In 1993, after more than 20 years of negotiations, CAFN's rights
to the Yukon portion of its traditional lands and resources were
finally confirmed with the signing of the First Nation's Final
Agreement between CAFN, the Government of Canada, and the
Government of Yukon. CAFN's land claims agreement provides for
the ownership of some 2,427 square kilometers (or 925 square
miles) of land and approximately $28 million dollars to be paid
over a 15 year period. An area of particular interest to the
scientific world has been the recent archaeology findings in the
melting ice patches and ice fields within the Champagne &
Aishihik traditional terrritory, where some of the oldest
evidence of human habitation in the territory have been found.
150 artifacts ranging from 800 to 9,000 years of age have been
found. The ancient weapons, tools and equipment used by the
hunters still litter the sites, perfectly preserved by the ice.
In 2000, the 550 year old body of a hunter/traveller was
discovered in a similiar area in nor