The Slavey (also Slave and South Slavey) are a

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: ** First Nat ...

indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

of the

Dene The Dene people () are an indigenous group of First Nations who inhabit the northern boreal and Arctic regions of Canada. The Dene speak Northern Athabaskan languages. ''Dene'' is the common Athabaskan word for "people". The term "Dene" h ...

group, indigenous to the

Great Slave Lake Great Slave Lake (french: Grand lac des Esclaves), known traditionally as Tıdeè in Tłı̨chǫ Yatıì (Dogrib), Tinde’e in Wıìlıìdeh Yatii / Tetsǫ́t’ıné Yatıé (Dogrib / Chipewyan), Tu Nedhé in Dëne Sųłıné Yatıé (Chi ...

region, in Canada's

Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...

, and extending into northeastern

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include ...

and northwestern

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

Name

Cree exonym "slave"

''Slavey'' or just ''Slave'' is a translation of the name given to ''Dene'' by the Cree "who sometimes raided and enslaved their less aggressive northern neighbors". The names of the Slave River,

Lesser Slave River The Lesser Slave River ( Cree ''Iyaghchi Eennu Sepe'', translation: "River of the Strange People") is a river in central Alberta, Canada. It is a major tributary of the Athabasca River. The Lesser Slave Lake and the river were the main links ...

, and

Lesser Slave Lake Lesser Slave Lake (french: Petit lac des Esclaves)—known traditionally as "Beaver Lake" (ᐊᒥᐢᐠ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ amisk sâkâhikan in the Plains Cree language, and T’saat’ine migeh in Dene Zhatıé) or "Beaver people were over th ...

all derive from this Cree name. ''Esclaves'' remains incorporated in the French names of these geographical features, since the French traded with the Cree before the English did. The people now called ''Slavey'' in English were not necessarily taken as slaves in that period.

Dehcho autonym

The name Slavey is seldom used by the people themselves, who call themselves ''Dene.'' Indigenous ethnonyms for South Slavey people and language are Dehcho, Deh Cho Dene (" Mackenzie River People") or Dene Tha. Though most

Athabaskan Athabaskan (also spelled ''Athabascan'', ''Athapaskan'' or ''Athapascan'', and also known as Dene) is a large family of indigenous languages of North America, located in western North America in three areal language groups: Northern, Pacific ...

peoples call themselves ''Dene'', those in the Northwest Territories tend to use it for their particular group specifically. However, the northern Slavey are also known in English as the Sahtú, while the southern band are known as the Deh Cho.

Groups

The South Slavey live in northwestern Alberta, northeastern British Columbia, and the southern Northwest Territories. First Nations of South Slavey people:Dene Tha' Presence in Northeastern BC
(Prepared by: Randy Bouchard. Prepared for: Calliou Group, Calgary, Alberta on Behalf of the Dene Tha' First Nation, 14 July 2009) *The Fort Nelson First Nation in British Columbia. Own name: Dene "the people", for language Dene k'e. Historical literature Fort Nelson Indian Band, Fort Nelson Slavey Band, Fort Nelson Indians. *The

Dene Tha' First Nation The Dene Thá (/'tɛnɛ ðɑː/) First Nation is a First Nations government of the South Slavey in Northern Alberta, Canada. The people call themselves Dene Dháa (sometimes spelled Dene Tha' or Dene Th'a) or 'Ordinary People' in the Dene Dháh l ...

in Alberta. Own name: for people ''Dene Tha'' or ''Dene Dháa'' «ordinary people», for language ''Dene Dháh''. Historical literature by a number of names, including the following: Upper Hay River Band; Hay Lake(s) Band; Hay River Indians; Slave Band; Slavey Indians at Hay Lake(s); Upper Hay River Post Indians; and Bistcho Lake Tribe. *The

Dehcho First Nations The Dehcho First Nations is a tribal council representing the Dene (South Slavey) and Métis people of the Dehcho Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is made up of ten First Nations bands and two Métis Locals. Membership The Deh C ...

