Takla Lake Nation is a

First Nation Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

located around

Takla Lake Takla Lake is the fifth largest natural lake in British Columbia, Canada. It is a deep fjord-like lake with the Swannell Ranges to the east, the Driftwood River flowing into it from the north, and the Middle River draining it. It is the termin ...

, 400 km north of

Prince George, British Columbia Prince George is the largest city in northern British Columbia, Canada, with a population of 74,004 in the metropolitan area. It is often called the province's "northern capital" or sometimes the "spruce capital" because it is the hub city for ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. The main community is at

Takla Landing Takla Landing, also known as McLaing Landing is an unincorporated locality and former steamboat landing on the east side of Takla Lake in the Omineca Country of the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. In the days of the Omineca Gold Rus ...

, at the north end of Takla Lake, but the band services 17 reserves totaling 809 hectares. Takla Lake First Nation has approximately 650 members. It was created by the amalgamation of the Takla Lake and Fort Connelly bands in 1959.

Facilities

The main Takla reserve has a number of facilities including the following: * band office * community hall * Nus Wadeezulh School * health clinic * church * elders centre * gym * baseball field * Takla Store, restaurant, motel, and fuel station. The community is also home to the Nuswadeezulh Community School, offering Kindergarten to Grade 10, as well as adult education and alternate education classes. ''Nuswadeezulh'' means "Looking into the Future". A

Royal Canadian Mounted Police The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal police, federal and national police service of ...

detachment was established by agreement with Takla First Nation and opened in October 1999. The detachment has two designated native police officers and one corporal non-commissioned officer in charge. Takla Lake is now accessible by an unpaved forestry road that branches off the Tache Road about 5 km short of the village of Tache. Until fairly recently, access was only by boat or float plane (see

Takla Landing Water Aerodrome Takla Landing Water Aerodrome is located on Takla Lake in the Takla Lake Marine Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to ...

). Postal service is available at Takla Lake with mail pick-up and delivery once per week. Electricity has been provided since 1985. Previously, only the school, health station and band office had electricity provided by diesel generators. Telephone and internet service has recently been switched from residential

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lines to satellite service.

Governance and culture

Takla Lake First Nation has one chief and four councilors, all elected at large by the community. The Takla Lake people currently speak predominantly

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and the Babine dialect of Babine-Witsuwit'en, locally referred to as "Carrier". Until recently, many people also spoke

Sekani Sekani or Tse’khene are a First Nations people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group in the Northern Interior of British Columbia. Their territory includes the Finlay and Parsnip River drainages of the Rocky Mountain Trench. The ne ...

, and some spoke

Gitksan Gitxsan (also spelled Gitksan) are an Indigenous peoples in Canada, Indigenous people in Canada whose home territory comprises most of the area known as the Skeena Country in English (: means "people of" and : means "the River of Mist"). Gitksan ...

. Some people also speak the Stuart Lake dialect of Carrier. The overall identification of the community is as Carrier. The potlatch system and clan system continue to play an important role. Traditional skills of tanning hides, sewing, and beading of traditional garments have been maintained to a high degree. Elders are held in high esteem in the community, considered to be an important resource, and play an active role in the community.

Notes

External links

Takla Lake First Nation
official website
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - First Nation Detail
{{Authority control Dakelh governments Omineca Country Babine