Percy Henry remembered as tireless advocate for the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin

Percy Henry, a beloved elder and former chief of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation, is being remembered as a strong leader of his community, a champion of the Hän language, and a "fountain of information" about his land and culture.

Henry died on Saturday in Dawson City, Yukon. He's believed to have been 96 years old, though his exact birth date is not known.  

"They don't really know how old Percy is because he was born in the bush," said Henry's friend, Georgette McLeod. "He didn't really know either, so they decided on 1927."

McLeod became close to Henry as they worked together over the years on Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in heritage projects.

"I've known Percy all my life," said McLeod "He's been a mentor, a teacher, a friend … he was a fountain of information when it came to his country. He was so rich in his stories, his experiences." 

Over the course of his life, Henry spent many years on the land as a trapper. He also worked in a sawmill, as a ferry captain, on highways, and was chief of the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin First Nation from 1968 to 1984.

In 1973, he was part of a historic delegation of Yukon chiefs who went to Ottawa to present the groundbreaking Together Today for Our Children Tomorrow document to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. That document would lay the foundation for the first contemporary treaties in Canadian history. 

"At a time when things were really tough in the community, and he was having his own struggles, he was always trying to see the good in things and bring people together," said McLeod. 

"He was really good in that way… he moved people."

Henry also led his community through a tumultuous and ultimately triumphant moment in its history: the beginning of the land claim process for the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin. 

Gerald Roger Isaac is the grandson of Chief Isaac, who led the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in through the complex and difficult impacts of the Klondike Gold Rush in 1896. He calls Percy Henry a close friend, and says he deeply respects what Henry accomplished as a leader – notably, setting in motion the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin final agreement. 

"In that regard, he made a significant contribution in all aspects of governance," said Isaac. "Children attending school, family affairs, medical services, influence of traditional culture and teachings."

Isaac remembers Henry teaching generations how to live off the land and catch the salmon that came up the Yukon River.

Henry remained active in politics after stepping down as a leader, often participating as an elder representative for the Council of Yukon First Nations and other Yukon committees and councils.