Dogrib
Dogrib, now known as Tłı̨chǫ or Tåîchô, is a group belonging to the Northeastern Athabaskan language family located in the Subarctic region of Canada, specifically in the Northwest Territories. The Dogrib people have a rich cultural heritage, with origins traced back to traditional legends and a history of interaction with European traders beginning in the 18th century. Their population, which experienced significant declines due to epidemics and environmental changes, was recorded at approximately 1,730 as of 2023. Traditionally, the Dogrib organized into six regional bands led by skilled hunters and were deeply connected to the spiritual world, believing in the power of spirits associated with animals and nature.
Historically, their economy relied on hunting and fishing, although the introduction of government assistance programs in the 1960s shifted employment opportunities towards service roles. Despite modern challenges, many Tłı̨chǫ individuals continue to incorporate traditional practices into their lives, highlighting the importance of hunting and fishing. The preservation of their language and cultural traditions remains a priority, with the Tłı̨chǫ language recognized as an official language in the Northwest Territories. Overall, the Tłı̨chǫ people exemplify resilience and a commitment to maintaining their identity in the face of change.
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Dogrib
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Subarctic
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Northeastern Athabaskan
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Northwest Territories, Canada
- POPULATION SIZE: 1,730 (Statistics Canada 2023)
The Tłı̨chǫ, Tåîchô, or Tlicho, also known as the Dogrib, a nation of the Athabaskan language group, get their name from a traditional legend according to which the first Dogrib person came from the mating of a woman and a dog. Dogrib people have lived, since the 1500s, in the Northwest Territories of Canada, between Great Slave and Great Bear lakes along the Mackenzie River. Their earliest contact with Europeans dates to 1771, when French trappers encountered nation members, began to trade caribou hides, and started the fur trade. However, epidemics began to take their toll, and the population began rapidly declining. By the 1880s, caribou herds began to decline, and musk-ox robes became the main trade good. By this time, Catholic missionaries had entered the area, built mission schools, and converted most of the Dogrib to Christianity. In 1900, when the population had dipped below 1,000, nation leaders signed a reservation treaty with Canadian authorities, retaining control of much of their traditional homeland. A gold rush in the 1930s brought an influx of Whites, who built the town of Yellowknife.
Traditionally, the nation from the Subarctic culture area was divided into six regional bands. Each band had a leader, who generally was the best hunter and the most generous gift-giver to the group. The Dogrib believed that human beings got their power from spirits inhabiting animals and trees. These spirits caused sickness, controlled the population of animals to be hunted, and dictated the weather. Illnesses could be cured by confession of sins and misbehavior in front of group leaders.
Many Dogrib members practiced their traditional way of making a living until the 1960s. They hunted beaver and muskrat in the spring, caribou in the summer, and fished in the river until the October freeze-up. Winters were the hardest times because of the intense cold and dwindling supply of animals. Government assistance programs began in the 1960s, with health and medical services, a public housing program, schools, and a new highway. The population began to increase, although many Dogrib members remained lacking financial or other means of subsistence. Employment came mainly from these government programs, and after construction was completed, the only jobs available were fishing guides, janitors, and clerks in the assistance programs.
In the twenty-first century, many Dogrib (Tlicho) people continued to maintain aspects of their traditional way of life, with hunting and fishing remaining vital to their lifestyle. Some Dogrib found employment in mining industries active around their Indigenous lands. The Dogrib also actively worked to preserve their culture, traditions, and language. The Tlicho language was recognized as an official language of Canada's Northwest Territories.
Bibliography
"Businesses." Tlicho Government, www.tlicho.ca/businesses. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
Erickson, Kate. "The Dogrib." Milwaukee Public Museum, www.mpm.edu/research-collections/anthropology/online-collections-research/dogrib. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
Helm, June, et al. "Tlicho (Dogrib)." The Canadian Encyclopedia, 17 June 2020, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tlicho-dogrib. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
Judas, Joseph. "Tłįchǫ Stories for Ekwǫ̀ Management." Rangifer, no. 20, 2012, pp. 49–51.
Legat, Allice. Walking the Land, Feeding the Fire: Knowledge and Stewardship among the Tłı̨chǫ Dene. U of Arizona P, 2012.
"Profile Table: Dog Rib Rae [First Nation or Indian and/or Tribal Council Area], Northwest Territories, Indigenous Population Profile, 2021 Census of Population." Statistics Canada, 8 June 2023, www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/ipp-ppa/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Dog%20Rib%20Rae&DGUID=2021C1005681&GENDER=1&AGE=1&HP=0&HH=0. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
"Timeline." Tlicho History, tlichohistory.ca/en/timeline. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024.
"Tłįchǫ Government v. Canada (Attorney General)." Canadian Native Law Reporter, vol. 2, 2015, pp. 372–397. Bibliography of Native North Americans. tlicho.ca/sites/default/files/Tlicho%20Govt%20v%20Canada%20Rea%20judg.pdf. Accessed 22 Mar. 2023.
Zoe, John B. Trails of Our Ancestors: Building a Nation. Tlicho Community Services Agency, 2008. www.tlicho.ca/sites/default/files/TrailsofOurAncestors.pdf. Accessed 22 Mar. 2023.