Alice Frost, nee Njootli (1937 – 1998)
Alice Frost was born to parents Joanne and Thomas Njootli, and the family lived primarily on the land in the Old Crow region. Alice and Donald Frost were married in 1954 and they had seven children. Alice attended the vocational school at Old Crow in the 1970s and became a strong advocate for education and its role in self-determination. In the 1980s, she played a lead role in establishing a community college campus in Old Crow. She became a member of the Campus Committee, a sewing instructor, a Gwitchin language instructor, and always a student. In 1985, Alice became the first woman chief of the Vuntut Gwitchin and held the position until 1988. She advocated for a safe, successful, substance-free community. She brought in land-based social wellness programming, and life skills and communication training. She was involved in the land claims negotiation, fought for the protection of the Porcupine Caribou Herd, and worked to make sure her people had the skills to run a government. She worked hard to better herself and her community. Alice Frost was a perfectionist and had high expectations for all those around her. Her exquisite beadwork was sought after in the community and through the Yukon.1)
The Yukon University campus in Old Crow is named in honour of Alice Frost. She taught her daughter, Pauline Frost, to always pass on what she had learned.2)