{{For|the Diné people native to the Southwestern US|Navajo}}

{{other uses}}

{{Indigenous Peoples of Canada}}

The '''Dené''' people ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|ɛ|n|i|,_|-|eɪ}}) are an [[Aboriginal peoples in Canada|aboriginal]] group of [[First Nations]] who inhabit the northern [[Boreal forest of Canada|boreal]] and [[Arctic]] regions of [[Canada]]. The Dené speak [[Northern Athabaskan languages]]. ''Dené'' is the common Athabaskan word for "people" (Sapir 1915, p. 558). The term "Dené" has two usages. More commonly, it is used narrowly to refer to the Athabaskan speakers of the [[Northwest Territories]] and [[Nunavut]] in Canada, especially including the [[Chipewyan]] (Denesuline), [[Tlicho]] (''Dogrib''), [[Yellowknives]] (T'atsaot'ine), [[Slavey people|Slavey]] (Deh Gah Got'ine or Deh Cho), and [[Sahtu]] (the Eastern group in Jeff Leer's classification; part of the Northwestern Canada group in [[Keren Rice]]'s classification). But it is sometimes also used to refer to all Northern Athabaskan speakers, who are spread in a wide range all across Alaska and northern Canada. Note that ''Dené'' never includes the [[Pacific Coast Athabaskan]] or [[Southern Athabaskan]] speakers in the continental U.S.,{{citation needed|date=November 2013}} despite the fact that the term is used to denote the Athabaskan languages as a whole (the [[Na-Dene]] language family). The Southern Athabaskan speakers do, however, refer to themselves with similar words: [[Navajo people|Diné]] (Navajo) and [[Apache|Indé]] (Apache).

[[Alexander Mackenzie (explorer)|Alexander Mackenzie]] described aspects of a number of northern Dené cultures in the late eighteenth century in his journal of his voyage down the Mackenzie River.<ref>[http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35658]</ref>

== Location ==

Dene are spread through a wide region. They live in the Mackenzie Valley (south of the [[Inuvialuit]]), and can be found west of [[Nunavut]]. Their homeland reaches to western [[Yukon]], and the northern part of [[British Columbia]], [[Alberta]], [[Saskatchewan]], [[Manitoba]], [[Alaska]] and the southwestern [[United States]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/exhibitions/tresors/ethno/etb0170e.shtml |title=First Nations Culture Areas Index |work=the Canadian Museum of Civilization }}</ref>

Dene were the first people to settle in what is now the [[Northwest Territories]]. In northern Canada, historically there were ethnic feuds between the Dene and the [[Inuit]]. In 1996, Dene and Inuit representatives participated in a healing ceremony to reconcile the centuries-old grievances.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/cbc-s-david-mclauchlin-dies-at-56-1.382941 | work=CBC News | title=CBC's David McLauchlin dies at 56 | date=May 26, 2003}}</ref>

[[Behchoko, Northwest Territories]] is the largest Dene community in Canada.

== Ethnography ==

The Dene include five main groups:

*[[Chipewyan]] (Denesuline), living east of [[Great Slave Lake]], and including the [[Sayisi Dene]] living at Tadoule Lake, Manitoba

*[[Tlicho]] (Dogrib), living between Great Slave and [[Great Bear Lake|Great Bear]] Lakes

*[[Yellowknives]] (T'atsaot'ine), living north of Great Slave Lake

*[[Slavey people|Slavey]] (Deh Gah Got'ine or Deh Cho), the North Slavey (Sahtu, (Sahtúot’ine), including the Locheux, Nahanni, and Bear Lake peoples) living along the [[Mackenzie River]] (Deh Cho) near Great Bear Lake, the South Slavey southwest of Great Slave Lake and into Alberta and British Columbia.

*[[Sahtu]] (Sahtúot’ine), including the Locheux, Nahanni, and Bear Lake peoples, in the central NWT.

Although the above-named groups are what the term "Dene" usually refers to in modern usage, other groups who consider themselves Dene include:

* [[Tsuu T'ina Nation|Tsuu T'ina]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tsuutina.ca/page.aspx?pageID=6-8 |title=Dene History |publisher=Tsuu T'ina Nation website |accessdate=2009-01-04 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090308130249/http://www.tsuutina.ca/page.aspx?pageID=6-8 |archivedate=March 8, 2009 }}</ref> aka the Sarcee, currently located near [[Calgary, Alberta]].

* The [[Danezaa people|Beaver people (Danezaa or Dunneza)]] of northeastern British Columbia and neighbouring regions of northwestern [[Alberta]].

* The [[Tahltan]], [[Kaska]], and [[Sekani]] people of the [[British Columbia Interior|Northern Interior of British Columbia]]. Another group in this region, the [[Tsetsaut|Tsetsaut people]], lived in the [[Portland Canal]] area of the northernmost [[British Columbia Coast|BC Coast]] near the border with [[Alaska]]. They are now extinct.

* The [[Dakelh]] (Carrier) peoples of the [[British Columbia Interior|Northern and Central Interior of British Columbia]], and their subgroup the [[Wet'suwet'en]]

* The [[Tsilhqot'in]] people of the eponymous [[Chilcotin District]] of the [[British Columbia Interior|Central Interior of British Columbia]]

* The extinct [[Nicola Athapaskans]], aka the Stuwix ("strangers" in the [[Shuswap language]]), migrated south from northern BC into the [[Nicola Valley]] region in the late 18th century and were absorbed into the [[Nicola people]], an alliance of [[Nlaka'pamux]] and [[Okanagan people]]s.

