
The Dene include five main groups:
- Chipewyan (Denesuline), living east of Great Slave Lake, and including the Sayisi Dene living at Tadoule Lake, Manitoba
- Tlicho (Dogrib), living between Great Slave and Great Bear Lakes
- Yellowknives (T'atsaot'ine), living north of Great Slave Lake
Where is the Denes?
The Denes is a centrally located area of Darlington in the north east of England which consists mainly of semi-detached and 1900s terraced housing, surrounding valley areas of wooded public park and Cocker beck.
Where did the Dene live in Canada?
Traditional Territory. The Dene have historically inhabited central and northwestern Canada in an area known as Denendeh, meaning “the Creator’s Spirit flows through this Land” or “Land of the People.” This region includes the Mackenzie River Valley and the Barren Grounds in the Northwest Territories.
What does Dene mean in Native American?
Dene The Dene comprise a far-reaching cultural and linguistic family, stretching from the Canadian North and Alaska to the American southwest. In Canada, the Dene, which means “the people” in their language, comprise a variety of First Nations, some of which include the Denesoline (Chipewyan), Tlicho (Dogrib) and Dinjii Zhuh (Gwich’in).
What is the history of the Dene Nation?
Dene elders, like the late George Blondin, explain the history of the Dene through stories and legends reaching as far back to the earliest days of the land, when people and animals were equals. Elder George Blondin wrote it best in his exposé the “Legend of Yamoria and the Meaning of the Dene Nation.”

Where are the Dene located in Canada?
Dene are spread through a wide region. They live in the Mackenzie Valley (south of the Inuvialuit), and can be found west of Nunavut. Their homeland reaches to western Yukon, and the northern part of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alaska and the southwestern United States.
Are Dene and Navajo the same?
The Tsuu T'ina language belongs in the Athabaskan language family, a subset of the Na-dene language group, which also includes the Navajo/Dine and the Apaches of the far south and the Dene and Chipewyan of the far north. The Dene are the first people to settle in what is now the Northwest Territories.
Are Dene related to Inuit?
Even today, genetic traces remain in modern Dene people. Friesen said between five and 23 per cent of their DNA comes from that 5,000-year-old Paleo-Inuit migration. "The proportion has gradually been decreasing over time because Dene have been interacting with other First Nations," he said.
What do Dene people call themselves?
The Dene are also known as Athabascan, Athabaskan, Athapascan or Athapaskan peoples. In the 2016 census, 27,430 people identified as having Dene ancestry....Dene.Published OnlineMay 15, 2017Last EditedMay 18, 2021May 15, 2017
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Where is the Dene Nation located?
Also known as the Athapaskan peoples, the Dene Nation is a political organization in Denendeh, meaning “The Land of the People”, located in Northwest Territories, Canada. The Dene Nation covers a large geographical area — from present day Alaska to the southern-most tip of North America. Our objective is to support the Dene Territories ...
What is the Denendeh language?
Denendeh is the Land of the People. The Dene have existed for over 30,000 years, with one language and many dialects: Gwich’in; Sahtu; Deh Cho; Tlicho; and, Akaitcho. The Dene have always been sustained by the land.
Where do the Dene live?
The Dene have historically inhabited central and northwestern Canada in an area known as Denendeh, meaning “the Creator’s Spirit flows through this Land” or “Land of the People.” This region includes the Mackenzie River Valley and the Barren Grounds in the Northwest Territories.
What is the Dene?
The Dene are also known as Athabascan, Athabaskan, Athapascan or Athapaskan peoples. In the 2016 census, 27,430 people identified as having Dene ancestry. The Dene comprise a far-reaching cultural and linguistic family, stretching from the Canadian North and Alaska to the American southwest.
What are the Dene oral traditions?
Dene oral traditions are records of history, known as þqtú hoghena nüsí hotßü honü, as well as spiritual legends, called üæqhzé. Every Dene nation has its own creation story about how the Earth came to be, and how the Dene people and language were created. All of these tales often feature a Creator who forms the waters and lands of Denendeh. They also feature common characters such as Raven and Yamǫǫ̀zha. Raven is a trickster figure who can transform into different forms. Raven’s behaviours and errors are meant to teach the Dene right from wrong. (S ee also Raven Symbolism .) Another well-known shape-shifter is Yamǫǫ̀zha (also known as Yamǫ́ria to some people; for others, Yamǫ́ria is a different being). Yamǫǫ̀zha is a medicine man who transforms from human to animal, and helps the Dene solve problems. In some tales, Yamǫǫ̀zha is half-animal/half-human. These legends are significant to Dene culture and spirituality, as they transmit lore and lessons to younger generations. ( See also Indigenous Peoples: Religion and Spirituality .)
What are the Dene known for?
They also performed cultural ceremonies and celebrations. The Dene are known for their traditional games, which were originally used to encourage healthy lifestyles, especially among hunters, and to provide entertainment. Dene games are still played today in schools and communities.
Why did the Sayisi Dene move to Churchill?
In the 1950s, about 250 Sayisi Dene were forcibly relocated from their home in Duck Lake, Manitoba to an area near Churchill , partly because the Manitoba government believed they were causing a steep decline in the caribou herd — an idea later proven untrue. In the new location, food was scarce and housing inadequate. The Dene were forced to scavenge the dump and were assaulted by Churchill residents. The forcible relocation caused years of trauma in Dene communities. The federal government formally apologized for the relocation in August 2016.
What are the Dene First Nations?
