Yukon First Nations women in leadership: Their perspectives

This narrative study seeks to give prominence to Indigenous women’s leadership stories, particularly Yukon First Nation women chiefs. Chiefs, who deserve to be honoured for their political leadership during the dawn of Aboriginal Self-Government in the Yukon. I collected, analyzed, and presented the leadership stories of Yukon women chiefs in a traditional Indigenous storytelling format mixed with narrative inquiry. Biographical narratives will inform the reader about how these women developed as leaders, how they have been strengthened and sustained, their roles and responsibilities, and how they perceive the impact of their gender and Self-Government on their role as leader. This research as ceremony (Wilson, 2008) parallels construction of a ziibaaska’iganagooday that signifies and celebrates the journey of women’s leadership development. This study may be of interest to Aboriginal women interested in politics, to those assisting Aboriginal youth in leadership mentorship, and to other Aboriginal scholars seeking to honour their heritage by conducting Indigenized research (Weber-Pillwax, 2001).