge Two Killer Comics. One Hilarious Night. Laugh your face off with Todd Ness and Celeste Lampa — two of the funniest comedians working in Canada!
Sun May 4 Recreation Expo 5:00
AM Canada Games Centre Yukon
A trade show-style event connecting the community with sport, recreation, education, and social service organizations.
Mon May 5 - 8 Arctic Indigenous Investment Conference 2025 5:00
AM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Hear from influential keynote speakers, take part in thought-provoking panel discussions, and immerse themselves in interactive workshops. https:// whatsupyukon.events/0b5350
Monthly
2nd Monday Ukulele Group 6:00
PM Golden Age Society salvin@ northwestel.net
2nd Monday Whitehorse Slow Jam
7:00 PM Golden Age Society
2nd & 4th Wednesdays Whitehorse Photography Club - Meetup 7:00
PM Yukon University - Whitehorse Campus Held in Rm A2204. Discuss photography, share your work, learn new tips and tricks. http:// whitehorsephotoclub.ca/
First Thursdays QYS Craft Night 7:00
PM Queer Yukon Society The Cache
This is a great place to gather and meet other queer crafters. And there will be tea of course. Regular drop-in is still available.
2nd Thursday QYS Movie Nights 5:00 PM Queer Yukon Society The Cache
Last Thursdays Repair Cafe 6:00 PM Yukonstruct Makespace Bring it in and see if it is fixable using soldering irons, multimeters, and other tools. This easy introduction to electronics and small home appliance repair is a useful evening of DIY learning that you can take home.
2nd Thursday Music Trivia 7:00 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 Come on out and test your music knowledge! Teams of no more than 6 people. Last Friday Pioneer Women of Yukon 12:00 PM Golden Age Society
3rd Sundays Messy Church 3:00
PM Christ Church Cathedral church for children and adults that involves creativity, celebration and hospitality. Crafts, singing and food will be the focus.
2nd & 4th Sundays Grade 8 – 12
High School Youth Group 6:00
PM Mountainview Church A positive place for your teen to hang out on the weekend. Take part in games and activities, learn about the Bible, and deepen faith. https://mountainview.
church/connect/youth Monthly
Weekly
Mondays
Mtg: Competitive Commander 6:00 PM Titan Gaming and Collectibles
Women’s Bible Study 6:00 PM Women’s Bible Study. Refreshments are served followed by the study. For more info check out www. mountainview.church or email rachel@mountainview.church.
Ukulele Group 6:00 PM Golden Age Society
Euchre - For Members and Signed in Guests 6:00 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 Euchre a tricktaking card game for four players, two on each team, As a member you
Beginner ASL Class & Social Hang
6:15 Queer Yukon Society - The Cache
Tuesdays
Bridge 12:00 PM Golden Age Society
Café de l’amitié 2:00 PM Association franco-yukonnaise (AFY) Le Café de l’amitié est un rendez-vous hebdomadaire et une occasion de rassemblement pour les francophones de 50 ans et plus.
QYS Drop-in 2:00 PM Queer Yukon Society The Cache Language Skills for Ukrainians 5:15 PM Yukon Learn A discussion group workshop provides a relaxed and friendly environment where learners can practise and learn English conversation skills.
Weekly Shuffleboard Tournament
6:00 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 For members and signed in guests. A double knockout style competition and games are limited to 6 ends or 15 minutes
Chess Club 6:00 PM Titan Gaming and Collectibles Love Chess? Want to learn? Looking for Competition? Join us!
SuperSmash Bros, Mtg: Commander 6:00 PM Titan Gaming and Collectibles
10 Card Crib - Members & Signed In Guests 6:00 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 Whether you are a seasoned crib player or a beginner, come play! Learn tips and tricks and have some fun! https://bit.ly/3KP0B5s
Wednesdays
Multicultural Connection Group
11:00 AM Multicultural Centre of the Yukon – MCY Connect with other parents and caregivers, learn about parenting in different cultures. A free lunch program for immigrants and refugee families. Lunch and transportation provided. Call 332-1803 for more info.
Spanish Conversation 12:00 PM Whitehorse United Church Call 3336081 for more info.
Anglican Holy Communion –Whitehorse 12:10 PM Christ the Church Cathedral The Book of Common Prayer, 2nd Wednesday of the month
Sew & Tell All – Elders Hangout 1:00 PM Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre Facilitated by Kwanlin Dün Elder-inResidence Shirley Smith, everyone welcome. Feel free to join and start a beading project or work on something that you’ve already started! For more info email culturalprograms@kdcc.ca
QYS Drop-in 2:00 PM Queer Yukon Society The Cache Texas Hold’ Em 6:00 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 For signed in members and guests. Bragging rights!
Mtg: Modern, Warhammer Age of Sigmar 6:00 PM Titan Gaming and Collectibles
Writing Things DOWN(town) 6:30
PM A regular, free drop-in writing group at the Whitehorse Public Library. This is a space to start writing your memoir or finish that article. Writing prompts will be provided to generate ideas.
Thursdays
Public Speaking TrainingToastmasters 12:00 PM Decora Guests are always welcome. There are many roles to learn at Toastmasters. Practice 2 minute table topics
Anglican Thursday at the Cathedral 12:10 PM Christ the Church Cathedral Bring a lunch (Book of Alternative Services)
Pathfinder Role-Playing Game for Youth 3:30 PM Whitehorse Public Library Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Find out what role playing games are all about! Registration is encouraged, but drop-ins are always welcome.
Mtg: casual Commander, Warhammer 40k & Kill Team 6:00 PM Titan Gaming and Collectibles
Mountainview Church Community Group 7:00 PM 16 years or older?
Mountainview Church Community Group! We’ll share some snacks and talk about what the bible has to say about discipleship.
Fridays
Coffee & Chat 11:00 AM Golden Age
Society Coffee and chat is a way to connect with your community, develop friendships, and have fun.
Mtg: Pioneer, YuGiOh Casual 6:00 PM Titan Gaming and Collectibles
Saturdays
Yukon Amateur Radio Association
Coffee Discussion Group 8:45 AM A&W Restaurant Hams from outside the Yukon and those interested are welcome to join us in this casual event.
Cribbage - Members and Signed in Guests 2:00 PM Whitehorse Legion Branch 254 Masks are mandatory. Members must have a valid 2021 membership and they may sign in 2 guests MAX.
Pokemon, Mtg: Youth Magic, Lorcana 6:00 PM Titan Gaming and Collectibles
Sundays
Mountainview Church Sunday Service 9:30 AM Church In The Building 9:30 AM, 11AM or Church At Home 7 AM, 9:30 AM, 11 AM Mountainviewwhitehorse.ca/Watch
Clothing Room 10:00 AM Whitehorse Church of the Nazarene Free of charge to anyone and everyone
Whitehorse United Church Worship Service 10:30 AM A caring community of faith, based on a foundation of Biblical teaching and spiritual truth
Secondhand Clothing Bizarre 2:00 PM Whitehorse Seventh-Day Adventist Church Clean clothes needed and donations accepted if in good condition. Please call before dropping clothes off and for more info 633-3463.
Sunday Gatherings 3:00 PM The Northern Collective Church KIDS & FAMILIES
Sat Apr 26 & Sun Apr 27 Night of the Zoopocalypse 2:00 PM Yukon Theatre A wolf and mountain lion team up when a meteor unleashes a virus turning zoo animals into zombies.
Sat May 3 Teddy Bear Clinic 10:00 AM Whitehorse General Hospital A fun and family-friendly event where kids can bring their favorite stuffed animals for a “check-up” with healthcare professionals! Enjoy activities like face painting, coloring, snacks, and more.
Monthly
1st & 3rd Saturdays Grades 5 - 7 Junior Youth Group 7:00 PM Mountainview Church Passionate about giving kids opportunities to have fun & make new friends, while teaching them about Jesus & His great love for our world https:// mountainview.church/connect/youth
2nd and 4th Saturdays Grade 8 - 12
High School Youth Group 7:00 PM Mountainview Church A positive place for your teen to hang out on the weekend. Take part in games and activities, learn about the Bible, and deepen faith. https://mountainview. church/connect/youth
Weekly
Tuesdays
Story Time 10:30 AM Whitehorse Public Library Join us for stories, songs & rhymes! A free drop-in program for children ages 0-5 and caregivers at Whitehorse Public Library
Parent-Child Mother Goose 10:30
AM The Child Development Centre Celebrates the power and pleasure of songs, rhymes and oral stories. Bonding time with your little one or to learn for later.
Wednesdays
Community Connections 1:30 PM Yukon Family Literacy Centre An intergenerational story time and craft program. Meet local elders, have a coffee, do some crafts, and make a friend!
