Stanley Njootli, Sr. (b. 1952)
Stanley Njootli SR. was born in Old Crow and grew up learning traditional lifestyles and traditions. He went to school in Old Crow and participated with his family in trapping muskrat in the Crow Flats from April to June. In his teenage years, he worked building housing and at the airport and drove truck. In the 1970s, he left home to work in in Inuvik and Alberta in the oil industry.1)
In the 1980s, Stanley took training as a para-councillor and gained knowledge of drug and alcohol awareness. In 1981, he returned to Old Crow to work in social health with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation VGFN). He was part of the negotiation for his government’s land claim under the leadership of Dave Joe and became a community representative for VGFN in 1983. He is known for his dedication to land preservation, clean water, and the protection of wildlife.2)
Stanley is a strong advocate for cultural revitalization and became an Education Support Worker to help re-establish land programs in Old Crow. He has encourage land-based learning so students gain practical skills and an understanding of their heritage.3)
In recognition of his long commitment to land-based learning, Yukon University presented Stanley Njootli with an honorary doctorate degree at the 2024 Convocation.4)