Tagish

For other uses, see Tagish (disambiguation).
Tagish
Tā̀gish kotʼīnèʼ

17: Tagish area
Regions with significant populations
 Canada ( Yukon)
Languages
English, Tagish
Religion
Christianity, Animism
Related ethnic groups
Kaska, Tahltan

The Tagish or Tagish Khwáan (own name Tā̀gish kotʼīnèʼ, Tlingit Taagish ḵwáan) are a First Nations people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group that lived around Tagish Lake and Marsh Lake, in the Yukon Territory of Canada. Tagish people intermarried heavily with Tlingit people from the coast and the Tagish language is almost extinct. Today Tagish people live mainly in Carcross or Whitehorse, Yukon and are members of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation or the Kwanlin Dün First Nation.

Members of the Tagish First Nation made the gold discovery that led to the Klondike Gold Rush: Keish (Skookum Jim Mason), Shaaw Tláa (Kate Carmack) and Káa goox (Dawson Charlie).

The word Tagish also refers to the Tagish language, an Athabaskan language spoken by the ancestors of these people.

Tagish means "it (spring ice) is breaking up" and also gave its name to Tagish Lake.

There are currently only two remaining people who speak Tagish fluently.

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