Thursdays
Transformations Along The Chu Nikwän 1:30 PM Yukon Visitor Information Centre Join Amber for
a free walking tour every Thursday along the Whitehorse waterfront to learn about the Yukon First Nations people and the history of the Yukon. Pathfinder Role-Playing Game for Youth 3:30 PM Whitehorse Public Library Youth 11-17 are invited to join, no experience necessary.
Saturdays
Science Saturdays 11:00 AM Whitehorse Public Library Free DropIn Science and STEM Activities - no need to register - For children to complete with a parent or guardian!
MEETINGS
Thu Apr 24 Yukon Conservation Society AGM 7:00 PM Yukon Conservation Society YCS Members to attend in person or online via zoom. Email board@yukonconservation.ca for more info.
Mon Apr 28 Softball Yukon AGM 2025 6:00 PM Sport Yukon Held in Sport Yukon Boardroom 2. Please email sarah@softballyukon.com for more info.
Tue Apr 29 Alpine Club of Canada - Yukon - AGM 7:00 PM Winterlong Brewing Co. Learn more about ACC and we are hosting a short adventure slideshow night. Email ACCYukon@ gmail.com for more.
Thu May 1 Homeschooling in Yukon Info Night 7:00 PM Yukonstruct Makespace Drop in event - Meet several Yukon homeschooling parents in a panel-styled evening for questions and discussion.
Tue May 6 YEU - PSAC Local Y043 AGM 5:30 PM Yukon University Dawson City Campus Elections, Financial Reports and President/VP/ Director Reports will all be discussed. Pizza and door prizes will be on hand. https://www.yeu.ca/y043_agm_ may_6_2025
Weekly
Tuesdays
Rendezvous Rotary 6:30 PM Tony’s Pasta and Seafood House Meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at Tony’s Pasta and Seafood. Come and join us for fun, and fellowship.
Thursdays Toastmasters Decora 12:00 PM Sundogs Toastmasters Club. Club is open to all interested parties and we provide constructive feedback to help develop public speaking skills.
Monthly
First Monday Klondike Snowmobile Association Board Meeting 7:00 PM Sport Yukon https://ksa.yk.ca/comingevents/
First Monday Yukon Amateur Radio Association Monthly Meeting 7:00 PM EMO Building Discussion of club business. Prospective hams are welcome.
Third Thursday Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition Monthly Meeting 5:00 PM ZOOM Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition for regular meeting. Everyone is welcome. Call Kathy 334-9317 or info@yapc.ca for a zoom link or join us in person. https://yapc.ca/actions/ detail/yapcs-monthly-meetings
Third Thursday ASAY board monthly meeting 7:00 PM Sport Yukon ONLINE EVENTS
Fridays AA Yukon Unity Group 1:30
PM Online For Zoom Room address Contact 334-7693
Saturdays AA Detox Meeting (OM, NS) 1:00 PM Online For Zoom Room address call 334-7693.
Tuesdays Restorative Online Healing Circles 7:30 PM Online Check-in, Q&A, connect and feel the results. No experience necessary. Register online, or call 335-0078 or email alison@alisonzeidler.com for more info.
Want to be on this page?
Enter your event HERE:
THUMBING IT DOWN UNDER
Part Eight
PINKY PROMISE
“I hope I never become stagnant,” I mused
After hitchhiking all the way up the east coast of Australia, I had finally got to introduce two of my travelling soulmates. Charlotte and Maz got along instantly. The three of us were sitting in the shade, enjoying the cool ocean breeze, talking like sisters who have known each other forever.
Maz snorted in laughter. “You become stagnant. Somehow I just can’t see it.”
“It could happen,” Charlotte said. “She could meet Mr. Right and settle down and have a bunch of babies and get stuck in the same town doing the same thing over and over again like some of my friends that I left in Ontario.”
“Boring!” said Maz. “I don’t ever want to become stagnant either.”
“I’ve always dreamed of being a Mom,” I said. “But settling down and raising kids isn’t necessarily stagnant. You can’t exactly drag them around hitchhiking with you
Maz collecting firewood to heat water for a shower
all your life.”
“I know, but you can still go on adventures,” said Charlotte. “With or without your kids. You don’t have to stay stuck in the same town with the same job doing the same thing over and over again.”
“Okay, let’s make a pact,” I said. “Let’s stay in touch for the rest of our lives and if any of us gets stagnant the other two will come and pull them out of it.”
“Pinky promise?” said Maz.
“Right arm!” said Charlotte (which she always said instead of “right on”).
We all stood up and linked our pinkies together and danced around in a circle, laughing. The feeling of joy, friendship and freedom was exhilarating. We felt like nymphs cavorting on the seashore.
Looking back now, I have to wonder if my 27 year old self would view my current life as stagnant. Was I? My husband and I are happily retired and only go to town once a week. We don’t travel much, except to visit family. I think that my younger self would have called that stagnant.
My older self argues that retired life has a lot of the same perks as travelling. We wake up every morning wondering what the day will bring, which was always my favourite part of travelling. Even if we never leave our property, every day is an adventure — creating our little piece of
paradise and living as self-sufficiently as we can. I guess it just goes to show that stagnancy is in the eye of the beholder.
That afternoon Maz took us to a magical spot she had discovered — forever more to be my “happy place”, when I want to visualize one. Crystal clear water cascaded down a wall of pancake rocks into a small swimming hole surrounded by lush rainforest.
“What about crocs?” I asked. “I was told never to swim in the creeks up here.”
“The park warden, who told me about this place, said it was safe. It is fed by a natural spring and far enough away from the ocean. No crocs,” said Maz as she stripped down and jumped in. “Woo hoo! It’s gorgeous! Get in here.”
The next day, Maz’s Aboriginal park warden friend dropped by. He invited us to go on his rounds with him — checking the campgrounds and beaches. We hopped in his Jeep and went all the way to the top of Daintree National Park boundary, way past Cape Tribulation.
On our way back, he dropped us off at Noah’s Creek because he was late for a dinner date and we
cont’d on page 12 ...
q Our Pinky Dance, promising to rescue each other if one of us becomes stagnant
column with Donna Lawther
Donna Lawther is a long-time Yukoner, pour-painting artist and author of Harry the Hug Monster.
PHOTOS: Donna Lawther
had assured him we could walk to Thornton Beach and ask someone for a ride at the fish and chip shop. After walking for almost an hour, on an empty road, we were disappointed to find that the shop was closed.
It was getting very dark but we couldn’t think of any other option than to keep walking.
“What’s that?” said Charlotte, stopping abruptly and pointing to a dark spot in the middle of the road. “Is that a snake?”
“I’m sure it’s just a stick,” I said.
“Not sure,” said Maz. “Now what?” asked Charlotte. Maz linked arms with both of us. “We’re going to run and then jump!” and before we could argue we were on the other side.
the other side of the creek.”
“Let’s try yelling,” said Maz. So there we were. Three girls, in the middle of a dark rainforest, beside a crocodile-infested creek, screaming.
“Help!”
“We need a ride across the creek!”
“Can anyone hear us?”
“HELP!”
When nobody replied, we decided to start walking back the way we had come, look for driveways and pray for the sound of a vehicle. Poor Charlotte was shaking so hard that we had to hold both her hands.
We hadn’t got very far, when we came to a huge snake lying right across the road.
“That’s definitely not a stick!” I said.
“We’ll jump over it,” said Maz. “No bloody way,” said Charlotte.
“I can’t believe this,” I said. “We’re stuck between a snake and a crocodile!”
“Let’s throw rocks at it,” said Maz.
Maz’s plan worked, and after a few good hits the snake slithered off the road into the bush. Seconds later, we heard something!
We started waving our arms, frantically, as headlights appeared in the distance.
“Aren’t there a couple of creeks we have to cross?” asked Charlotte. “It was scary enough driving through them. There is no way I’m wading across. There are huge crocodile warning signs at both of them.”
“We’ll figure out what to do when we get there,” said Maz.
“We’ll get a ride before then,” I said. “Let’s go.”
Every dark shape looked like a snake, but we kept going until we got to Cooper Creek.
“Now what?” asked Charlotte. “There is no way that I am wading across that creek. I’m not going anywhere near it! We’re probably too close standing here.”
“Ssshh!” said Maz. “Listen! I can hear a generator. There must be people living nearby. We can ask them for help.”
It was a young guy in a little Jeep. There was no room in the cab so he told us to stand up in the back and hold on to the headache rack. We held on for dear life as he drove like a maniac, speeding down the narrow dirt road and careening through the creeks.
Back at Maz’s tin shack on the beach, I laughed. “That was the wildest and scariest hitchhiking trip I have ever had … but at least we can say we’re not stagnant!” n
It was almost pitch black, by then, and none of us had a flashlight.
