Growing up in Burwash Landing, Yukon, Nathan Easterson-Moore learned some of the basics of the Southern Tutchone language, but it was minimal.

In lessons at the community school, he learned the words used for some animals, greetings and other “small stuff,” he said. But that all ended when he moved from Burwash.

Now, for the first time since he was in Grade 8 — almost five years ago — he’s picking it up again, and getting paid for it too.

He’s among the 20 youth being paid to take classes full-time in their Indigenous language as part of a new program launched by the