Community volunteers and organizers reportedly hosted a Youth Handgames Tournament in Watson Lake, Yukon, on March 2 and March 3, 2026. This event was intended to provide local children and youth with an opportunity to participate in traditional games while promoting cultural engagement and community connection.
Handgames, which are also known as the stick game, are a traditional cultural activity in the Yukon that often involve people of all ages participating in communal drumming and singing. The tournament offered family-friendly entertainment and focused on preserving Indigenous traditions for the younger generation.
The competition was slated for the Morgan Chaddock Recreation Centre, which includes a community hall capable of hosting large tournament-style events. These types of gatherings are central to passing down traditional knowledge and maintaining social bonds within the community.
Local organizers responsible for youth programming worked with volunteers to coordinate the two-day event. By participating in the tournament, Indigenous youth and their families were able to connect through a practice that has historically been used to celebrate gatherings in the region.
