Fond du Lac Dene Nation () is a

Dene The Dene people () are an Indigenous group of First Nations who inhabit the northern boreal, subarctic and Arctic regions of Canada. The Dene speak Northern Athabaskan languages and it is the common Athabaskan word for "people". The term ...

First Nation located in the

boreal forest Taiga or tayga ( ; , ), also known as boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by pinophyta, coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces, and larches. The taiga, or boreal forest, is the world's largest land biome. I ...

area of northern

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

, Canada. The main settlement is Fond-du-Lac, situated on the east side of

Lake Athabasca Lake Athabasca ( ; French: ''lac Athabasca''; from Woods Cree: , " herethere are plants one after another") is in the north-west corner of Saskatchewan and the north-east corner of Alberta between 58° and 60° N in Canada. The lake is ...

. It is a remote fly-in community. The population in 2011 was 874, mainly of Dene and

Métis The Métis ( , , , ) are a mixed-race Indigenous people whose historical homelands include Canada's three Prairie Provinces extending into parts of Ontario, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the northwest United States. They ha ...

descent. 705 residents selected Dene as their mother tongue in 2011. Fond du Lac is a geographic name meaning "far end of the lake" in the French language (literally it translates as "bottom of the lake").

History

Founded as a community over 150 years ago, by Denesuline

First Nations First nations are indigenous settlers or bands. First Nations, first nations, or first peoples may also refer to: Indigenous groups *List of Indigenous peoples *First Nations in Canada, Indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Mé ...

in pursuit of furs, fishing, hunting and trapping the community has seen little changes. Many in the community can trace their ancestral roots to the early 19th century. "Living off the land" is still a way of life in Fond-du-Lac. Many of the residents are descendants of the Maurice's Band who signed an adhesion to

Treaty 8 Treaty 8, which concluded with the June 21, 1899, signing by representatives of the Crown and various First Nations of the Lesser Slave Lake area, is the most comprehensive of the eleven Numbered Treaties. The agreement encompassed a land m ...

in 1899. The Maurice's Band (Chief Maurice Piche's Band) split in 1949 forming the Fond-du-Lac Band and the Black Lake Band.

Reserves

Fond du Lac Dene Nation is a First Nation

band government In Canada, an Indian band (), First Nation band () or simply band, is the basic unit of government for those peoples subject to the ''Indian Act'' (i.e. status Indians or First Nations). Bands are typically small groups of people: the largest in ...

with 6 territories around the eastern area of Lake Athabasca. *Fond du Lac 227 is on the north shore of Lake Athabasca and contains the village of Fond du Lac. *Fond du Lac 228 is across the lake from the village. *Fond du Lac 229 is west of the village on the north shore of the lake. Population 0 in 2011. *Fond du Lac 231 is borders the Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park on the McFarlane River. Population 0 in 2011. *Fond du Lac 232 is on the Otherside River east of Fond du Lac 231. Population 0 in 2011. *Fond du Lac 233 is on the south side of the lake surrounding Fond du Lac 228. Population 0 in 2011. Fond du Lac had a total registered membership of 1,895 with 1,066 members residing on-reserve and 829 members residing at locations off-reserve in September 2013. The Fond du Lac First Nation is a member of the Prince Albert Grand Council.

Demographics

Economy

The main enterprise today in Fond du Lac is working in the mineral and other resource extraction business. Others follow a tradition of fishing, hunting, and trapping as well as providing guide services to the many fishing camps in the area.

Transportation

There are minimal roads within the community and no year-round roads to the community. It is only accessible by air (through the Fond-du-Lac Airport), inland water transport and snowmobile. Common transportation for community members includes driving large trucks and ATVs better known as four wheelers. In the winter there is a seasonal ice road with access to Uranium City and Stony Rapids (with the latter community in turn connected to the rest of the province via another ice road). The community greatly relies on aircraft and barges for supplies and services. In the winter the occasional truck will venture in on the ice road with supplies.

Climate

Fond-du-Lac has a typical northern Saskatchewan

subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''Dfc'') with long, frigid winters and short, mild to warm summers.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fond-Du-Lac, Saskatchewan First Nations in Saskatchewan Unincorporated communities in Saskatchewan Hudson's Bay Company trading posts Dene communities Road-inaccessible communities of Saskatchewan Lake Athabasca