About
This soap was made in memory of our dear friend Tash. She was an important part of our Yukon Soaps team and community. In her honour, we collaborated with local Artist Tamika Knutson to create a vibrant topographic map design with rainbow contour lines intertwining the colours of the Pride flag to symbolize inclusivity and diversity. The map's intricate contour lines,
highlighted in bold, colourful strokes, represent Natasha's deep love for the land and the interconnectedness of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community across different terrains. This unique design serves as both a visual tribute and a meaningful statement, fostering awareness and unity in our community and beyond. This project helps us support, promote, and organize events for the Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) in our small northern community in central Yukon.
In honour of Natasha Jean Young
January 3 rd , 1980 – August 22 nd , 2023
Eulogy written by Ronalda Moses
On a cool, crisp minus forty-day Natasha Jean was born on January 3 rd , 1980, like many of us, delivered by Dr. JV Clark at the Mayo General Hospital. Rich in culture and heritage between two clans, Natasha was born a strong Northern Tutchone woman of the Crow Clan on her mother’s side and a proud baring member of the Tartan and Coat of Arms Scottish Young Clan on her father’s side. Her late grandfather Peter Young was so proud to welcome their first born Young grandchild and lovingly called her “too-der-dauder-kid.” Natasha was the cutest baby “Bullet,” as her late Uncle Larry called her, as she had very little hair until she was one and half year old. Her late aunty Caroline would make sure she always had her baby bonnet on when she’d be outside so she would not sun burn her precious little head. She was such a joy and miracle from the day she took her first breath, being so tiny and born a month too early.
We honour and celebrate Natasha as a two-spirited woman who was a strong advocate of the LGBTQ community representing solidarity, collectivity and identity. Being herself was truly a revolutionary act of authenticity to her true self in our small community that overall proved to embrace and accept her for who she truly was. We are fortunate for your love and support. She was blessed to have spent years of happiness with the ultimate love of her life Nadine Pelkey. A love so deep she never stopped loving and missing her. There was a constant hum of sorrow when she lost Nadine that she learned to live to cope and come to terms with while finding ways to move forward, and she managed, as with the others so close to her she lost in such a short period of time. She once turned to her mom and said, “I never dreamed we would be widows together.” She was resilient that way in finding light in those dim days with her obscure alluring wit and nature.
Natasha was athletic growing up always pursing sports be it soccer, swimming, hockey and
cross-country skiing; between traveling and buying gear and equipment made her parents dig deep in their pockets to fund all these initiatives not to mention judo suits, badminton rackets, snowboarding, roller blades, canoeing, snowmobiling, four-wheeling, all to well her mother knows the list goes on. Nothing less would they not provide; she was worth every penny spent.
Natsha was a positive contributor to this community most of her life. She volunteered and assisted where she could when asked with little hesitation. She cared for her community, she experienced some time away but always found herself home where the heart is and where her family are. Family was everything, Natasha was a lovely, attentive, caring daughter, a supportive sister, and an admirable aunty. She adored her family tremendously and would do anything for them especially her nieces and nephew. Upon the arrival of her first niece, she was so overjoyed and called her “doo-doo” after a cartoon song she liked. Every niece has a tribute tattoo on her back that symbolizes their sense of cartoon character. She finally just had the last one done for her special little man, her only nephew. She was asked “what about our Satcheen (great-niece)?” She replied, “no, that’s her Aunty’s turn” and looked at Alyssa. So, recently Alyssa made a trip to Whitehorse and got her special tattoo for baby niece Satcheen.
In her past time, you would find her cuddled up with Osa with her e-reader pleasantly lost in
reverie. Reading novels was her solitude for peace and sometimes she’d be so consumed she’d find herself up all hours in the night not wanting to put it down. She had the ability to see different perspectives and was able to provide you with sound advice to your logic, skewed or not.
Natasha has always been an overachiever, practical and sensitive, a true Capricorn. She was always strong-willed, self-reliant, and her successes appeared effortless. Careers and relationships were expressions of time and care for Natasha, she was sincere and loyal to those and that she committed to. She had a wealth of knowledge and education from her beginnings in information technology and primarily in environmental studies. She had a passion for the land and water and liked spending time outdoors sitting by a fire, sky gazing and conversing in cheer. Although having multiple work experiences Natasha would say she did not know what she wanted to be when she grew up until her most recent employment with Yukon Government at the Mayo Mining Recorders Office. Happily, finally, she found her purpose, her place. She had nothing but positive things to say about her supervisor and co-workers who demonstrated support in a healthy workplace, and she was thriving as she was learning, drafting, and implementing staking processes of the position despite the fact she was torn as a land protector.
Her sense of discipline and persistence had an alluring personality of confidence and humility that would capture you the moment you met her. It is likely those traits that shined all the years she was awarded “Congeniality” at JV Clark School. Her closest peers would tease her about this, but they all knew there was none other to compare to receive it but her because it was her. She always had that flare of charm and kindness with those she loved and those she just met that usually evolved into lasting friendships. Her roster of family and friends is quite substantial.
Travel, entertainment and cuisine was a highlight in her life besides her fur baby Osa, who she dearly loved and kept close by her side everywhere she’d go. She traveled across the world, across the seas to be acquainted with her Cousin Amber Young in England and traveled even further as far as Scotland to lay her beloved fathers ashes upon Peter Young the I (first) grave. It was a trip of a lifetime she got to endure with her mother at her side, which she longed for her brother Peter Young the III (third)’s physical presence to witness, although we know he was there in spirit. Her flare for travel brought her to many destinations one could only dream of in a lifetime. She had an exquisite ear for music, a lens for talent in cinema and a cuisine connoisseur of all types of food and culture. We will miss her top trending topics of conversation and suggestions in these favorable subjects and ultimately her tech-savvy self. Who in this room did not ask for help either computer troubleshooting or downloading movies or music from big bad Tash?
We will hold space for you where there will forever be an unfilled void. That space will
always be yours in our hearts Tash.
We will forever love you and forever miss you, until we meet again.
Love Wins
We created this soap in memory of our friend Tash. She was an incredible woman and Yukon Soaps team member. The purchase of this soap will help us support, promote, and organize events for the Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) in our small northern community in central Yukon. We want all people in our community to feel the love that she gave.
Dän sīng nehʼnìng sóthän// I am supported
Design by Artist
Tamika Knutson
Tamika Knutson is a Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in artist and arts administrator from Dawson City Yukon. She studied at Yukon SOVA and finished her undergrad at NSCAD University in Halifax with a major in jewellery design and metalsmithing. Since NSCAD she has worked for her local arts organizations, attended artist residencies, participated in arts festivals and exhibited her art all around the Yukon. She currently lives in Dawson City and works in the Arts Section at the Government of Yukon and continues to explore many ways of being creative.