We are the Athabasca Denesųłiné.
We are Caribou People.
Elders are the Knowledge Keepers at the core of our communities.
“I am too old to go back on the land to hunt and trap, but our people should never stop talking about the importance of the land and we must protect it always for the future generations to enjoy.”
Our youth are our greatest resource.
It is our Elders’ job to ensure that our Denesųłiné culture continues through time, as it has for thousands of years. They provide training and teachings on survival on the land, how to raise strong babies, Denesųłiné laws and guiding principles, and provide information at important community meetings.
Read our Denesųłiné guiding values document here.
Teachings about traditional hunting, survival skills, drumming, and dancing happen at annual culture camps. The drum is respected and is key to Dene culture, and begins all ceremonies.
Working for future generations is of utmost importance to the Denesųłiné, “to leave enough for the next generation to benefit.” Everything we do is for our youth. They will benefit from the work we do today, and in return they will work towards the next generation’s health and well-being, and the cycle continues.
We are part of the ecosystem
As Athabasca Denesųłiné, we have rich cultural and traditional practices that are very alive today.
“You cannot remove the Denesųłiné from the landscape. We are part of the ecosystem along with fish, water, rocks, and animals. We are guardians, we watch over the land because the land watches over us. We have formed a relationship with the land and water over thousands of years. Land and water are the essence of Denesųłiné culture.”
Since time immemorial, we have maintained a deeply abiding and long lasting connection to the land. Our cultural identity, spirituality, and overall well-being is intrinsically connected to the health of the land and the way its resources are managed.
We are the Stewards of this Land
Traditional protocols, customary values, laws, and procedures that demonstrate our ability to be excellent stewards of the land have been in place since time immemorial.
By articulating these rules and protocols into modern plans, we continue to fulfill our responsibility of protecting the land and water in Nuhenéné.
The protection of land and water, which includes everything (i.e. plants, animals, rocks, medicines, Spirits, air, etc.) for future generations is the main goal.
We, the Athabasca Denesųłiné have long been stewards of the land and have shouldered the responsibility of ensuring the management of important species to ensure food security and cultural retention for our communities.
Communities of Nuhenéné
Though we have our home communities, we ultimately live beyond the provincial and territorial borders put in place by Canada. Our territory is vast, as we have traditionally followed the migration route of the Barren ground caribou.
Camsell Portage | Uranium City | Fond du Lac First Nation | Stony Rapids | Black Lake First Nation |
Wollaston Lake Post | Hatchet Lake First Nation
Camsell Portage is home to less than 20 people along the Northern shore of Lake Athabasca. There is a one-room school which also serves as the health clinic. The Church of St. Bernard was built in 1952, which has been kept in immaculate condition. It is like stepping back in time. Camsell Portage community members include Dene, Cree, and French. (Photo by: Shea Shirley)
Uranium City is along the Northern shore of Lake Athabasca and is home to less than 70 people. The population was a lot larger than this from the 1950s to early 1980s when it was a busy uranium mining center.
Fond du Lac Denesųłiné First Nation is along the Northeast shore of Lake Athabasca and is home to roughly 2,300 people. To get here, you can fly-in year round, take a boat in the summer, or brave the winter road in the heart of winter.
Stony Rapids is on the east end of Lake Athabasca and is home to under 300 people. The Athabasca Seasonal Road ends in Stony Rapids, linking the south to the north. Stony Rapids has the only hospital in the Athabasca region and a busy airport, including a float base. You can access Black Lake Denesųłiné First Nation by road from Stony Rapids.
Black Lake Denesųłiné First Nation is home to under 2,200 people. The population is fairly young, with a median age of 22. Dene language is the mother tongue of 97% of the community. This First Nation is located approximately 20 km up the road from Stony Rapids.
Wollaston Lake Post is a hamlet located on the outskirts of Hatchet Lake Denesųłiné First Nation along Wollaston Lake.
Hatchet Lake Denesųłiné First Nation is located on the shores of Wollaston Lake. Named after “Lac la Hache”, French for “Axe” lake. Hatchet Lake First Nation remains only accessible by barge, boat, snowmobile, and winter ice road. However, recently work has begun to build a seasonal road to the community.