“I can hear it too!” I said. “But how do we get there? I didn’t see any driveways. Maybe they are on
PHOTOS: Donna Lawther
Maz kissing the croc sign q
with Bev
COMMON AS DIRT
To British humourists
Flanders and Swann, it was “Mud, Mud,
Glorious Mud”
Spring is definitely on the way. What a blessing to be where there is moisture in the land and mud everywhere. I always have loved spring, and daffodils, and especially the mud.
Mom said that when I was very little, and it was mud pie making time, while the other little kids would squat in the puddles to make their pies, I would sit right down in it. (I’d still do that if I could get someone else to do the laundry!)
One spring, in this sort of mood, I wrote an “ode to mud”. It’s meant to be silly but, still, it seemed particularly appropriate for now.
ODE TO MUD
And oh, what glorious substance this
That, overnight, it seems, hath come to be
While yesterday the world was cold and white
I now behold its changing wordlessly
To darker hues, yet fair to gaze upon, this transformation longed for yet so soon.
And I perceive within my breast
Wherein the heart of me doth beat with unrestrain-ed joy
At such a sight
What ancient, animal and primitive elements do compose me!
Aye, my body formed of good terrestrial stuff as such befits my very presence here
That I should sing
From soul to sun send forth a song which is returned to my delirious throat,
In warmth that gathers ever more each dawn
And clings, with grasping fingers of the light grown longer, daily longer, e’re their flight and slip behind the trees, ’til darkness blankets all.
I do digress
But still, ’tis truth I speak
For tho’ my ken be insignificant (and ’twould be fuller had I but
attention paid in class when unto high school did I wend my slow unwilling way)
Yet this I certain know:
Our rounded home upon its axis many times hath spun, and orbiting,
Hath come to such a place in its ellipse
That sister sun
That yellow star
That swirling, boiling, plenteous ball of radiant gas — this very sun is in distance closer now
Than ever it will be.
Such consequence!
When, from my dust stained windows I behold
My outer world, most fair and fresh
The driveway, yard, and very streets around do teem with damp and sticky pools
Of soil, drenched recently by rivulets
From out beneath the mounded snow,
Enlaced with gravel warmed and melting thus by strengthening of sun
It sodden lies
Brown witness to approaching burst of life
Sprung forth in bud and bird.
Yet this do I prefer, its herald.
The slime that clings to even careful feet
Befouling boots, encrusting cars and bellies of white cats
Of floors, a sandy wasteland constant makes
Sit right down in it
And rending all that walks a soiled and splotched display of nature’s mischievous renewal.
Oh joy!
Oh childlike fierce desire
To jump, and splash, and spatter my most genteel Sunday dress
With slippery, sensuous filth!
And you, my friend,
My muddy true companion on the Way
Awash in newly moistened life
Which from your soul-fed eyes my heart receives
A gift most rare and glorious as soaking spring
Think not that earthy laughter, rooted thus and so in blackened loam
Rends unworthy thy dear name
Nor mars thy countenance from blessing or from blessed.
Indeed, while walking, we, from dust and clay again to dust and clay
The soil is she who feeds us and the more;
Fills up with richness; and to moistureless, antiseptic minds and hands cries Foul!
What honourable estate to reek and drip with evidence of growing things.
Anon. The mud awaits. n
From
You
on Pixabay
Bev Brazier is an ardent writer and former minister of Whitehorse United Church.
Brazier
Befouling boots
PHOTO: Pixabay
2025 COURSE SCHEDULE
INTRO TO MOVING WATER $349 - TANDEM CANOE
Flagship course. In this 2 1⁄2 day course you will learn Moving Water Fundamentals including canoe strokes, equipment, front ferries, eddy turns, reading the river and canoe safety. This is a Moving Water Course and not a Whitewater Course and is a prerequisite for Whitewater Fundamentals. We learn on a local lake, the Yukon and Takhini Rivers. A perfect place to start for any river paddling you may want to do. Some courses start on Thursday evening and some start Friday evening. Please see the registration form for all dates.
PACKRAFTING 101 $199
June 5,7,8; June 13,14,15; June 19,21,22; July 11-13
DATES: May 8,10,11; May 16,17,18; May 22,24,25; May 30,31, June 1
WHITEWATER FUNDAMENTALS $449 - TANDEM CANOE
Build your Whitewater skills on Takhini & Wheaton Rivers - perfect your back ferry. We review fundamentals learned in Intro to Moving Water & build on them. Prepare yourself for your next whitewater Adventure or Wind River Canoe trip. Courses start Thursday or Friday evenings.
DATES: May 29,31,June 1; June 6,7,8; June 12,14,15; June 20,21,22; June 26,28,29
LAPIE RIVER EXTRAVAGANZA $699 - TANDEM/SOLO
Yukon’s Premier Whitewater Canoe Course. Your skills and confidence will soar. Catch every eddy and surf every wave. The Lapie River is the best river in the Yukon for learning whitewater. Each course is tailored to the class to provide optimal learning.
4 days of whitewater Biss and learning tandem or solo canoe, kayak or packraft available.
SOLO TRIPPING $399
Are you wanting to paddle your own canoe? Course is taught in regular sized tandem canoes that you paddle on your own.
DATES: May 22,24,25; June 13,14,15
Try the exciting world of Packrafting and open up a whole new world of Adventures. Packrafts are lightweight solo inflatable kayaks that are easily hiked into your favourite lake or river. Our new fleet includes cutting edge Alpacka Packrafts and Kokapalii Self Bailing PackRafts.
DATES: May 20-21; May 28-29; June 3-4; June 10-11; June 17-18; July 15-16
PACKRAFTING 102 $375
Yukan Canoe Packraft 102 teaches you whitewater skills you will need for River or Creek Paddling with a curriculum developed by the American Packrafting Association. We provide a safe, supportive yet challenging environment for you to learn & practice on Takhini & Wheaton Rivers. Packraft 101 is a prerequisite.
DATES: May 31-June 1; June 7-8; June 14-15; June 21-22
PACKRAFT LAPIE- EXPEDITION SKILLS $699
Are you wanting to explore the amazing Yukon or anywhere else with your packraft? This Expedition Skills course on the amazing Lapie river is the place to learn. The Lapie river located in Central Yukon offers huge diversity for building your skills and confidence from new river Paddler to Advanced Whitewater in stunning setting. We customize each Lapie course for the class to ensure we meet your learning objectives.
DATES: June 28-July 1; July 3-6; July 10-13
SWIFT WATER RESCUE
Yukan Canoe offers a wide range of Swift Water Rescue courses ranging from Swift Water Awareness to build your confidence in/around moving water, to Industry Courses for field workers to Advanced Swift Water Rescue.
SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, DATES AND PRICES.
GATHER
THE SAP IS RUNNING
On the evening of April 6, the Whitehorse Nordic Centre announced its grooming season was over, which meant that cross-country skiing on the trails at Mount Mac was just about over too
On April 9, bird monitor
Jukka Jantunen counted
246 Trumpeter swans and four Tundra swans at Swan Haven.
That same day, Berwyn Larsen and the crew at birch syrup camp above the McQuesten River harvested the first sap of the season. Spring had truly arrived.
Berwyn Larsen started tapping trees to make birch syrup in 2005, joined by his partner Sylvia Frisch soon after. Together, they lead a crew of volunteers who tap hundreds of trees — 1700, this year — and boil down the sap to produce hundreds of litres of syrup.
This year, the team is hoping to increase the yield from 750 litres to 1000 litres — quite a feat, considering it takes 80 litres of sap to produce 1 litre of syrup.
Larsen reports that the crew this year is a good mix of old and young — “old, 70 years old fellow and young, 7 months old baby. Locals and folks from lands far away.”
The crew will work for a good four or five weeks, tapping trees, hauling sap, and boiling it down into early season, mid-season and late-season syrup. The last yield of sap for the season will be destined for Yukon Brewing’s annual
Birch Beer release, eagerly anticipated by the territory’s beer aficionados.
In our household, the flight of swans overhead and news that the sap is running inspire a cooking spree every year. Our 2-litre bottle of mid-season syrup from last year must make way for the new. So, we’ll be mixing cocktails, whisking salad dressings, concocting sweets and savouries featuring our favourite northern condiment until the jug is empty.
Here’s an old classic for starters, a northern riff on the traditional Quebecoise and Acadian sugar pie.
BIRCH SYRUP SUGAR PIE
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup 35 per cent cream
• 3/4 cup birch syrup (any version — early, mid, or late season)
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water, for egg wash
1. Combine sugar, cream, and syrup in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often to make sure it doesn’t boil over.
2. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
3. While the sugar and syrup mixture cools, roll out one disc of pastry (recipe follows) into a circle 12 inches in diameter. Transfer circle of dough to a
9-inch pie plate. Roll over the edges of the pastry and crimp. Brush bottom, sides, and edges of the pastry with egg wash. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before filling.
4. To the cooled sugar and syrup, add eggs, lemon juice, and salt, and whisk until uniform in colour. Preheat oven to 375F.
5. Pour filling into chilled pie shell and refrigerate until the oven heats up.
6. Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake pie for 10 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven, move to the middle rack and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until crust is golden, and filling is bubbling and puffy (The filling will be quite jiggly when it comes out of the oven and will set as it cools.)
7. Cool on a rack for about 40 minutes, until filling is set. Serve at room temperature with ice cream or crème fraiche.
Makes one 9-inch pie.
PASTRY
This is the only pastry recipe I use these days. With many thanks to Chef John (John Mitzewich), a regular contributor to the All Recipes website.
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 7 Tbsp ice water
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1. Combine flour, butter, and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand with many pea-sized pieces of butter.
2. Combine water and vinegar. Pour half into the flour and butter mixture and pulse to combine, 3 or 4 pulses of 1-second each.
3. Add remaining water and vinegar, and pulse 8-10 times, until the mixture begins to come together.
4. Turn dough out onto a counter or a large piece of parchment paper dusted with flour and form into one large disc, pressing it into shape with your hands. Cut disc in half and form each half into a disc.
5. Wrap in each disc in plastic or parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out for pie or tarts.
Makes 2 pie crusts. n
with Michele Genest
Michele Genest is a Whitehorse-based chef and writer. She is also somewhat of a gardener. Michele has also written two books: The Boreal Feast: A Culinary Journey Through The North and The Boreal Gourmet: Adventures In Northern Cooking.
Birch Syrup Sugar Pie
PHOTO: Michele Genest
Birch Syrup Sugar Pie with jug of syrup
ACTIVE LISTINGS
Fri Apr 25 Jiu Jitsu Leg Lock Seminar 6:00 PM Eight Days Martial Arts Join Nabil Salameh at the Leg Lock Seminar to enhance your Jiu Jitsu skills at Eight Days Martial Arts in Whitehorse. https://www.facebook. com/MuaythaiYukon/
Fri Apr 25 - 27 Chilkoot Trail NonMotorized Weekend Chilkoot Trail https://whatsupyukon.events/ bulletinsb5f16c
Apr 26 Uphill Challenge 2025 2:00 PM Mt Sima Enjoy some après-ski vibes, and cheer on the racers as they take on Dan’s in a head-to-head uphill showdown! https://www.mountsima. com/events/list/
Sat Apr 26 Marshian MeltdownDisc Golf 2:00 PM Judas Creek Disc Golf Course Par 2 disc golf even, 2 rounds from the red tees. Win the purse! https://whatsupyukon.events/ jx3
Sun Apr 27 Navigation with Map & Compass 8:00 AM Whitehorse Learn and practice the skills required to navigate in the bush using topographic maps and compass. https://whatsupyukon.events/fc940d
Thu May 1 Fit to Run 7:30 PM
Whitehorse Physiotherapy & Kristy Lerch and Associates The right combination of strength, flexibility and coordination is key to running injury prevention, whether you are running 5K or a marathon. https:// whitehorsephysio.janeapp.com/#/ workshops
Fri May 2-4
Whitehorse Glacier Bears Swim Club - Yukon
Championships The Whitehorse Glacier Bears are hosting their Yukon Invitational Championships on May 2-4 at the Canada Games Centre! whitehorseglacierbears.ca
Sat May 3 Baked 1 Miler 10:30 AM FH Collins High School This race is short and sweet! All ages welcome! FH Collins Track and Field facility. https://athleticsyukon.ca/events/event/ baked-1-miler-3/
Sat May 3 Early Season Rugby
Jamboree 12:00 PM Porter Creek
Secondary School Get ready for the season with Yukon Rugby registration. Casual games and skill sharpening await players aged 14 and up. https://www.yukonrugby.com/
Mondays
Judo For Jiu Jitsu 6:00 AM Eight Days Martial Arts
Elderactive CGC Flexihall 9:00
AM Canada Games Centre Yukon
Elderactive has the Flexihall is Booked for you! Some activities get your heart pumping, while others get your mind engaged
Strength & Conditioning 7:30 AM
Northern Strength Academy
Elderactive Pilates level 1 9:30 AM
Northern Lights School of Pilates tailored for seniors. Elevate wellness with gentle movement
Tai Chi Kung Form (Seniors) 10:00
AM Golden Age Society
Babynastics with Coach Libby 10:30 AM Polarettes Gymnastics Club A stimulating environment tailored to your child’s developmental needs. www.polarettes.org/ babynastics
Elderactive Pilates level 2 10:40
AM Northern Lights School of Dance Energizing Level 2 Pilates tailored for seniors. Elevate wellness with gentle movement!. http://cuts2.com/jiacg
Noon Strength & Conditioning
12:00 PM Northern Strength Academy
Elderactive Pilates level 1 12:00
PM Northern Lights School of Pilates tailored for seniors. Elevate wellness with gentle movement
Muay Thai Kickboxing Eight Days
Martial Arts 12:05 PM The art of 8 limbs, Muay Thai Kickboxing has proven itself to be the go to striking style of many martial arts champions
Indoor Cycling 12:05 PM Northern Strength Academy northernstrength. ca/
Kids Muay Thai 4:45 PM Eight Days
Martial Arts KIDS MUAY THAI a dynamic and engaging martial art that can be traced to the middle of the 18th century. Open to ages 8 - 12.
Strength & Conditioning 5:30 PM
Northern Strength Academy
Ladies Kickboxing 6:00 PM Eight
Days Martial Arts
Tai Chi Qigong / Meditation 7:00 PM
Jack Hulland Elementary School
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 7:30 PM Eight Days Martial Arts
Tuesdays
Strength for Endurance 6:00 AM
Northern Strength Academy Join our supportive running community and hone your technique, speed and pace with the Yukon’s top endurance coach. Inclusive for all levels.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 6:00 AM Eight Days Martial Arts
Ladies Lift 7:00 AM Northern Strength Academy opportunities for women to find community, learn to lift, improve performance, and build strength.
Lifting for Longevity 10:00 AM Northern Strength Academy Specifically designed for the retired population, but open to anyone.
Yoga with Barbara 10:00 AM Whitehorse United Church Drop-in, no registration required, everyone is welcome. Call 335-1996 for more info.
Babynastics with Coach Libby 11:15 AM Polarettes Gymnastics Club A stimulating environment tailored to your child’s developmental needs. www.polarettes.org/babynastics
Strength for Endurance 12:00 PM Northern Strength Academy Join our supportive running community and hone your technique, speed and pace with the Yukon’s top endurance coach. Inclusive for all levels.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - drilling 12:05 PM Eight Days Martial Arts
Strength & Conditioning 1:00PM Northern Strength Academy
Kids Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 4:45 PM Eight Days Martial Arts
Indoor Cycling 5:00 PM Northern Strength Academy northernstrength. ca/
Ladies Lift 5:30 PM Northern Strength Academy opportunities for women to find community, learn to lift, improve performance, and build strength.
Kids Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 6:00 PM Eight Days Martial Arts
Tai Chi Traditional Form, Section 2A 6:30 PM Jack Hulland Elementary School
Whitehorse Archery 6:30 PM Takhini Elementary Whitehorse Archery is a non-profit club for the recreational shooter, hunters, and those who just want to work on their skills. www. whitehorsearchery.com/schedule
Stretch & Stabilize - Functional Conditioning 7:00 PM Grace Space Purposeful movement with our Functional Conditioning non-yoga movement class. http://amitieyoga.ca
No-Gi Jiu Jitsu 7:30 PM Eight Days Martial Arts
Wednesdays Muay Thai Kickboxing 6:00 AM Eight Days Martial Arts Muay Thai Kickboxing full body workout. Indoor Cycling 6:30 AM Northern Strength Academy northernstrength. ca/ Morning Strength & Conditioning 7:30 AM Northern Strength Academy northernstrength.ca/
cont’d on page 17 ...
Recipients of the King Charles lll Coronation Medals from Commissioner of Yukon Adeline Webber
Over the past year I have the great pleasure of presenting the King Charles lll Coronation Medal to 31 deserving recipients. These individuals as the each have contributed to making Yukon an amazing place in their own way and I felt they truly deserved to be recognized for their contribution.
