Yukon who is who

Robert Hager (1941 – 2016)

Robert Hager was raised in the old village on the Stewart River, three miles below Mayo. He grew up hunting, fishing, and trapping. His family moved to Mayo in 1957 when the public school opened to First Nation students.¹⁾

Robert Hager became chief of the Na-Cho Nyak Dun when they were still governed by the federal Department of Indian Affairs as a band. During the land claim negotiations in 1984 he spoke against giving up status, a settlement that sixteen other chiefs had agreed to. When Elder Johnnie Johns understood that he would not be allowed to hunt big game he threw the settlement paper in the garbage and shortly the other chiefs agreed with them. The negotiations were shut down and some were unhappy with Hager, but his people supported him.²⁾ The 1984 agreement lacked the right to self-government, full rights to subsistence hunting, and control over traditional lands.³⁾

Hager served as the chief of the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun for thirty years.⁴⁾ He was chief when the first four First Nations signed the Umbrella Final Agreement.⁵⁾ He stepped down as chief soon after his First Nation's final land claim and self-government agreement was signed in 1993.⁶⁾

Hager ran a fish camp on Ethel Lake where he often invited friends and colleagues, supported traditional ceremonies, and was an avid hunter. He actively promoted language programs so they could be offered in schools and used his own language skills to translate for elders during negotiations. He ran a group home for children and youth for several years.⁷⁾ Hager worked hard to put together a joint council with the Village of Mayo so that his people were involved in decision making. He was proud of his work to put First Nations people on the local school board.⁸⁾