* The [[Gwich'in people|Gwich'in]] and [[Tanana people|Tanana]] and other peoples of [[Yukon]] and [[Alaska]] are also considered to be Dene, which is to say part of the family of Athapaskan-speaking peoples.

In 2005, elders from the Dene People decided to join the [[Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation]] (UNPO) seeking recognition for their ancestral cultural and land rights.

The largest population of Denesuline speakers live in the northern Saskatchewan village of [[La Loche]]

and the adjoining [[Clearwater River Dene Nation]]. In 2011 the combined population was 3389 people. The [[Denesuline language]] is spoken by 89% of the residents.<ref>{{cite web

| title =History of La Loche (La Loche 2011)

| url =https://sites.google.com/site/portagelaloche/home/la-loche-2011-census

| date = 2012-11-15

| accessdate = }}</ref>

== Notable Dene ==

* [[Thanadelthur]] (c. 1697 – 5 February 1717) a woman of the Chipewyan Nation, a guide and interpreter, who was instrumental in forging a peace agreement between the Chipewyan and the Cree people

* [[Ethel Blondin-Andrew]], former MP for [[Western Arctic]] (Northwest Territories)

* [[Leela Gilday]], Canadian folk singer, [[Juno Award|Juno]] winner

* [[Jimmy Herman]] (1940-2013) actor, ''[[Dances with Wolves]]''

* [[Matonabbee]] (c. 1737–1782), guide for [[Samuel Hearne]]'s expedition to the [[Coppermine River]]

* [[Tahmoh Penikett]], actor, ''[[Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]'' and ''[[Dollhouse (TV series)|Dollhouse]]''

* [[Eric Schweig]], actor, ''[[The Last of the Mohicans (1992 film)|The Last of the Mohicans]]''

== See also ==

*[[Athabaskan languages]]

*[[Alaskan Athabaskans]] (Alaskan Dene, Tinneh), Athabaskan peoples of the interior of Alaska

*[[Navajo Nation]] (Diné), southern Athabaskan people

*[[Apache people]] (Inde), southern Athabaskan people

*[[Hupa]], California Athabaskan people

*[[Cahto people]], California Athabaskan people

*[[Mattole people]], California Athabaskan people

*[[Wailaki]], California Athabaskan people

*[[Galice language]]-speakers (Oregon Athabaskan): [[Chetco people|Chetco]], [[Tolowa]], [[Coquille people|Coquille]], [[Tututni]]

== References ==

{{reflist|2}}

== Further reading ==

* Abel, Kerry M. ''Drum Songs: Glimpses of Dene History''. McGill-Queen's studies in ethnic history, 15. Montreal: Buffalo, 1993. {{ISBN|0-7735-0992-5}}

* Bielawski, E. ''Rogue Diamonds: Northern Riches on Dene Land''. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2004. {{ISBN|0-295-98419-8}}

* Holland, Lynda, Celina Janvier, and Larry Hewitt. ''The Dene Elders Project: Stories and History from the Westside''. La Ronge, Sask: Holland-Dalby Educational Consulting, 2002. {{ISBN|0-921848-23-4}}

* Marie, Suzan, and Judy Thompson. ''Dene Spruce Root Basketry: Revival of a Tradition''. Mercury series. Hull, Quebec: Canadian Museum of Civilization, 2002. {{ISBN|0-660-18830-9}}

* Marie, Suzan, and Judy Thompson. ''Whadoo Tehmi Long-Ago People's Packsack: Dene Babiche Bags : Tradition and Revival''. Mercury series. Gatineau, Québec: Canadian Museum of Civilization, 2004. {{ISBN|0-660-19248-9}}

* Moore, Patrick, and Angela Wheelock. ''Wolverine Myths and Visions: Dene Traditions from Northern Alberta''. Studies in the anthropology of North American Indians. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1990. {{ISBN|0-8032-8161-7}}

* Ryan, Joan. ''Doing Things the Right Way: Dene Traditional Justice in Lac La Martre, N.W.T.''. Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 1995. {{ISBN|1-895176-62-X}}

* Sharp, Henry S. ''Loon: Memory, Meaning, and Reality in a Northern Dene Community''. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2001. {{ISBN|0-8032-4292-1}}

* Watkins, Mel. ''Dene Nation, the Colony Within''. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1977. {{ISBN|0-8020-2264-2}}

* Wake, Val. White Bird Black Bird, Charleston, South Carolina, Booksurge, 2008 {{ISBN|1-4392-0345-8}}

== External links ==

* [http://www.denenation.com/ Dene Nation]

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040515204806/http://www.artcanadacarvings.com/people_of_the_deh_cho.htm People of the Deh Cho]

* [http://denecrafts.ucalgary.ca/ Dene Crafts: Explore photographs, a comprehensive bibliography, and a brief history of Dene Crafts.]

* [http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35658 Voyages from Montreal Through the Continent of North America to the Frozen and Pacific Oceans in 1789 and 1793 Vol. I] (1902 ed.)

* [http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35659 Voyages from Montreal Through the Continent of North America to the Frozen and Pacific Oceans in 1789 and 1793 Vol. II] (1903 ed.)

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120314080903/http://www.pwnhc.ca/timeline/index_winIFix.asp?forward=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pwnhc.ca%2Ftimeline%2F1950%2FEmergingVoices_1970.html 1970s The Rise of Aboriginal Political Organizations] NWT Historical Timeline, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

{{First Nations in Alberta}}

[[Category:Dene| ]]

[[Category:Indigenous peoples of the Subarctic]]

[[Category:Members of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization]]