Chipewyan People

Chipewyan People

The Chipewyan (Denésoliné or Dënesųłiné - ‘People of the barrens’, pronounced as ‘Den-a-sooth-leh-na’ in Chipewyan) are a Dene Aboriginal people in Canada, whose ancestors were the Taltheilei. There are approximately 11,000 Chipewyan living in the Canadian Arctic regions around Hudson Bay, including Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, as well as northern parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Present-day bands exist in:

Alberta:

• Athabasca Tribal Council
  • Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (Reserves: Fort Chipewyan, Chipewyan #201, 201A, 201B, 201C, 201D, 201E, 201F, 201G, ca. 348 km², Population: 934)
  • Fort McKay First Nation (Reserves: Fort McKay #174, 174C, 174D, Namur Lake #174B, 174A, ca. 149 km², Population: 696)
  • Chipewyan Prairie First Nation (Reserves: Big Horn #144A, Cowper Lake #194A, Janvier #194, Winefred Lake #194B, ca. 31 km², Population: 739)
  • Fort McMurray First Nation (Reserves: Fort McMurray #468, Clearwater #175, Gregoire Lake #176, 176A, 176B, ca. 31 km², Population: 632)
• Tribal Chiefs Association (TCA)
  • Cold Lake First Nations (Reserves: Blue Quills First Nation, Cold Lake #149, 149A, 149B, 149C, ca. 209 km², Population: 2.482)
• Akaitcho Territory Government (ATG)
  • Smith's Landing First Nation (‘Thebati Dene Suhne’, Thebacha - ‘beside the rapids’, the Dene name for Fort Smith, Reserves and communities: ?ejere K'elni Kue #196I, Hokedhe Túe #196E, K'i Túe #196D, Li Dezé #196C, Thabacha Náre #196A, Thebathi #196, Tsu K'adhe Túe #196F, Tsu Nedehe Túe #196H, Tsu Túe #196G, Tthe Jere Ghaili #196B, ca. 100 km², Population: 324)

Manitoba:

• Keewatin Tribal Council
  • Barren Lands (Brochet) First Nation (Reserve: Brochet #197, ca. 43 km², Population: 1,021)
  • Northlands (Lac Brochet) Dene First Nation (also known as Northlands Denesuline First Nation, Reserves and communities: Lac Brochet #197A, Sheth chok, Thuycholeeni, Thuycholeeni azé, Tthekalé nu, ca. 22 km², Population: 1,005)
  • Sayisi Dene First Nation (formerly known as ‘Duck Lake Dene’, Reserve: Churchill #1, ca. 2 km², Population: 729)

Northwest Territories:

• Akaitcho Territory Government (ATG)
  • Deninu Kue First Nation (‘Deneh-noo-kweh’ - ‘People of moose Island’, formerly known as ‘Fort Resolution Dene’, Reserve: Fort Resolution Settlement, Population: 843)
  • Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation (Lutselk'e ‘Loot-sel-kay’ - ‘place of the Łutsel-fish’, formerly known as ‘Snowdrift Band’, Reserve: Snwodrift Settlement, Population: 725)
  • Salt River First Nation#195 (Reserves: Fort Smith Settlement, Salt Plains #195, Salt River #195, Fitzgerald #196 (Alberta), ca. 230 km², Population: 879)

Saskatchewan:

• Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC)
  • Buffalo River Dene Nation (located at Dillon), (the reserve is about 84 km northeast of Île-à-la-Crosse, Reserve: Buffalo River Dene Nation #193, ca. 83 km², Population: 1,234)
  • Clearwater River Dene Nation (most populous reserve Clearwater River is about 24 km east of La Loche, Reserves: Clearwater River Dene #222, #221, #223, La Loche Indian Settlement, ca. 95 km², Population: 1,691)
  • English River First Nation (English River First Nation is located at Patuanak, and signed under Chief William Apesis Treaty 10 in 1906, the name originates from the English River where the poplar house people ('Kés-ye-hot!ínne') inhabited the area for periods during the year, formerly the reserve was known as Grassy Narrows reserve, most families, which now reside in Patuanak, had traditionally lived down river at Primeau Lake, Knee Lake and Dipper Lake, Reserves: Patuanak, Cree Lake 192G, Porter Island 192H, Elak Dase 192A, Knee Lake 192B, Dipper Rapids 192C, Wapachewunak 192D, LaPlonge 192, ca. 200 km², Population: 1,414)
  • Birch Narrows First Nation (located at Turnor Lake, most populous Reserve #193B about 124 km northeast of Île-à-la-Crosse, the reserve originated from Treaty 6 in 1906, Reserves: Churchill Lake #193A, Turnor Lake #193B, #194, ca. 30 km², Population: 670)
• Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC)
  • Black Lake Denesuline First Nation (located at Black Lake, most populous reserve Chicken #224 about ca. 170 km southeast of Uranium City, formerly known as ‘Stony Rapids Band’, Reserves: Chicken #224, #225, #226, ca. 322 km², Population: 1,984)
  • Hatchet Lake Denesuline First Nation (also known as Lac la Hache Denesuline First Nation, located at Wollaston Lake, ca 354 km north of Flin Flon, Reserve: Lac la Hache #220, ca. 110 km², Population: 1,607)
  • Fond du Lac Denesuline First Nation (located at Fond-du-Lac, most populous reserve Fond Du Lac#227 east of Lake Athabasca, Reserves: Fond Du Lac #227, #228, #229, #231, #232, #233, ca. 368 km², Population: 1,805)