Description
The Slavey (also Slave and South Slavey) are a First Nations indigenous peoples of the Dene group, indigenous to the Great Slave Lake region, in Canada's Northwest Territories, and extending into northeastern British Columbia and northwestern Alberta. Slavey or just Slave is a translation of Awokanak, the name given to Dene by the Cree "who sometimes raided and enslaved their less aggressive northern neighbors". Though most Athabaskan peoples call themselves Dene, those in the Northwest Territories tend to use it for their particular group specifically. However, the northern Slavey are also known in English as the Sahtú, while the southern band are known as the Deh Cho.
Language
Athabaskan
Culture
Like other peoples of the western Subarctic, the Dene Tha’ spoke an Athabaskan language. They lived in forests and along riverbanks. They hunted moose, caribou, and other game but also relied heavily on fish for food. They made animal skins into robes, shirts, leggings, moccasins, and other clothing. Fringes and ornaments made of antlers, porcupine quills, and other natural materials were popular. They lived in brush-covered tipis (or tepees) in summer and rectangular huts formed of poles and spruce branches in winter. Like most other Athabaskan peoples, the Dene Tha’ were divided into a number of independent bands. Each band was loosely organized, with leaders in name only, and was associated with certain hunting territories.