Angela Sidney

Angela Sidney
Born	Ch'óonehte' Ma Stóow Angela Johns January 4, 1902 near Carcross
Died	July 17, 1991
Occupation	Storyteller, author
Nationality	Yukon First Nations
Citizenship	Canadian
Period	20th century
Genre	Native culture
Subject	Folklore, traditions, place names
Notable awards	Order of Canada
Spouse	George Sidney,
Children	Ida Calmegane and 6 other children
Relatives	Skookum Jim Kate Carmack Dawson Charlie

Angela Sidney, CM (January 4, 1902 – July 17, 1991) was a Tagish storyteller. She co-authored two narratives of traditional Tagish legends and a historical document of Tagish place names for southern Yukon. For her linguistics and ethnography contributions, Sidney received the Order of Canada, becoming the first Native woman from the Yukon to be so honoured.

"Well, I have no money to leave for my grandchildren. My stories are my wealth!"

Sidney was born near Carcross in 1902. She was given two names at birth, Ch'óonehte' Ma (in Tagish), Stóow (in Tlingit), and a third, Angela, by her godfather, when she was two weeks old.

Her mother, Maria John (or Maria Tagish) (born ca. 1871), was of Tlingit Deisheetaan (Crow) clan ancestry. Her father, Tagish John (born ca. 1856), was Tagish Dakhl'awedi. Maria was left weak after epidemics killed the family's first four children. A brother, Johnny, and a sister, Alice Dora, were Sidney's siblings from the couple's second family. Because her mother was not well, Sidney, eldest daughter, spent much of her time assisting her mother and listening to her stories. However, Sidney did receive some schooling in Carcross at the Anglican mission school prior to age ten.

Her father's cousins, Skookum Jim, Kate Carmack and Dawson Charlie, were credited with making the gold discovery that led to the Klondike Gold Rush in 1896.

At age 14, Sidney married George Sidney (ca. 1888 - 1971). They had seven children, four of whom died young. George worked seasonally for White Pass and Yukon Route railroad, he later became chief at Carcross.

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