Harry Allen //Samay Thìa// (1945 - 1996)

Harry Allen was born into the Wolf Clan to Jesse and Albert Allen and was raised in a Southern Tutchone tradition. He travelled annually with his family from their trapline and hunting ground to the fish camp at Klukshu.((“Tribute to Harry Allen.” Council of Yukon First Nations 1996 pamphlet.)) He attended schools in Whitehorse and then went to Williams Lake, British Columbia to study forest technology.((Eighth Northern Resources Conference, 24-26 October 1984. Whitehorse: Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce and the Yukon Chamber of Mines, 1984: 50.)) He returned to marry Doris Njootli, born in Old Crow.((Albert James, “Allen’s efforts provide cornerstone for future.” //The Yukon News// (Whitehorse), 21 June 1996.))\\

In 1969, Allen was elected in a close race with Dave Joe as the chief of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. In 1973, he joined the late Elijah Smith as one of the two negotiators representing the status Yukon First Nations along with Johnny Johns and Joe Jacquot who represented the Yukon non-status First Nations.((Albert James, “Allen’s efforts provide cornerstone for future.” //The Yukon News// (Whitehorse), 21 June 1996.)) Allen was elected chair of the Council of Yukon Indians in 1977. He was the chair of the Yukon Native Brotherhood in 1980 when it and the Yukon Association of Non-Status Indians were dissolved, leaving the Council for Yukon Indians (CYI) as the sole political body to represent Yukon First Nations. Allen was the chair of CYI through the 1980s when it, the federal government, and the Yukon Government started the land claim negotiations. The process was halted when Brian Mulroney’s Tories developed a new federal claims policy. In 1985 Allen was appointed by Yukon chiefs as the north vice-chief for the national Indigenous organization, the Assembly of First Nations.  He carried the portfolios for education and land clams over the next decade. At the same time, his was a familiar face at meetings and assemblies in the Yukon. In 1994 he returned to the Yukon as chair of the Council for Yukon First Nations (CYFN) when Judy Gingell was appointed Yukon Commissioner.((Chuck Tobin, “Yukon Indians grieve over loss of Allen.” //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 10 June 1996.)) In 1995, Harry Allen became the first Grand Chief of the General Assembly of the Council of Yukon First Nations.((Albert James, “Allen’s efforts provide cornerstone for future.” //The Yukon News// (Whitehorse), 21 June 1996.))\\ 

In 1996, Harry Allen underwent heart surgery in Vancouver and, although he was reported to be doing well, he died two days after the operation. Words of condolences arrived from across the country. Ovide Mercredi, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations called Allen a man of integrity who lived the life he believed in. He was a force, politically and emotionally on the national front, pushing for indigenous rights and the preservation of languages and ways of life. Grand Chief Harry Allen is buried at Klukshu.((Chuck Tobin, “Hundreds lay Allen to rest at Klukshu.” //The Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 17 June 1996.))