Keyoh facts for kids

Keyoh is a special word from the Dakelh people, an Indigenous group in Canada. It means a traditional area, like a family's territory, a village, or a place where they hunt and gather. For the Dakelh people, a Keyoh is a very important place where a family group has lived for a long time. They have special rights to use, look after, and even own this land based on their traditions.

What is a Keyoh?

A Keyoh is more than just a piece of land. It's a traditional area that belongs to an entire Indigenous family group. This group has special rights to use the land, care for it, and make decisions about it. These rights come from their long history and customs, not from government rules.

Keyoh vs. Trapline

Sometimes, people mistakenly translate Keyoh as "trapline." While a Keyoh can include areas for trapping, it's much more than that.

• A Keyoh covers many activities, like hunting, fishing, gathering plants, and living in villages.
• A Keyoh belongs to a whole family or group, not just one person.
• The rights to a Keyoh are passed down through families, often from father to son, following their traditional ways.
• This is different from government-registered traplines, which are usually given to one person and mainly for trapping.

The Keyoh Holder

The leader of a Keyoh is called the Keyoh Holder, or keyoh-whudachun. This person is usually a hereditary chief, meaning their leadership role is passed down through their family for generations. They are responsible for looking after the Keyoh and its people.

Keyoh and Indigenous Rights

The idea of Keyoh is important when talking about Indigenous rights in Canada. These rights are recognized by Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. This part of Canada's law protects the traditional rights of Indigenous peoples to their lands and cultures. The term Keyoh helps explain how Indigenous families have always used and managed their traditional territories, villages, and resources. You can learn more about this on websites like the Maiyoo Keyoh site.

Different Names for Keyoh

In some western dialects of the Dakelh language, the word for Keyoh is slightly different. It is called keyah. This shows how languages can change a little from one area to another.