<p>The original inhabitants of what’s now known as Yukon included people from the Dene, Gwich’in, Han, Kaska, Slavey, Tagish, Tanana, Tlingit, and Tutchone tribes. Because of its proximity to Alaska, several tribes shared cultural and religious practices similar to ones found there. Like most other tribes in Canada, the ones in Yukon followed a nomadic lifestyle. Therefore, tribes broke off into smaller groups to follow herds of caribou and moose in the winter. Then, Yukon-based tribes migrated towards significant waterways to access the abundantly available fish in the summer. It was also common for Native Americans to dry out fish or other meat to preserve it during the winter months. Still, starvation was prevalent for tribes, especially when food sources were slim. Consequently, most Yukon-based tribes were eager to trade with European settlers, who brought different foods as well as tools to make everyday life easier. Today, there are 15 federally recognized First Nations tribes in Yukon. </p>
