Ron Chambers
Ronald Chambers
Douglas McKinnon
Place and Date of Birth: Whitehorse, Yukon. September 16, 1943.
Ron was born and raised in the Yukon and is of Tlingit and Southern Tutchone ancestry; and has been promoting the Native culture of the Yukon for many years through his dancing and his art. He has been performing nationally and internationally for many years with performances at Expo 86 in Vancouver and Rendezvous Canada to performances in Taiwan, Japan, Austria and US.
He is also an established carver; with pieces in the National Museum in Ottawa. Ron has served on many boards and councils over the years and is a former board member of the Canada Council and was Director of Special Events of the first Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse. He is an active and enthusiastic promoter of First Nations heritage and culture and of Yukon tourism.
Occupations: After working for the Department of Indian Affairs, Ron joined the Yukon Native Brotherhood, an organization dedicated to securing land claim settlements in the territory. (http://cyfn.ca/history/history-of-land-claims). Following some cultural grant work for the federal government, Ron was hired as a park warden during the establishment of the Kluane National Park. To learn the warden ropes, he spent a few seasons in Jasper before returning to the north, where he stayed for the rest of his 22 year warden career. As a warden in Kluane, he played a major role in search and rescue activity, as well as in communication and liaison work with local communities and Parks Canada. Ron was actively involved with land claims negotiations and with the Park Management Board. He left the warden service in 1990 to focus on cultural and historical work within his community.
Additional Information: Ron is a member of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nation and in 1999, he served as the Deputy Chief. His family has a long tradition in Kluane National Park, Kluane is a family name and Louise Lake in the park was named after his grandmother. Ron has been involved in a number of archaeology projects in the north. “He is credited with “rediscovering” the Hoodoo Mountain obsidian source in Kluane National Park. He also led the 1993 archaeology survey effort to relocate the 19th century Tatshenshini River native fishing villages. (http://www.yhrb.ca/Board_Pages/Ron_Chambers.htm). Ron was the first Yukoner and First Nation man to climb Mount Logan in 1975. He was also part of the RCMP centennial climb to Mount Steele in 1990.
Ron Chambers has served four terms on the Yukon Heritage Resources Board, bringing a wealth of experience, knowledge, and commitment to his role as a Board member. Ron is a member of the Wolf Clan and a citizen of Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. History and culture have always been personal interests, and have helped shape his path in life, and his participation in land claims activities.
Following his residential school experience, he worked as a wilderness guide, actor, park warden, artist, dancer, and cultural interpreter, and has been involved in archaeological survey and research work throughout the Yukon. Ron also worked with the National Indian Arts and Crafts Corporation and Yukon Native Products, and with the Canada Council’s Explorations Program.
From his days with the Yukon Native Brotherhood, Ron has been engaged in the negotiation and implementation of Yukon land claims, gaining and putting to use years of knowledge and experience. He participated in early negotiations, served as Deputy Chief of CAFN, and has served on a number of UFA Boards and Committees over the years. In addition to the Yukon Heritage Resources Board, Ron also currently serves on the Fish and Wildlife Management Board and the Geographical Place Names Board.
Ron sees UFA Boards and Committees as a way to continue the work started during land claims negotiations, and help realize the aspirations of previous generations for cooperative and participatory management of the Yukon. He emphasizes that experiential knowledge brings something important to the process of Board work. He says the Yukon offers a unique opportunity for people of all backgrounds to become engaged and work together in many arenas, including implementation. He encourages others to pursue Boards and Committees work, seeing it as a natural outcome of being interested in the world around you and committed to a better Yukon.
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