Lawrence Bagnell
Boyd Benjamin
Martha Benjamin
Doris Bill
Laura Cabott
Bob Charlie (Posthumously)
Keitha Clark
Minni Clark
Dylan Cozens
Kristina Craig
Supt. Lindsay Ellis
Vince Fedoroff
Judy Gingell
Major (Retired) Gilles
Grossinger (Posthumously)
Marilyn Jensen
Linda Johnson
Peter Johnston
Hank Karr
Marie Larsson
Lucy Lobmeier
Lillian Nakamura Maguire
Eliza Martyshuk
Gavin McKenna
Sergeant (Retired)
Joseph Mewett
Joseph Migwans
Sergeant Major
Robert Morin
Captain Andrew Rector
Jim Robb
C/Supt. Scott Sheppard
Sharon Shorty
Major Gregory Theriau
Judith Tousignant
Ron Veale
Elderactive CGC Flexihall 9:00
AM Canada Games Centre Yukon
Elderactive has the Flexihall is Booked for you! Some activities get your heart pumping, while others get your mind engaged
Elderactive Pilates level 1 9:30 AM
Northern Lights School of Pilates tailored for seniors. Elevate wellness with gentle movement
Tai Chi Essential Form continued 10:00 AM Heart of Riverdale
Elderactive Pilates level 2 10:40
AM Northern Lights School of Dance
Energizing Level 2 Pilates tailored for seniors. Elevate wellness with gentle movement!. http://cuts2.com/jiacg
Noon Strength & Conditioning
12:00 PM Northern Strength Academy northernstrength.ca/
Elderactive Pilates level 1 12:00
PM Northern Lights School of Dance
Energizing Level 2 Pilates tailored for seniors. Elevate wellness with gentle movement!
Ladies Kickboxing 12:05 PM
Eight Days Martial Arts Muay Thai Kickboxing full body workout.
Move & Meditate - Slow Vinyasa
Yoga 12:10 PM Grace Space Movement and mindfulness with our Moving Meditation - Slow Vinyasa Yoga. http://amitieyoga.ca
Elderactive Intermediate Hiking
1:00 PM ElderActive Recreation
Association Leisure Walking is similar to Nordic walking but is suitable for those who prefer a slower, more relaxed pace
Strength & Conditioning 5:30
PM Northern Strength Academy
Functional strength class teaches compound multi-joint lifts that improve athleticism, strength, coordination, power and more.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 6:00 PM Eight Days Martial Arts Introduction to Tai Chi 6:00 PM Elijah Smith Elementary School.
Tai Chi Traditional Form, Section 1 refinements 7:00 PM Grey Mountain Primary School
Indoor Range Night 7:00 PM Whitehorse Rifle and Pistol Club
Tai Chi Traditional Form, Section 3 continued 7:15 PM Elijah Smith Elementary School.
Muay Thai Kickboxing 7:45 PM Eight Days Martial Arts The art of 8 limbs, Muay Thai Kickboxing has proven itself to be the go to striking style of many martial arts champions.
Thursdays
Strength for Endurance 6:00 AM Northern Strength Academy Join our supportive running community and hone your technique, speed and pace with the Yukon’s top endurance coach.
Inclusive for all levels
Winter Power Hour Series 6:00 AM
BrittyFit 95 Lewes Blvd Ignite your fitness regime in 50 minutes with Brittyfit
No-Gi Jiu Jitsu 6:00 AM Eight Days
Martial Arts
Ladies Lift 7:00 AM Northern
Strength Academy opportunities for women to find community, learn to lift, improve performance, and build strength.
Tai Chi for Seniors 10:00 AM Golden Age Society Come early, bring water, and wear comfortable, smooth soled indoor shoes.
Lifting for Longevity 10:00 AM
Northern Strength Academy Join our supportive running community and hone your technique, speed and pace with the Yukon’s top endurance coach.
Inclusive for all levels.
Strength for Endurance 12:00 PM
Northern Strength Academy Join our supportive running community and hone your technique, speed and pace with the Yukon’s top endurance coach.
Inclusive for all levels
No-Gi Jiu Jitsu - drilling 12:05 PM
Eight Days Martial Arts
Strength & Conditioning 1:00 PM
Northern Strength Academy
Babynastics with Coach Naomi 3:30 PM Polarettes Gymnastics Club
A stimulating environment tailored to your child’s developmental needs. www.polarettes.org/babynastics
Kids Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 4:45 PM
Eight Days Martial Arts
Ladies Lift 5:30 PM Northern
Strength Academy opportunities for women to find community, learn to lift, improve performance, and build strength.
Kids Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 6:00 PM
Eight Days Martial Arts
Whitehorse Archery 6:30 PM Takhini
Elementary Whitehorse Archery is a non-profit club for the recreational shooter, hunters, and those who just want to work on their skills. www. whitehorsearchery.com/schedule
Tai Chi Essential Form continued 6:30 PM Hidden Valley School
No-GiJiu Jitsu 6:00 AM Eight Days
Martial Arts
Tai Chi Yang Hand Forms refinements 7:45 PM Hidden Valley School
Fridays
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 6:00 AM Eight Days Martial Arts
Indoor Cycling 6:30 AM Northern Strength Academy northernstrength. ca/
Morning Strength & Conditioning
7:30 AM Northern Strength Academy northernstrength.ca/
Strength & Conditioning 12:00 PM Northern Strength Academy
Muay Thai Kickboxing 12:05 PM
Eight Days Martial Arts The art of 8 limbs, Muay Thai Kickboxing has proven itself to be the go to striking style of many martial arts champions.
Kids Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 4:45 PM
Eight Days Martial Arts
Strength & Conditioning 5:30 PM
Northern Strength Academy
Muay Thai Kickboxing 6:00 PM
Eight Days Martial Arts Muay Thai Kickboxing full body workout.
Saturdays
Flow & Fly – Vinyasa Yoga 8:30
AM Grace Space A dynamic and invigorating practice to awaken your inner strength. http://amitieyoga.ca
Ladies Lift 9:00 AM Northern Strength Academy opportunities for women to find community, learn to lift, improve performance, and build strength.
Strength & Conditioning 10:00 AM
Northern Strength Academy
No-Gi Jiu Jitsu - drilling 11:00 AM Eight Days Martial Arts
Open Mat 12:00 PM Eight Days Martial Arts
Sundays
Free drop-in Tai Chi practice 10:00 AM Takhini Elementary
Tai Chi Sword Form 10:30 AM
Whistle Bend Elementary School
WELLNESS LISTINGS
Thu Apr 24 Living with Loss – free workshop 5:30 PM Whitehorse Public Library Support yourself and others in times of grief and Learn about the nature of grief and the various ways it can impact people with different kinds of loss. https://hospiceyukon.net/ en/2023/07/07/livingwithloss-2/
Elder and Counselor available Emotional and Spiritual support, free to Indigenous women, girls, 2 spirited in Yukon, Northern BC: Phone, video appointments or in person. Call Toll Free 866 667 6162 or visit www.yawc.ca for info.
Monthly
Every other Tuesday Sharing Circle 12:00 PM Old Justice Building KDFN Every other Tuesday for recovery focused sharing circles. Connect, share challenges and gains, and access support and wisdom. Snacks and refreshments served. whatsupyukon.events/4en
Mondays
Sally and Sisters 11:00 AM Salvation Army 311 Black St Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council A welcoming environment where women and their children can enjoy a hot meal.
AA “Joy of Living Group” (O) 12:00
PM 305 Wood St. Captain Martin House
Infant Feeding Mondays 1:00 PM Yukon Midwifery Program - Yukon Health and Social Services
AA Life Ahead (O, A) 7:00 PM 509 Hanson St. Held in person or by zoom – ID 251-363-5766, call 778-907-2701 for more info.
AA New Beginnings Group (OM, NS) 8:00 PM Sacred Heart - Rear Entrance - basement
Tuesdays
Sally and Sisters 11:00 AM Salvation Army 311 Black St Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council A welcoming environment where women and their children can enjoy a hot meal.
VFWC - Drop-In 11:00 AM Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre Drop-In includes Laundry and Shower.
AA “Joy of Living Group” (O) 12:00
PM 305 Wood St. Captain Martin House
TOPS (Take off Pounds Sensibly)
6:00 PM 100 25 Firth Rd Want to improve or maintain a healthy weight? Join us! Every Wednesday morning. Call or text 867-334-1725 for more details
AA UglyDuckling Group (C/M, NS) 8:00 PM Christ Church Cathedral New members always welcome, this is a non smoking group.
Ugly Ducklings Group (O,A) 8:00
PM Christ Church Cathedral Held in person or by zoom – ID 251-3635766, call 778-907-2701 for more info.
Wednesdays
TOPS (Take off Pounds Sensibly)
8:00 AM Closeleigh Manor Common Room Want to improve or maintain a healthy weight? Call or text 867-3341725 for more details
VFWC - Drop-In 11:00 AM Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre Drop-In includes Laundry and Shower.
