Buffalo River Dene Nation facts for kids
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| People | Dene |
|---|---|
| Treaty | Treaty 10 |
| Headquarters | Dillon |
| Province | Saskatchewan |
| Land | |
| Reserve(s) | |
| Land area | 82.597 km2 |
| Population (2019) | |
| On reserve | 798 |
| Off reserve | 701 |
| Total population | 1499 |
| Government | |
| Chief | Elmer Campbell |
| Tribal Council | |
| Meadow Lake Tribal Council | |
The Buffalo River Dene Nation (Chipewyan: Ɂëjëre dësché) is a Dene First Nation community in Saskatchewan, Canada. A First Nation is a group of Indigenous people in Canada. Their main community is called Dillon. It is located on the western side of Peter Pond Lake. The Dillon River flows into this lake. You can reach Dillon by Highway 925.
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History of the Buffalo River Dene Nation
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Long ago, in the 1790s, two big trading companies set up posts near where Dillon is today. The North West Company had a post called Lac des Boeufs Post. This means Buffalo Lake Post. The Hudson's Bay Company also had a post nearby. These posts were important for the fur trade. People traded animal furs for goods.
In 1819 and 1820, a famous explorer named Sir John Franklin visited this area. He made a map that showed the North West Company Post. It was located on Buffalo Lake, where the Buffalo River is. This shows how important the area was even then.
The first post office in the community opened in 1926. It was called Buffalo River. It closed a few years later in 1929. Then, in 1954, the post office opened again. This time, it was named Dillon.
How the Names Changed
In 1932, some official name changes happened in the area. The community's name changed from Buffalo River to Dillon. The river's name also changed from Buffalo River to Dillon River. Even Buffalo Lake got a new name: Peter Pond Lake. Another lake on the Dillon River was also officially named Dillon Lake in 1932. The Dillon River starts in Alberta, near Lake Winefred.
About the Buffalo River Dene Nation Today
The Buffalo River Dene Nation has many members. As of May 2012, there were 1,273 registered members. About 689 members lived on their reserve land. A reserve is land set aside for First Nations. The other 584 members lived in other places off the reserve. The total land area of the Buffalo River Dene Nation 193 reserve is about 8,259.70 hectares. This is a large area of land.
Population Information
The population of the Buffalo River Dene Nation has been growing. In 2001, there were 607 people living on the reserve. By 2006, the population grew to 741 people. In 2011, there were 764 people. The most recent information from 2021 shows that 842 people live on the reserve. This shows a steady increase in the community's population over the years. The average age of people living on the reserve in 2021 was about 27.8 years old.
See also
