Matonabbee facts for kids

Matonabbee (around 1737–1782) was an important Chipewyan hunter and leader. He was also a skilled trader and represented his people at the Prince of Wales Fort. Matonabbee traveled with Keskarrah, who was the older brother of Chief Akaitcho. After his father passed away, Matonabbee lived at Prince of Wales Fort for some time. While there, he learned to speak English, which was a very useful skill for trading.

An Explorer's Guide

Matonabbee became a guide for Samuel Hearne, a famous explorer. From 1770 to 1772, they traveled together for more than 5,600 kilometers (about 3,480 miles). This was a huge journey across the land.

On July 14, 1771, during an overland trip to the Arctic, Matonabbee and his followers, along with a group of Yellowknives (also known as Dene Suline or Chipewyan) who had joined them at Clowey Lake, were involved in a difficult event. They encountered a group of over 20 Inuinnait (also known as Copper Inuit). This event is known in history as the Bloody Falls massacre.

Difficult Times

Matonabbee faced very challenging times later in his life. Many Chipewyan people died during a smallpox epidemic in 1782. In the same year, the Prince of Wales Fort was captured by the French.

These events deeply affected Matonabbee. The Prince of Wales Fort was very important to him. It was where he gained much of his wealth and reputation. He was also the main link between different Cree tribes and the Hudson's Bay Company for trading. The loss of the fort and the impact of the epidemic caused Matonabbee to become very sad and depressed.

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