Dane-zaa facts for kids
| ᑕᓀᖚ | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Total population | |
| 1,700 (2016 census) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Canada | |
| British Columbia | 890 (2016) |
| Alberta | 770 (2016) |
| Languages | |
| English, Dane-zaa | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity, Animism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Tsuu T'ina | |
The Dane-zaa (ᑕᓀᖚ), also known as the Dunne-za or Tsattine, are a group of First Nations people. They speak a language from the Athabaskan family. Their traditional lands are around the Peace River in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada.
Today, about 1,600 Dane-zaa live in British Columbia. About half of them speak the Dane-zaa language. Around 2,000 Dane-zaa live in Alberta. Europeans used to call the Dane-zaa the Beaver tribe.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Dunne-za means "Those who live among the beaver." The spelling Dane-zaa is often used to mean "the Real People." This spelling is preferred by the Dane-zaa Language Authority.
Different Dane-zaa communities use slightly different spellings. For example, the Doig River First Nation and Halfway River First Nation use Dane-Zaa. The Prophet River First Nation uses Dunne Tsaa, and the West Moberly First Nations use Dunne-za or Dunne Za.
The English name Beaver comes from what their neighbors called them. The Dakelh people called them Tsattine, and the Plains Cree called them Amiskiwiyiniw. Both names mean "Those who live among the beaver" or "Beaver People." In French, they were known as the Gens de Castor, which also means "People of the Beaver."
A Look at History
Long ago, before the 1800s, the Dane-zaa lived further east. Their lands were near the Athabaska and Clearwater Rivers. They also lived north towards Lake Athabaska and north of the upper Peace River. They called the Peace River Saaghii Naachii, meaning "big river."
Scientists have found old tools and signs of life at Charlie Lake Cave. This shows that people have lived in the area north of Fort St. John for about 10,500 years.
In the late 1700s, European-Canadians began trading furs in the Peace River area. A Scottish-Canadian explorer named Alexander Mackenzie (explorer) set up a trading post called Rocky Mountain Fort in 1794.
The Dane-zaa have stories passed down through generations about how the Peace River got its name. The Cree people traditionally lived south and east of the Upper Peace River. Because they traded with settlers, the Cree got guns. They used these guns to push the Dane-zaa northwest in the late 1700s.
A peace agreement was made around the late 1700s or early 1800s. It said that the Cree would live south of the Peace River, and the Dane-zaa would live north of it. The Peace River became a meeting place where groups traded, celebrated, and settled disagreements.
Old trading records from 1799–1800 mention people trading at the posts. These people are the ancestors of today's Doig River and Blueberry River First Nations. Dane-zaa oral history confirms that their families were in the upper Peace River area before Alexander Mackenzie arrived in 1793. Traders bought bison meat and fat from the Dane-zaa, who hunted on the rich prairies of the upper Peace River. By 1823, when the Hudson's Bay Company took over, bison were hard to find.
Traditionally, the Dane-zaa followed the teachings and songs of special leaders called Dreamers. These Dreamers were the first to predict that Europeans would arrive. The last Dreamer, Charlie Yahey, passed away in 1976.
The Dane-zaa of Fort St. John joined Treaty 8 in 1900. Today, they continue to have a strong cultural and economic presence in the North Peace area.
In 2013, a book called Where Happiness Dwells: A History of the Dane-zaa First Nations was published. It was written with the help of elders from the Doig River First Nation. The book shares the oral history of the Dane-zaa from ancient times to today.
Dane-zaa Governments
The Dane-zaa people are part of different tribal councils. These councils help manage their communities and lands.
Treaty 8 Tribal Association
The Treaty 8 Tribal Association includes several Dane-zaa First Nations:
- Doig River First Nation: Their name comes from the Doig River that runs through their land. They are closely connected to the Blueberry River First Nation. Their main office is on the Blueberry River IR No. 206 reserve. Population: 301.
- Blueberry River First Nations: This name comes from the many blueberries found in the river valley. Their main office is about 80 km northwest of Fort St. John. They are Dane-zaa and Cree people. Population: 472.
- Halfway River First Nation: They moved to their current location in the early 1960s. They used to be part of the Hudson Hope Band with the West Moberly First Nation, but they separated in 1971. Their community is 75 km northwest of Fort St. John. Population: 268.
- Prophet River First Nation: Also called Dene Tsaa First Nation. This community is 100 km south of Fort Nelson. Population: 266.
- Saulteau First Nations: In the 1870s, a group of Anishnaube (Saulteau) people moved from Manitoba to Moberly Lake. There, they married with the Cree and Dane-zaa people already living there. Their community is at the east end of Moberly Lake, about 100 km southwest of Fort St. John. Population: 840.
- West Moberly First Nations: They were also part of the Hudson Hope Band and separated from Halfway River First Nation in 1971. Their community is at the west end of Moberly Lake, about 90 km southwest of Fort St. John. They are Dane-zaa and Cree people. Population: 275.
North Peace Tribal Council (NPTC)
The North Peace Tribal Council includes:
- Beaver First Nation: They have two reserves near Fort Vermilion, Alberta, in the Peace Country of Northern Alberta. Their main office is on the Child Lake IR No. 164A reserve. Population: 1,027.
Western Cree Tribal Council
- Horse Lake First Nation: This First Nation is based in Hythe, Alberta. They are part of Treaty 8. Even though they are in the Western Cree Tribal Council, the Horse Lake people are culturally and linguistically Dane-zaa, or "Beavers." Population: 1,089.
See also
In Spanish: Beaver para niños