Community Kitchen 11:30 AM Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre Hot nutritious meals to-go, a free, lowbarrier, program for women identifying individuals and children. Call 6672693 for more info
AA “Joy of Living Group” (O) 12:00 PM 305 Wood St. Captain Martin House
Al-Anon 12:00 PM 407 Black Street, downstairs Al-Anon is a mutual support program for people whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking.
AA No Puffin (C, A) 7:00 PM Christ Church Cathedral (Hellaby Hall)
AA Porter Creek Step Meeting (C) 8:00 PM Our Lady of Victory
Thursdays
Sally and Sisters 11:00 AM Salvation
Army 311 Black St Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council A welcoming environment where women and their children can enjoy a hot meal.
VFWC - Drop-In 11:00 AM Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre Drop-In includes Laundry and Shower.
AA “Joy of Living Group” (O) 12:00
PM 305 Wood St. Captain Martin House
Polar Group (O, A) 7:30 PM 311 Elliott St. & 4th Ave. Held in person or on zoom, Zoom ID 251-363-5766, call 778-907-2701 for more info.
Fridays
Moth & Flame - Bright Light Morning Meditation Series 9:00 AM Queer Yukon Society - The Cache
AA “Joy of Living Group” (O) 12:00 PM 305 Wood St. Captain Martin House
AA Yukon
BORSCHT
One of the best comfort foods ever — so delicious and nutritious
Iknow spring is arriving in the Yukon when the produce at my favourite grocery store starts looking like stuff I’d actually want to take home again! During the winter, it seems to me that we get some pretty sketchy produce that seems to go bad way too soon in my fridge.
On my last shopping trip I spied some absolutely gorgeous looking beets! Then I thought “I haven’t made a borscht for a while — Unknown Chef! Release the hounds!.”
Borscht is most commonly associated with the Ukraine for its deep red, beet-based popular variant, although there have been many variants of borscht over the centuries. It’s said to have originated from a soup based on common hogweed. I’m not doing the common hogweed variety here!
Before I got started making this, I checked a few on-line recipes to see how my usual go-to stacked up. I was intrigued to find some really good suggestions, so I implemented them here. The two biggest suggestions were the implementation of meat and roasting the vegetables and potatoes first for a little while to turn some of the starch into sugars, for an added sweetness.
Your ingredient amounts will vary depending on how big a borscht you want to make. I made enough for about 6-8 servings.
I have always, in the past, made a meatless — vegetarian borscht, and you can also if you prefer a vegetarian dish. Moving forward, I am humbled to say that I learned something new and these two changes — meat and roasting the vegetables — made a massive difference to my recipe so I will continue to use these changes.
A tip of my chef’s toque to Elsie Bauer at Simply Recipes for the on-line advice.
Ingredients:
• Beets
• Carrots
• Stewing beef
• Onion
• Cabbage
• Beef broth - 1L
• Olive oil
• Red wine
• Vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper
• Sour cream
Method:
1. Start by peeling your beets and carrots. Dice them into nice bitesized pieces. Toss with olive oil and a bit of fresh ground salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and set aside. Turn the oven on to 350F. You may want to wear food
grade gloves to peel and dice your beets to prevent your hands from getting stained. The beet juice will wash off if you immediately wash your hands though.
2. Finely dice your onion and cut your stewing beef into bitesized pieces. In a large pot, large enough to eventually cook the whole borscht, sear the beef and onions in olive oil until the onions are caramelized — still soft but browned. Add enough beef broth to totally cover it all and turn down to medium-low heat. Put your root veggies in the pre-heated oven.
3. Peel and cut your potatoes
been in for about 10 minutes. Set your timer for 10 minutes to let you know to take them all out.
4. Thinly slice enough cabbage for the borscht. When your potatoes and veggies are done, add them, along with the rest of the broth, cabbage and about 2 tablespoons of red wine and 4 of white vinegar. Top up with about 4 cups of water as needed and turn up to medium heat. You want this to steam but not go into a full boil. Once the cabbage is cooked turn down to a low heat setting. Add about 2 cups of water with about a ½ tablespoon of cornstarch just to slightly thicken things. Salt and pepper to taste.
At this point, once the cabbage is cooked, you are ready to serve. However, here’s a couple of things. The longer that you simmer on low heat, the better the borscht will get. Also, if you let it simmer for a while, take off the heat and let it cool off, then store in the fridge overnight: it will be even better the next day.
All in all ... this took me about 15 minutes of prep time, another 15 minutes of hands-on cooking time and from start to finish and in the bowls about 2 hours. The cost per bowl was around $2 each. Leftovers can be safely kept in the fridge for 3-5 days. You can also freeze them for a quick and tasty treat in the future.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream and some sprinkled dill. A bun on the side is great for dipping and soaking up the last of it from your bowl. As they say in the
A Yukon company wins an Antarctic contract
September of 1989 he had developed a work plan and a proposal and had succeeded in persuading the British that his company was the one to do the job. In those days before advanced PowerPoint presentations, Jennifer recalls that his pitch to the Brits involved a lot of drawings and photographs fastened to large sheets of cardboard.
This book is heavy reading, and I’m talking about more than just the sheer weight and size, which I’ve made a point of listing for you. To read it you’re either sitting at a table or sitting in a comfortable chair with the volume in your lap.
There’s a lot of information in this book, and a ton of pictures at every stage in the six big chapters.
A lot of it is numbers, charts, but the many photographs, and the reproductions of Keith’s, Karen’s, and Jennifer’s numerous journal entries, along with some extended narrative essays, make it easy to follow in spite of the sheer weight of the technical and logistical data.
Fortunately, for the book, the Bryams are all compulsive journal keepers, according to Jennifer. Keith says they tried to photograph the actual journal entries, but it was too messy, so they had to be typeset using different fonts for clarity.
Continuing Studies
Among the issues that had to be tackled included moving the equipment, supplies and workers from northern Canada to Chile and then on to the site. Three large ships were needed for this chore, as well as aircraft.
It was necessary to maintain a stock of supplies and replacement parts for used and damaged equipment. The book notes that the three new pickup trucks needed on site were “completely trashed” after two summer seasons of work.
Construction of the original wharf, which Keith Bryam says has since been enlarged, required a lot of underwater work, which
Northern Institute of Social Justice
was very difficult in the Antarctic waters.
The book’s chapters capture the main points quite well: Why Build a Runway in Antarctica?; Who was the Runway for?; Who Built the Runway?; How did Pelly win the Project?; How did Pelly build the Runway?; What was the impact of the runway?
There was a lot of background and prep work for this project and the actual story of the construction doesn’t begin until page 119 for the first season, and page 185 for the second.
The final section of the book is called Stories from the Crew, beginning on page 275. These vary in
TRAINING COURSES and WEBINARS
*NEW* Transforma onal Leadership:
Segment A - The Resilient Leader
April 30, 2025, 9am-12pm CRN 90096
$125 + GST
Registra on deadline: April 23
Delivered: In-person at YukonU in room C1530
*NEW* Transforma onal Leadership: Segment B - The Resilient Organiza on April 30, 2025, 1pm- 4 pm CRN 90097
$125 + GST
Registra on deadline: April 23
Delivered: In-person at YukonU in room C1530
FASD
Informed Support
May 7, 2025, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
CRN: 90100
$50 + GST
Registra on Deadline: Apr 30, 2025
Delivered: In-person at YukonU in room C1440
*NEW* Narra ve Therapy
May 7, 2025, 9am – 4:30pm
CRN 90112
$329 + GST
$299 + GST Early bird registra on by Apr 16
Registra on deadline: Apr 23
Late registra on un l May 6, by emailing sam@ctrins te.com
•
Delivered: In-person at YukonU in room T1023
length from several pages to just a few paragraphs. They serve to underline what Keith says was the life-changing impact of this project. It looms large in everyone’s memories three decades later, but everyone also knows what a mammoth task it was, and when Pelly was approached a few years ago about working on the upgrades that are currently in progress, there was no hesitation in saying that once was enough.
The book is available for purchase at the McBride museum, which reports that there are some copies that remain, and Jennifer Bryam says it seems likely there may be another printing. n
13 Factors of Psychological Health & Safe
May 9, 2025, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
CRN 90080
$175 + GST
Registra on Deadline: May 2, 2025
Delivered: In-person at YukonU in room C1530
Grief and Frontline Professions
May 21-22, 2025, 9am – 4:30pm
CRN 90055
$325 + GST
Registra on deadline: May 14
Delivered: This course is run In-person at McClintock Bay Resort, 62 Swan Haven Dr, Marsh Lake, YT
Applied Suicide Interven on Skills Training (ASIST)
June 11-12, 2025, 8:30am- 4:30pm
CRN 90352
$225 + GST
Registra on deadline: June 4, 2025
Delivered: In-person at YukonU in room C1530
Jennifer’s diary crop
Karen’s diary crop
Katie’s diary crop
ATLIN
Sundays
St. Martins Anglican Church Sunday Service 10:00 AM St. Martins Anglican Church 10:00 AM Everyone is welcome.
