First Nation in Dawson City, Yukon, stands in solidarity with neighbours in Mayo
Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin First Nation citizens in Dawson City, Yukon, gathered on Wednesday to send their support to residents of nearby Mayo, after that community was shaken by a double homicide earlier this month on Na-Cho Nyäk Dun traditional territory.
RCMP have yet to make an arrest which has left many Mayo residents feeling unsafe in their own homes.
The Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin First Nation held a sacred fire Wednesday to honour the victims, and the Mayo residents who continue to grieve yet another loss in their community.
Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin Chief Roberta Joseph spoke to CBC News after the event.
"I feel really great that we were able to finally come together as a community," she said.
"There were not as many people, but there was also short notice. I'm sure that everybody who couldn't make it are still feeling the pain of the First Nation of the Na-Cho Nyäk Dun and all of those families who have lost loved ones to the opioid crisis."
Police have not directly tied the deaths in Mayo to drugs, but have referred to Yukon's substance use emergency when talking about the incident.
Joseph said her First Nation has a close relationship with Na-Cho Nyäk Dun.
"We really express our strong condolences to their community," Joseph said. "We just want to lift them up and send love to them and support, and if we can support them in any way we'll be more than happy to do that."
In the wake of the homicides this month, the Na-Cho Nyäk Dun First Nation declared a state of emergency related to the opioid crisis. An action plan was proposed, outlining measures that might help address the crisis.
Proposed measures include an increase in police presence in the community, check stops along the road into the community, and eviction of any citizens who live in First Nation housing and are engaged in illegal activities.
Joseph said the proposals by her neighbouring First Nation are "precedence setting."
"We really appreciate them taking a strong stand in their position," she said. "Hopefully the rest of our communities can learn from that as we are trying to do that today, and appreciate their setting the precedence on moving forward."
Healing together
Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin citizen Marshal Jonas was the fire keeper at Wednesday's event.
"It's a pretty important day," he told CBC News. "It's a heavy day. I feel, you know, sad for everybody that has to deal with the same thing that our community has to deal with, like drugs, and alcohol abuse."
Jonas feels that what happened in Mayo is not as much of an eye-opener for him as it may be for others.
"You can't get rid of drugs just as much as you can't get rid of alcohol," he said. "Drugs are everywhere. You can go to the hospital to get drugs, or you can go to the bar, the corner, or you can go to your friend's house," he said.
"I don't think that's going to change anytime soon, because I'm 33 and nothing's really changed in my whole life, it's just kind of getting worse, you know?"
Jonas suggests that one way to tackle substance abuse is by getting young people out on the land more, and more involved with sports, activities, and their culture.
He said he understands the pain of losing someone because he is still grieving a friend recently lost to alcohol abuse. He said nobody should have to grieve alone. He sends an open invitation to his friends, and fellow community neighbours in Mayo.
"The community is close to my heart," he said. "I have friends growing up from Mayo and they went through bad things and some of them aren't with us no more. So my message is that there are people like myself and other community members, we really are listening."
