Who Are the Tłı̨chǫ?
The Tłı̨chǫ, formerly known as the Dogrib, are a Dene (Athabascan) First Nation of approximately 3,500 people living in Canada's Northwest Territories. Their traditional territory spans the subarctic region between Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake—a vast landscape of boreal forest, tundra, and countless lakes that has sustained their caribou-hunting culture for thousands of years.
In 2003, the Tłı̨chǫ achieved a landmark self-government agreement, the first combined land, resources, and self-government agreement in the Northwest Territories. The Tłı̨chǫ Government now manages their own affairs, including wildlife, lands, and cultural programs, representing one of Canada's most successful examples of indigenous self-determination.
Following the Caribou
Traditional Tłı̨chǫ life revolved around the barren-ground caribou, which migrate in vast herds between the tundra and boreal forest. Families followed these migrations, living in camps strategically located along caribou routes. The fall hunt, when caribou crossed rivers and lakes, was particularly important—a time of intense activity and communal cooperation.
Every part of the caribou was used: meat for food, hides for clothing and shelter, bones for tools, sinew for thread. The relationship with caribou was spiritual as well as material—hunters showed respect through proper treatment of remains, and stories taught appropriate behavior toward animals that gave themselves to feed the people.
Yamǫǫ̀zha: The Culture Hero
Tłı̨chǫ oral tradition centers on Yamǫǫ̀zha, a culture hero who traveled the land making it safe for people. He killed giant animals, established proper relationships between humans and nature, and created landmarks that remain significant today. His journeys explain the landscape's features and teach moral lessons.
Elders continue to tell these stories, connecting youth to traditional knowledge and values. The stories emphasize respect, humility, sharing, and proper behavior—values that guided traditional life and remain relevant today. Story-telling sessions pass on not just narratives but ways of understanding the world.
The Tłı̨chǫ Agreement
The 2003 Tłı̨chǫ Agreement transferred 39,000 square kilometers of land to Tłı̨chǫ ownership, along with resource rights, self-government authority, and financial resources. The Tłı̨chǫ Government, based in Behchokǫ̀ (the largest First Nations community in the Northwest Territories), manages these responsibilities.
Self-government has enabled culturally appropriate programs in education, justice, social services, and land management. The Tłı̨chǫ have developed their own laws, established Tłı̨chǫ language immersion programs, and created economic development initiatives. The agreement is studied internationally as a model for indigenous self-determination.
Language and Identity
The Tłı̨chǫ language (Tłı̨chǫ Yatıì) is one of the healthiest Athabascan languages, with strong intergenerational transmission in communities like Whatì and Gamètì. Language programs in schools, a Tłı̨chǫ dictionary, and community initiatives support continued use. The language encodes knowledge of land, animals, and traditional practices.
Contemporary Tłı̨chǫ identity balances tradition and modernity. Many people continue to hunt, fish, and trap while also participating in wage employment and education. Annual gatherings bring communities together for hand games, drum dances, and sharing of traditional foods. The land remains central to identity, even as lifestyles change.
References
- Helm, J. (2000). "The People of Denendeh: Ethnohistory of the Indians of Canada's Northwest Territories"
- Legat, A. (2012). "Walking the Land, Feeding the Fire: Knowledge and Stewardship Among the Tlicho Dene"
- Tłı̨chǫ Government Official Resources
- Andrews, T. & Zoe, J.B. (1997). "The Ɂı̨daaɂąą̀ Trail: Caribou and Human Movements"