Atlin Christian Assembly 11:00 AM St. Atlin Christian Centre 10:00 AM Everyone is welcome.
Mondays
Caregiver & Tot Drop-in 10:00 AM Atlin Recreation Centre This is an unstructured hour for You and your Littles to get social and run wild. This IS NOT a drop off, all children must be accompanied by an adult. Call or email 993-4102 atlinarc. coordinator@gmail.com for more info.
Yukon Communities:
Wednesdays AA Yukon Unity (OM) 3:00
PM Online Yukon Health Centers, Live Video Meeting Beaver Creek, Carcross, Carmacks, Dawson City, Destruction Bay, Faro, Haines Junction, Mayo, Old Crow, Pelly Crossing, Ross River, Teslin, Watson Lake. Online users’ sign in info: yukonbcdistrict52@gmail.com
CARCROSS
Thu Apr 24 & 25 Compass 2025: TIA Yukon’s Tourism Spring Conference Haa Shagóon Hídi (Our Ancestors House) Carcross/Tagish Learning Centre Tourism leaders at the Yukon Tourism Conference focusing on regenerative tourism strategies. Tourism in Motion – Circular and Regenerative https://site.pheedloop.com/ event/Compass2025/home
Thu May 1 Wild Adventure Yukon 2025 Season Opener 5:00 AM Wild Adventure Yukon Step back in time and learn what it took to be a prospector during the Klondike Gold Rush! Dog Cart experiences on a first-come, first-served basis. https://www. wildadventureyukon.ca/
Second Sunday of Every Month St. Saviour’s Church Services 2:00 pm St. Saviour Church 867-668-3129
First Friday of the month Mother Goose Group 11:00 AM Haa Shagóon Hídi (Our Ancestors House) Carcross/Tagish Learning Centre Learn stories, songs, and rhymes, lunch provided. Suitable for babies and children 5 and under. Please bring along a water bottle and blanket to sit on. To register, call 332-2389. https:// whatsupyukon.events/jwf
Wednesdays Yoga with Richard Mueller 12:00 PM Carcross Firehall Free for everyone some fitness required.
Thursdays Yoga with Jess Ghùch
Tlâ Community School Beginners welcome, all equipment provided. Dropin, Free admission! For more info email yogajessyukon@gmail.com.
CARMACKS
Pick up your copies of What’s Up Yukon at:
• Sunshine Restaurant
• Carmacks Rec Centre
• CDC / CIBC Bank
• Tatchun Center General Store
First & Third Tuesdays of Every Month
Carmacks Regular Council Meeting 7:00 PM Carmacks Municipal Building
Mondays
Carmacks Library 1:00 PM
After School Club 3:30 PM Carmacks
Recreation Centre Learn To Curl (All Ages) 4:00 PM Carmacks Recreation Centre
Open Court 5:00 PM Carmacks Rec Centre
Floor Hockey 5:30 PM Carmacks Rec Centre
Bakers & Makers 6:00 PM Carmacks
Open
Saturdays
Centre
Learn To Skate Ages 5-12 10:00 AM
Carmacks Recreation Centre
Learn To Skate Ages 13-18 11:00 AM
Carmacks Recreation Centre
Tiny Toes Tea Time 1:00 PM Carmacks Rec Centre
Open Court 3:00 PM Carmacks Rec Centre
Family Skate 5:00 PM Carmacks
Recreation Centre
Shinny Night 14+ 7:00 PM Carmacks
Recreation Centre
FARO
Pick up your copies of What’s Up Yukon
at:
• Discovery Store
• Van Gorda
Fri May 2-4 21st Annual Crane & Sheep
Festival 5:00 AM Town of Faro Art pop-up shop, guided hikes & talks, workshops and much more. For more information call 9942375 or email recreation@faroyukon.ca
https://www.faro.ca
Sat May 3 Art & Trade Show 5:00 PM Faro
Recreation Centre Experience a vibrant showcase of local artists, displaying their stunning artworks alongside a range of businesses, organizations and vendors.
First and Third Tuesday of every month Faro Council Meeting 7:00 PM Town of Faro
School
ENGINE OIL
Your Vehicle’s
Operational Lifeline
Batteries Engine oil provides proper lubrication for all the moving parts inside an internal combustion engine - to disperse heat and prolong the life of all components. Without engine oil, serious damage can occur in a very short amount of time. Modern engine oils prevent blockages and contaminants from restricting oil flow. Oil breaks down and loses its properties over time, you should always check your oil on a regular basis. We recommend every 10,000km to 20,000km. Some circumstances, may require more frequent changes. For example if the vehicle is operated under abnormal conditions like 4wding, towing, racing, or excessive stop-start driving. It is also important to use the correct grade and specification of oil in your engine. Many modern European and diesel engines require certain additives which are present only in specific oil grades, and using the wrong specification can cause major and expensive engine and component damage.
Drop In Curling 6:00 PM Carmacks School 14+ Floor Hockey 7:00 PM Carmacks Rec Centre
Tuesdays
Carmacks Library 1:00 PM
Open Court 1:00 PM Carmacks Rec Centre
After School Club 3:30 PM Carmacks
Recreation Centre
Open Court 5:00 PM Carmacks Rec Centre
Adult Social 5:00 PM Carmacks Rec Centre
Carmacks Minor Hockey Association 5:00 PM Carmacks
Tuesdays
Parent & Tot 10:00 AM Faro Recreation
Centre
Open Gym 1:00 PM Faro Recreation Centre
Kids Club 3:30 PM Faro Recreation Centre
Floor Hockey 7:00 PM Faro Recreation Centre
Wednesdays Seniors Games & Walks 1:00 PM Faro
Recreation Centre. The gym is open for seniors who would like to improve their fitness goals.
Fitness Fun for Seniors 2:00 PM
DAWSON CITY
St Paul’s Anglican Church Evening Prayer 5:00 PM St Paul’s Anglican Church Join us in person at the church, or online (Facebook Live)
Hand-Building Pottery Drop-In 6:30
PM Klondike Institute of Art and Culture (KIAC) Self-guided group studio time for those with some experience with pottery. Newcomers are welcome, little instruction is provided.
Wednesdays
St Paul’s Anglican Church Morning
Prayer 9:00 AM St Paul’s Anglican Church
Saturday of every month Coffee House & Open Mic Night Klondike Institute of Art and Culture (KIAC) 7:00 PM family-friendly open mic night at KIAC. Admission by donation with all funds raised donated to a different community group each month. Last coffee house of the season May 4 to resume in the fall of 2024. Weekly
Handbuilding Pottery Drop-in 6:30-9 PM Self-guided group studio time for those who have some knowledge and experience with pottery. Newcomers are welcome, though little instruction is provided. KIAC Classroom, back door Drop-In Pickleball 5:30 PM Robert Service School Adult Drop-In Basketball 7:45 PM Robert Service School Ages 16+ - FreeCall 993-7400 ext 299 for more info.
Tuesdays
St Paul’s Anglican Church Morning Prayer 9:00 AM St Paul’s Anglican Church Join us in person at the church, or online (Facebook Live)
Tue Apr 29 Open studio with Rhoda Merkel 6:00 PM Swan Haven Interpretive Centre Rhoda Merkel, Swan Haven artistin-residence, will showcase the pieces she worked on during her two-week stay at Swan Haven and share her highlights.
Wed Apr 30 M’Clintock West Ridge (Brownie Mountain) 6:30 PM Department of Environment Join Wildlife Viewing staff for a short but steep hike. We recommend bringing hiking poles and boots. https:// yukon.ca/swans
Join us in person at the church, or online (Facebook Live)
St Paul’s Anglican Church Evening Prayer 5:00 PM St Paul’s Anglican Church
Join us in person at the church, or online (Facebook Live)
Welcome Wednesday Supper and Games 6:00 PM St Paul’s Anglican Church QYS Drop-in 1:00 PM DCMF Office
Screen Printing Drop-in 6:00 PM
Klondike Institute of Art & Culture KIAC
Classroom (enter via backdoor) Selfguided group studio time for those who have some knowledge and experience with screen printing.
DCMF Film Selections 7:00 PM Dënäkär
Zho The best committee ever! Just watch movies! Help us select the films for the 2025 film festival. Come once, twice, or all the time! To get on our mailing list, email: filmfest@kiac.ca
CFYT Trivia Night The Drunken Goat Fun filled night of Trivia. Every other Wednesday. A variety of trivia categories!
