The Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and the Great Upheaval: Mining, Colonialism, and Environmental Change in the Klondike, 1890-1940

Gold mining during the Klondike Gold Rush (1890–1940) initiated long-term systemic alienation of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in from their traditional lands and resources, driven by both environmental degradation and colonial bureaucratic interventions. The study reveals that placer and dredge mining not only transformed the Klondike landscape but also disrupted Indigenous resource access through state-imposed land-use policies that prioritized colonial practices over local traditions. While colonial administration was often contested among external authorities, Indigenous Yukoners actively resisted displacement and challenged imposed changes, shaping the complex dynamics of colonization in the region. This work highlights the dual impact of mining—physical environmental alteration and bureaucratic marginalization—as key drivers of Indigenous displacement.

Green, H. (2018). The Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and the Great Upheaval: Mining, Colonialism, and Environmental Change in the Klondike, 1890-1940 [University of Alberta Library]. https://doi.org/10.7939/R3DN40B80