Dene First Nations across Canada have been actively engaged in programs concerning Indigenous health, education, community development, and land and resource issues. As a community, they have reached some important milestones. For example, in 1990, Dene languages become official languages of the Northwest Territories. On 1 September 2016, the Délįnę Got’įnę Government achieved the right to self-government.
Is Dene endangered in Canada?
However, some Dene languages are considered endangered, such as Danezāgé’ ( Kaska Dena ), with 365 speakers recorded in the 2016 census as having knowledge of the language.
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Where did the Dene live?
The Dene were spread across an immense terrain of land to the north that stretched from the Alaska coast extending through Yukon territory and beyond the Mackenzie Delta region in the Arctic Circle and almost reaching the Hudson Bay in the east.
What is the mission of the Dene?
Mission Statement. To support the Dene Territories and Dene Communities in upholding the rights and interests of the Dene, including rights and interests arising from Dene use and occupation of lands (hereinafter referred to as “Denendeh”) and Dene rights and interests arising from Treaties.
How much land does Dene cover?
It covers a sizable area of 1,000,000 square kilometres. The Dene are spread across a huge terrain largely south of the tree line consisting of mountains, lakes, rivers and forest. Here, snow covers the land six months of the year.
Who wrote the Dene Nation?
Elder George Blondin wrote it best in his exposé the “Legend of Yamoria and the Meaning of the Dene Nation.”. Today, many Athapaskan-speaking people, particularly those who live in Canada’s Northwest Territories, are known as “Dene” which, means “people” in their language.
When did the Dene get involved in the Canadian Constitution?
With the patriation of the Canadian constitution in 1982, the Dene have been involved with land claims issues and making their way through the courts and the federal government. In 1992, the people of the Northwest Territories voted to divide the territory with the Inuit in the east and the Dene in the west.
Description
The Denes is one of the most heavily populated areas of the Darlington Borough due to the close proximity of 1900s terraced streets, 1930s semis and new build housing.
History
The new children's play area funded by the National Lottery - taken in March 2013.
What are the wetlands in the Dene?
The wetlands that run along the east side of the Dene are part of the Batten Kill watershed. They provide habitat for a variety of wildlife including birds, beaver, muskrat, and turtles.
What is the meaning of "dene" in the Lincolns?
Dene Farm. Lincolns’ Farming Legacy. Hildene, is formed from two old English words, “hil” meaning hill and “dene,” meaning valley with stream. Robert and wife Mary named their Manchester home for its location — set on a promontory between the Taconic Mountains to the west, Green Mountains to the east and the Batten Kill flowing through ...
When did the Lincolns buy the Dene?
The Lincolns purchased this property in 1902 when it was an active dairy farm. There were barns and two farmhouses that are all still located in the Dene. Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln did not continue long in the dairy business but their granddaughter, Peggy Lincoln Beckwith, brought agriculture back to Hildene.

Dene Peoples
Traditional Territory
- The Dene have historically inhabited central and northwestern Canada in an area known as Denendeh, meaning “the Creator’s Spirit flows through this Land” or “Land of the People.” This region includes the Mackenzie River Valley and the Barren Grounds in the Northwest Territories.
Traditional Life
- Dene men hunted caribou — the mainstay of their economy — as well as other game, such as rabbit, deer and moose, in areas around Great Slave Lake, Great Bear Lakeand along the Mackenzie River. Fishing supplemented their diet, especially among Dene peoples who lived close to the coast. Women would often be responsible for cooking meals, gathering food and taking c…
Society and Culture
- The Dene lived and travelled together with immediate and extended family members. These family clans were self-sufficient, providing one another with food, shelter and education. During the spring and summer months, Dene family groups often came together to discuss land use and trade, and resolve any intertribal disputes. They also performed cultural ceremonies and celebra…
Religion and Spirituality
- Dene oral traditions are records of history, known as þqtú hoghena nüsí hotßü honü, as well as spiritual legends, called üæqhzé. Every Dene nation has its own creation story about how the Earth came to be, and how the Dene people and language were created. All of these tales often feature a Creator who forms the waters and lands of Denendeh. They also feature common char…
Language
- The Dene language is known as Dene or Na-Dené (also called Athabascan). There are about 28 Athabascan languages spoken in northern Canada, although there are many more spoken in Alaska and in the American southwest. The language is made up of three distinct groups: Pacific Coast Athabascan, Apachean and Northern Athabascan. In the 2016 census, 13,005 people repo…
Colonial History
- The Dene encountered European traders, explorers and missionaries as early as the 1700s. By the 1900s, the discovery of oil and gold in northern Canada further encouraged white settlement and commercial development in Dene lands. From 1871 to 1921, the Government of Canada signed a series of treaties with various Indigenous peoples as a means of gaining access to lands north a…
Rights, Organization and Activism
- As a means of protecting and asserting their rights to traditional territories (specifically to the lands of Treaties 8 and 11), self-government and the natural resources on their lands, some Dene nations joined to form the Indian Brotherhood of the Northwest Territories in 1969-70 (renamed the Dene Nationin 1978). In 1973, Fort Smith Chief François Paulette and other Dene chiefs filed …
Contemporary Life
- Dene First Nations across Canada have been actively engaged in programs concerning Indigenous health, education, community development, and land and resource issues. As a community, they have reached some important milestones. For example, in 1990, Dene languages become official languages of the Northwest Territories. On 1 September 2016, the Délįnę Got’įn…