Come with your team or join a team when you arrive!
Thursdays
CDC Toddler Program 10:00 AM Klondike
Institute of Arts & Culture KIAC Free dropIn for kids 5 & under with parent/guardian Story time & free play!
Drop-in Volleyball 7:30 PM Robert Service School Ages 13+ - Free Fridays
Cards & Conversation 1:00 PM Royal Canadian Legion Branch 1 Dawson City Free! Drop-In! No registration necessary. whatsupyukon.events/dawson-legion8336c3
Open Studio Drop-in 1:00 PM Klondike
Institute of Art and Culture (KIAC) Enjoy KIAC’s bright, air-conditioned space to create and focus on your artistic practice. Even better- we’ve waived the drop-in fee this day.
Drop-in Bouldering 6:00 PM Robert Service School Free - drop-in - all ages
Saturdays
Youth Parkour Tumbling 12:30 PM Robert Service School All Ages - Free –Drop-In. Children 10 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Open Studio – Drop In 1:00 PM Klondike Institute of Art & Culture KIAC Classroom (enter via backdoor) Space to create and focus on your artistic practice.
AA North Star Group Dawson City 7:00 PM Royal Canadian Legion In person or Videoconference option available Call 867-993-5095 or 867-993-3734 for more information
Sundays
Anglican Church Service 10:30 Anglican
Church Service at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Dawson City. Corner of Front and Church Streets at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Dawson City
Adult Drop-In Basketball 6:00 PM Robert Service School Ages 16+ - FreeCall 993-7400 ext 299 for more info.
Wednesdays
Family Bible Study 8:00 PM The Hope Centre
Fridays
Family Game Night- Coffee House 9:00 PM The Hope Centre
Sundays
Church Service 12:00 PM The Hope Centre
SKAGWAY Alaska
Wednesdays
Women’s Morning Worship 7:00 AM First Presbyterian Church of Skagway All are welcome. Part of the Alaska Presbytery and the PC U.S.A.
Suitable for mature youth & adults. https://whatsupyukon.events/fhm
Thursdays
Community Drop In 11:00 AM Mount Lorne Community Centre
Run Club 6:00 PM Mount Lorne Community Centre
OLD CROW
Mondays
Men’s Night At The Rec Centre 6:00 PM John Tizya Centre & Old Crow Community Centre
Tuesdays
Kids Gym 3:00 PM John Tizya Centre & Old Crow Community Centre
Adult Sewing 6:00 PM John Tizya Centre & Old Crow Community Centre
Youth Gym 6:00 PM John Tizya Centre & Old Crow Community Centre
Wednesdays
Stroller Walks 10:00 AM Kih Tsal
Parent and Tots 4:00 PM Old Crow Community Center Call 966-3015 for more info.
Adult Card Game Night 6:00 PM John Tizya Centre & Old Crow Community Centre
Sundays
St. Luke’s Church Service 11:00 AM St. Luke’s Church 867-993-5381
ROSS RIVER
Tuesdays
Sewing Night 7:00 PM The Hope Centre
Coffee And Chat 2:00 PM Tagish Community Centre
Thursdays
Carpet Bowling 10:00 AM Tagish Community Centre
Tagish Library 12:00 PM Tagish Community LIbrary Tagish Library is an active and bright addition to our community. What’s Up Yukon, discover what’s happening around the Yukon
Tagish Local Advisory Council Meeting 7:00 PM Tagish Community Centre .
Saturdays
Tagish Library 12:00 PM Tagish
Community LIbrary Tagish Library is an active and bright addition to our community. What’s Up Yukon, discover what’s happening around the Yukon
TESLIN
Thu Apr 24 Boxing with Coach Greg 4:30 PM Teslin Recreation Centre Ages 7-12 and at 5:30 PM Ages 13+
Thu May 1 Community Art Night 6:00 PM Teslin Recreation Complex Learn the tips and tricks and all about watercolor painting, all levels of experience welcome. 8
Windy Valley Babies 10:30 AM Skagway Public Library Stories, Songs, and Fun with Ms. Anna! Designed for ages 0-3.
Fridays
Skagway Teen Night 6:30 PM Skagway Public Library
Sundays
Sunday Worship 10:00 AM First
Presbyterian Church of Skagway
Sunday School 4:00 PM First Presbyterian Church of Skagway
TAGISH
First Monday of every month Carcross Tagish Renewable Resources Council 1:00 PM Tagish Community Centre
First Monday of every month Tagish Advisory Council 8:00 AM Tagish Community Centre
First Tuesday of every month Tagish Community Association 7:00 PM Tagish Community Centre
Second Thursday of every month Tagish Local Advisory Council 7:00 PM Tagish Community Centre
Wednesdays
Tagish Library 12:00 PM Tagish
Community LIbrary Tagish Library is an active and bright addition to our community. What’s Up Yukon, discover what’s happening around the Yukon
Yukon Learn at Tagish Library 2:00 PM Tagish Community LIbrary Targeted literacy programming by Yukon Learn at the Tagish Library. What’s Up Yukon, discover what’s happening around the Yukon.
A CHAT WITH CHELSEA VOWEL
The annual Young Authors Conference will take place May 2 and 3 as part of the week of the Yukon Writers’ Festival
Since Covid, she has embraced planning and outlines.
Chelsea Vowel describes herself as a parent, author, freelance writer, public speaker, and sci-fi nerd living in Edmonton, Alberta. “I’m Métis from Lac Ste. Anne, and a citizen of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government in Alberta.” She sometimes uses the Cree name âpihtawikosisân
What inspired you to be a writer?
I wanted to be a writer around the time I became a reader. Books have never been just words on a page for me; they are a full-sensory experience. I wanted to be able to create that sort of experience for others, and my intention was always to write fiction. It’s sort of funny that my first published pieces ended up being non-fiction.
When did you know for sure you were one?
There’s a sense I think that “writer” is a professional description, a job title, and you have to earn it in some way. Someone who doesn’t have to have a day job – they just write. I felt it was pretentious to call myself a writer because I wasn’t famous. It wasn’t until I started talking to other authors that I realized I was being silly. I admired their work and would never dream of telling any of them that they weren’t writers, not really. A writer writes. It doesn’t have to be all the time; it doesn’t have to be published; or result in fame or fortune; it doesn’t have to be your only job.
understand the world and communicate what I understand to others. That’s true whether I’m writing fiction or non-fiction. Every piece is meant to be a conversation.
What are your primary concerns as a writer?
Increasingly I understand all my work to exist within the same
framework — what I jokingly call the Métis in Space Thematic Universe. I got Covid in 2019 and it seemed to kick off a host of issues that impacted my ability to focus and be coherent in the effortless way I was before. I’ve had to adapt by becoming more intentional and systematic about how I write.
How would you describe your work?
My work is all about trying to
How do you write?
In the before-Covid, writing happened whenever I was inspired — or avoiding another deadline. I could write feverishly for hours, even days, without stopping. I just can’t do that anymore. And, to be honest, I wasn’t producing my best work under those conditions.
I took my first writing courses at the end of 2021; they were free through my library, and they completely changed my process. Instead of waiting for deadlines and dread, I started to outline and plan. Once I have a complete outline, I write it out into a physical notebook.
I bought myself a simple word processor; it has almost no editing capabilities and you can’t go online with it. I take that notebook and the word processor, and I write for a few hours at a nice café about three times a week. I don’t let myself stop to
edit or think too much — that’s for later.
What do you anticipate experiencing during your trip to the Yukon?
I’m hoping to hear from young writers about what they want to get out of their writing. I’m still learning new things about the publishing industry all the time – (and) I really love demystifying the experience for others.
What sorts of experiences have you had conducting workshops for students?
I’ve been asked into classrooms many times over the last fifteen years. I find that students are usually the best at figuring out what would help them the most, and I roll with it.
What advice would you give to young people with an interest in writing?
Don’t get hung up on whether you’re “really” a writer — just write. It’s a skill that you have to work on, not just a raw talent you can rely on, and you have to figure out what process works best for you.
Read a TONNE, especially in the genre you work in. Read good writing, but also read terrible writing. Sometimes writers think they should avoid other people’s work, believing it will be too influential – but eventually you will find your own voice and I honestly think that’s easier to do when you’ve really immersed yourself in storytelling. n
Featuring stories set in her Métis in Space Thematic Universe. Buffalo Is The New Buffalo book cover
PHOTO: Supplied by author
Dan Davidson retired after more than three decades teaching in Yukon schools. He has continued
What’s Up Yukon.
Chelsea Vowel
PHOTO: A uthor photo from website
