Klukwan is a small community on the banks of the Chilkat River just 18 miles south of the Canadian border. It is located on the Haines Highway with connections to interior Alaska, Canada, and into the continental United States. The name Klukwan is taken from the Tlingit phrase “Tlakw Aan” which means “Eternal Village,” or “The Village That Has Always Been.” Local history tells us that Klukwan was originally settled by a group of Gaanaxteidi men and their Kaagwaantaan wives, It was chosen because of the rich, natural environment. Here, the people preserve and live their heritage through their language, oral histories, and traditional activities and foods.