Chris (Khatinas.axh) Hobbis

Chris Hobbis, Khatinas.axh, is a member of the Kukhhittan Clan and inland Tlingit from the community of Teslin. He had the privilege of growing up in the community in the 70s and 80s where he received many cultural teachings from his clan as well as community knowledge keepers and his uncles.

From the time he was a small child, he spent vast amounts of time on his matrilineal family’s traditional territory. During these times, they followed the seasonal round of harvesting and putting up food. Annual gatherings with extended family allowed him to learn about the historical use of the area, traditional foods, protocols for being in the bush as well as the importance of family and community.

In 2012, the matriarchs in his family, placed the family’s traditional trapline into Chris’ hands to be the steward of. Since that time, he has committed to being out there, re-establishing traditional trails and learning from and working with family whose traplines border his. The focus is to maintain a connection to the land, keep the ecosystem and animal populations healthy and to also trap in a humane and respectful manner.