(also called ''Deh Cho Dene'' – "Mackenzie River Dene") in the Northwest Territories: ** Acho Dene Koe First Nation – Fort Liard (Ahcho Koe or Ahcho Kue) ** Deh Gah Gotie Dene Council – Fort Providence (Zhahti Koe or Zhahti Kue) **

Jean Marie River First Nation The Jean Marie River First Nation, known as Tthets'ék'ehdélı̨ in its own Dene language, is a First Nations band government in the Northwest Territories. The band is headquartered in the community of Jean Marie River. The Jean Marie River Firs ...

(Tthe'K'ehdeli Dene) – Jean Marie River (Tthek'éhdélį or Tthek'edeli) ** Katl'odeeche First Nation (Kátłʼodehche Dene) – Hay River (Xátł'odehchee) with

Hay River Reserve Hay River Reserve (also known as ''Kʼatlodeeche/Katlʼodeeche First Nation'' or ''Hay River Dene 1'') is one of only three Indian reserves in Canada's Northwest Territories. Located in the South Slave Region, it is a Slavey community with a p ...

** Ka'agee Tu First Nation (Ka'agee Tu Dene) – Kakisa (K'ágee) ** Liidli Kue First Nation (Liidli Kue Dene) – Fort Simpson (Liidli Kue) ** Nahanni Butte Dene Band (N'ah adehe Dene) – Nahanni Butte (Tthenáágó) ** Pehdzeh Ki First Nation (Pehdzeh Ki Dene) – Wrigley (Pehdzeh Ki) **

Sambaa Kʼe (Trout Lake) Dene Sambaa K'e (Slavey language: "place of trout"; formerly Trout Lake) is a "Designated Authority" in the Dehcho Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The community is located near the Alberta border, east of Fort Liard, on the shore of th ...

(Sambaa K'e Dene) – Trout Lake (Sambaa Kʼe) **

West Point First Nation The West Point First Nation is a Dene First Nations band government in the Northwest Territories, Canada. The band is headquartered in the town of Hay River, where its main community is located. The West Point First Nation is a member of the De ...

– West Point (Ts'ueh Nda – Spruce Point) The Sahtu, Sahtu Dene ("

Great Bear Lake Great Bear Lake ( den, Sahtú; french: Grand lac de l'Ours) is a lake in the boreal forest of Canada. It is the largest lake entirely in Canada (Lake Superior and Lake Huron are larger but straddle the Canada–US border), the fourth-largest i ...

People") or North Slavey people live exclusively in the Northwest Territories. They speak the North

Slavey language Slavey (; also Slave, Slavé) is a group of Athabaskan languages and a dialect continuum spoken amongst the Dene peoples of Canada in the Northwest Territories – or central Denendeh – where it also has official status.Navajo people The Navajo (; British English: Navaho; nv, Diné or ') are a Native American people of the Southwestern United States. With more than 399,494 enrolled tribal members , the Navajo Nation is the largest federally recognized tribe in the United ...

(Diné) of the

Four Corners The Four Corners is a region of the Southwestern United States consisting of the southwestern corner of Colorado, southeastern corner of Utah, northeastern corner of Arizona, and northwestern corner of New Mexico. The Four Corners area ...

region of the

Southwestern United States The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado, N ...

are said to be descended from the Nahani, who lived where the

Nahanni National Park Reserve Nahanni National Park Reserve in the Dehcho Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada, approximately west of Yellowknife, protects a portion of the Mackenzie Mountains Natural Region. The centrepiece of the park is the South Nahanni River ...

is, and also the Slavey of

Northern Canada Northern Canada, colloquially the North or the Territories, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories and ...

.For example, the Great Canadian Parks website suggests the Navajo may be descendants of the lost Naha tribe, a Slavey tribe from the Nahanni region west of Great Slave Lake.

In popular culture

Most residents of Lynx River, the fictional town in which CBC drama ''

North of 60 ''North of 60'' is a 1990s Canadian television drama depicting life in the sub-Arctic northern boreal forest (north of 60° north latitude, hence the title). It first aired on CBC Television in 1992 and was syndicated around the world. It is s ...

'' is set, are Slavey. Though the word itself is seldom mentioned in dialogue (band members generally identifying themselves as Dene), the town is located in Slavey territory and on one occasion a character proposes a toast before the assembled members in the Slavey language.

References

External links

Map of Northwest Coast First Nations
(including South Slavey (Dene-Tha)

* {{Authority control Dene peoples