Our Cultures

The Dene have occupied the southern Northwest Territories time immemorial. They once travelled in small family groups on the land, moving east and north as the glaciers retreated. Today Dene families live in communities, but many still travel on the land, summer and winter.

Predecessors of the Inuvialuit and Inuit arrived about 4,000 years ago. A more recent migration moved from west to east across the Canadian Arctic about 1000 years ago. The Gwich'in are thought to have travelled here from the northwest coast, bringing trade goods.

Even today, many of our Northwest Territories Elders were born on the land. They treasure traditional knowledge - the ways of the animals, the beneficial uses of plants, and the stories of their people. Younger generations are now reclaiming this knowledge.

In the late 1700s, traders arrived here from southern Canada. They established tiny trading posts. Explorers and missionaries arrived in the 1800s. Communities sprouted where traders met with the Dene, Gwich’in and Inuvialuit, or where the churches established schools.

Today, Aboriginal Claims recognize occupation of the land prior to the arrival of Europeans, and convey ownership of the land. Four regional claims have been settled. Two Aboriginal claims remain outstanding, that of the Dehcho and the Akaitcho peoples. Some Métis groups are also attempting to negotiate rights with the Government of Canada.

• Our Peoples
• Sharing Our Land