Fort Babine facts for kids
Fort Babine, British Columbia (also known as Wit'at) is a small community located in British Columbia, Canada. It sits at the very northern end of Babine Lake, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Smithers. You can reach Fort Babine by driving on a gravel logging road that is open all year.
Around 60 people live in Fort Babine throughout the year. The community includes five different reserve lands in the area. These are called Babine Indian Reserve No. 16, Babine Indian Reserve No. 6, Casdeded Indian Reserve No. 8, No-Cut Indian Reserve No. 5, and Alphonse Tommy Indian Reserve No. 7.
Just north of Fort Babine, you'll find Rainbow Alley Provincial Park. This park is located between the north end of Babine Lake and the south end of Nilkitkwa Lake.
What's in a Name?
The traditional name for Fort Babine in the Babine language is "Wit'at." This name is a shorter version of "Wit'ane Keh," which means "place of making dry fish." This tells us that drying fish was an important activity here long ago.
The name "Babine" comes from a French word. It means "pendulous lips" or "hanging lips." This name was given by early European explorers. They noticed that the local women had a tradition of wearing wooden labrets (small ornaments) in their lips, which made their lips appear larger.
A Look at History
People have lived in the Fort Babine area for a very long time. Scientists have found old tools and signs of human life there. When the first Europeans arrived, there was at least a village used in the summer. It's possible some people lived there all year.
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) was a fur trading company. They set up their first trading post further down Babine Lake in 1822. This post was called Fort Kilmaurs, or sometimes Old Fort. In the 1840s, the HBC moved their operations. They built a new trading post, also called Fort Babine, at the northern tip of the lake where the community is today.
The HBC store eventually closed in the 1970s. However, the local community continued to thrive. In the 1980s, Fort Babine finally got a direct road connecting it to other places. Electricity also arrived around this time. Regular telephone service was set up in the spring of 2006, connecting the community even more.
How People Live and Work
The people of Fort Babine work in several jobs that use the natural resources around them. Many find seasonal work in forestry, which involves managing forests and planting trees. The nearby Babine Salmon Project also offers seasonal jobs, helping with salmon conservation.
Some people have year-round jobs at the Fort Babine Fish Hatchery. This hatchery helps raise young fish. Many community members also work for the Lake Babine Nation, which is the local First Nations government. They have different roles helping their community.
Like in many reserve communities, finding enough jobs for everyone can sometimes be a challenge. People work hard to create opportunities and support their families.
