Tli Cho
Encyclopedia
The Tłįchǫ or Tåîchô First Nation
, formerly known as the Dogrib, are a Dene
Aboriginal Canadian
people living in the Northwest Territories
(NWT), Canada
.
On August 25, 2003, they signed a land claims agreement, also called Tłįchǫ, as the Tlicho Government
, with the Government of Canada
. The agreement will cede a 39000 square kilometres (15,058 sq mi) area between Great Bear Lake
and Great Slave Lake
in the NWT to Tłįchǫ ownership. The territory includes the communities of Behchoko
, Gamèti
, Wekweeti
and Whatì along with Diavik Diamond Mine
and Ekati Diamond Mine
.
The Tłįchǫ will have their own legislative bodies in the area's four communities, of which the chiefs
must be Tłįchǫ, though anyone may run for councillor and vote. The legislatures will have, among other authorities, the power to collect taxes, levy resource royalties, which currently go to the federal government, and control hunting, fishing and industrial development.
The Tłįchǫ will also receive payments of $152 million over 15 years and annual payments of approximately $3.5 million.
The federal government will retain control of criminal law
, as it does across Canada, and the NWT will control services such as health care and education.
This land-claims process took twenty years to conclude. A similar process with the Inuit
in the NWT brought about the creation of the new territory of Nunavut
. Though Tłįchǫ will not be a separate territory, the extent of its powers has invited comparisons both with the birth of Nunavut and with the creation of the NWT government in 1967.
The Tłįchǫ or Dogrib language
belongs to the Athabaskan languages
which are part of the Na-Dené languages
family.
The writer Richard Van Camp, author of The Lesser Blessed, is a member of this nation from Fort Smith
, NWT.
The artist James Wedzin is a member of this nation from Behchoko, Northwest Territories.
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
, formerly known as the Dogrib, are a Dene
Dene
The Dene are an aboriginal group of First Nations who live in the northern boreal and Arctic regions of Canada. The Dené speak Northern Athabaskan languages. Dene is the common Athabaskan word for "people" . The term "Dene" has two usages...
Aboriginal Canadian
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
people living in the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
(NWT), Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
On August 25, 2003, they signed a land claims agreement, also called Tłįchǫ, as the Tlicho Government
Tlicho Government
The Tlicho Government is a First Nations organization representing the Tli Cho people of the Northwest Territories, Canada.-Members:*Behchoko*Gameti*Wekweeti*Whatì-External links:*...
, with the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
. The agreement will cede a 39000 square kilometres (15,058 sq mi) area between Great Bear Lake
Great Bear Lake
Great Bear Lake is the largest lake entirely within Canada , the third or fourth largest in North America, and the seventh or eighth largest in the world...
and Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake is the second-largest lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada , the deepest lake in North America at , and the ninth-largest lake in the world. It is long and wide. It covers an area of in the southern part of the territory. Its given volume ranges from to and up to ...
in the NWT to Tłįchǫ ownership. The territory includes the communities of Behchoko
Behchoko, Northwest Territories
Behchokǫ̀ , officially the Tłı̨chǫ Community Government of Behchokǫ̀ is a community in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Behchokǫ̀ is located on the Yellowknife Highway , on the northwest tip of Great Slave Lake, approximately northwest of Yellowknife...
, Gamèti
Gameti, Northwest Territories
Gamètì , officially the Tlicho Community Government of Gameti is a community in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada.-Name:...
, Wekweeti
Wekweeti, Northwest Territories
Wekweètì , officially the Tlicho Community Government of Wekweètì is a community in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada....
and Whatì along with Diavik Diamond Mine
Diavik Diamond Mine
The Diavik Diamond Mine is a diamond mine in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada, about north of Yellowknife.It has become an important part of the regional economy, employing 700, grossing C$100 million in sales, and producing 8 million carats of diamonds annually...
and Ekati Diamond Mine
Ekati Diamond Mine
The EKATI Diamond Mine is Canada's first surface and underground diamond mine. It is located north-east of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, and about south of the Arctic circle, near Lac de Gras. EKATI is a joint venture between BHP Billiton Canada Inc...
.
The Tłįchǫ will have their own legislative bodies in the area's four communities, of which the chiefs
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
must be Tłįchǫ, though anyone may run for councillor and vote. The legislatures will have, among other authorities, the power to collect taxes, levy resource royalties, which currently go to the federal government, and control hunting, fishing and industrial development.
The Tłįchǫ will also receive payments of $152 million over 15 years and annual payments of approximately $3.5 million.
The federal government will retain control of criminal law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
, as it does across Canada, and the NWT will control services such as health care and education.
This land-claims process took twenty years to conclude. A similar process with the Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
in the NWT brought about the creation of the new territory of Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
. Though Tłįchǫ will not be a separate territory, the extent of its powers has invited comparisons both with the birth of Nunavut and with the creation of the NWT government in 1967.
The Tłįchǫ or Dogrib language
Dogrib language
Dogrib, the English translation of the indigenous name ' , is a Northern Athabaskan language spoken by the First Nations Tłı̨chǫ people of the Canadian territory Northwest Territories...
belongs to the Athabaskan languages
Athabaskan languages
Athabaskan or Athabascan is a large group of indigenous peoples of North America, located in two main Southern and Northern groups in western North America, and of their language family...
which are part of the Na-Dené languages
Na-Dené languages
Na-Dene is a Native American language family which includes at least the Athabaskan languages, Eyak, and Tlingit languages. An inclusion of Haida is controversial....
family.
The writer Richard Van Camp, author of The Lesser Blessed, is a member of this nation from Fort Smith
Fort Smith, Northwest Territories
Fort Smith is a town in the South Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is located in the southeastern portion of the Northwest Territories, on the Slave River and adjacent to the NWT/Alberta border.-History:Fort Smith's history began because of the Slave River and the vital link...
, NWT.
The artist James Wedzin is a member of this nation from Behchoko, Northwest Territories.
