RESEARCH STARTER
Carrier people
The Carrier people, also known as the Dakelh, are a group of Indigenous peoples from British Columbia, Canada, belonging to the Northern Athabaskan language family. Their name is derived from the practice of widows carrying their deceased husbands' bones during a mourning period. Historically, the Carrier inhabited small, isolated villages in the Subarctic region, where they practiced communal land ownership and engaged in fishing, hunting, and the gathering of natural resources for sustenance. They have a rich spiritual life, believing in a vast spirit world and the importance of individual guardian spirits obtained through fasting and prayer.
With first documented contact with Europeans in 1793, the Carrier faced significant challenges due to introduced diseases and the influx of settlers during events like the Fraser River gold rush in 1858, which further impacted their population. The establishment of reservations in the late 19th century led to changes in their way of life, although many Carrier individuals found employment in emerging industries such as lumber. Today, the Carrier people maintain their cultural identity and traditions, actively engaging in community services and language preservation efforts. As of the 2016 Canadian census, over 1,200 individuals still spoke the Carrier language, reflecting their ongoing commitment to cultural heritage amidst modern influences.
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Full Article
- CATEGORY: Tribe of many First Nations groups including Stellat'en First Nation, Nadleh Whut'en, Ts'il Kaz Koh First Nation (Burns Lake Band), Saik'uz First Nation, Nak'azdli Whut'en, Takla Nation, Tl'azt'en Nation
- CULTURE AREA: Subarctic
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Northern Athabaskan
- PRIMARY LOCATION: British Columbia, Canada
- POPULATION SIZE: 4,730 (2021 Canadian Census)
The Carrier, a Canadian First Nation and members of the Northern Athabaskan language group, got their name because widows carried the bones of their deceased husbands in a small bag on their backs during a one-year mourning period. They are sometimes referred to as the Dakelh people. The original location of the Carrier remains unknown. However, they moved into the Subarctic culture area of north-central British Columbia between the Rocky Mountains and the Coastal range several hundred years before their first encounters with White people. The Carrier lived in small groups in isolated villages. Ideas of individual ownership did not exist, and land belonged to the people using it. The Carrier traditionally fished for salmon; hunted caribou, mountain goats, and sheep; gathered berries and turnips; and survived by eating the bark of hemlock trees during harsh winters.
Carrier religion was centered on a belief in a vast spirit world. People could communicate with spirits through their dreams. A young man found his own guardian spirit after two weeks of fasting, praying, and dreaming in the wilderness. This spirit was said to remain with a person for his entire life, offering protection and guidance. Potlatches were held every year by clan chiefs and wealthy clan members, who gave away large amounts of food and property to demonstrate their power and generosity. Individuals gained status by giving away goods rather than accumulating them, like the European value systems.
Europeans first contacted the Carrier in 1793 along the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada. The Carrier wanted guns and horses, and traded furs with the Europeans in exchange. Until the 1850s, the Hudson’s Bay Company, as well as private fur traders and explorers, provided the only contact with White civilization. Still, the trappers brought measles and smallpox with them, which severely reduced the First Nation's population. The Fraser River gold rush in 1858 brought thousands of prospectors, farmers, and ranchers to the lands of the Carrier people. The Carrier population continued to decline. The Canadian government established a reservation in 1876. Sawmills opened, and the lumber industry employed the Indigenous people. They also received assistance from Canadian welfare programs.
In the twenty-first century, the Carrier people remained a vital First Nation in Canada. They were represented by two main tribal councils serving several First Nations that identify as Carrier people and smaller communities as well. The councils offered myriad services to their member nations, such as education, forest and fisheries management, community services, and financial planning. In 2016, about 1,270 people reported speaking the Carrier language, and by 2021, that number had risen to 1,555 first and second-language speakers. Although the population identifying as Carrier is much larger—4,730 in 2021—the language remains endangered.
Bibliography
Hudson, Douglas. "Dakelh (Carrier)." The Canadian Encyclopedia, 19 Nov. 2024, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/carrier. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
"Indigenous Language Families: Athabaskan Languages." Government of Canada, 30 Mar. 2025, https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2025/statcan/41-20-0002/412000022025003-eng.pdf. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
Marshall, Daniel P., et al. "Fraser River Gold Rush." The Canadian Encyclopedia, 9 Aug. 2019, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/fraser-river-gold-rush. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.
Full Article
- CATEGORY: Tribe of many First Nations groups including Stellat'en First Nation, Nadleh Whut'en, Ts'il Kaz Koh First Nation (Burns Lake Band), Saik'uz First Nation, Nak'azdli Whut'en, Takla Nation, Tl'azt'en Nation
- CULTURE AREA: Subarctic
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Northern Athabaskan
- PRIMARY LOCATION: British Columbia, Canada
- POPULATION SIZE: 4,730 (2021 Canadian Census)
The Carrier, a Canadian First Nation and members of the Northern Athabaskan language group, got their name because widows carried the bones of their deceased husbands in a small bag on their backs during a one-year mourning period. They are sometimes referred to as the Dakelh people. The original location of the Carrier remains unknown. However, they moved into the Subarctic culture area of north-central British Columbia between the Rocky Mountains and the Coastal range several hundred years before their first encounters with White people. The Carrier lived in small groups in isolated villages. Ideas of individual ownership did not exist, and land belonged to the people using it. The Carrier traditionally fished for salmon; hunted caribou, mountain goats, and sheep; gathered berries and turnips; and survived by eating the bark of hemlock trees during harsh winters.
Carrier religion was centered on a belief in a vast spirit world. People could communicate with spirits through their dreams. A young man found his own guardian spirit after two weeks of fasting, praying, and dreaming in the wilderness. This spirit was said to remain with a person for his entire life, offering protection and guidance. Potlatches were held every year by clan chiefs and wealthy clan members, who gave away large amounts of food and property to demonstrate their power and generosity. Individuals gained status by giving away goods rather than accumulating them, like the European value systems.
Europeans first contacted the Carrier in 1793 along the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada. The Carrier wanted guns and horses, and traded furs with the Europeans in exchange. Until the 1850s, the Hudson’s Bay Company, as well as private fur traders and explorers, provided the only contact with White civilization. Still, the trappers brought measles and smallpox with them, which severely reduced the First Nation's population. The Fraser River gold rush in 1858 brought thousands of prospectors, farmers, and ranchers to the lands of the Carrier people. The Carrier population continued to decline. The Canadian government established a reservation in 1876. Sawmills opened, and the lumber industry employed the Indigenous people. They also received assistance from Canadian welfare programs.
In the twenty-first century, the Carrier people remained a vital First Nation in Canada. They were represented by two main tribal councils serving several First Nations that identify as Carrier people and smaller communities as well. The councils offered myriad services to their member nations, such as education, forest and fisheries management, community services, and financial planning. In 2016, about 1,270 people reported speaking the Carrier language, and by 2021, that number had risen to 1,555 first and second-language speakers. Although the population identifying as Carrier is much larger—4,730 in 2021—the language remains endangered.
Bibliography
Hudson, Douglas. "Dakelh (Carrier)." The Canadian Encyclopedia, 19 Nov. 2024, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/carrier. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
"Indigenous Language Families: Athabaskan Languages." Government of Canada, 30 Mar. 2025, https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2025/statcan/41-20-0002/412000022025003-eng.pdf. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
Marshall, Daniel P., et al. "Fraser River Gold Rush." The Canadian Encyclopedia, 9 Aug. 2019, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/fraser-river-gold-rush. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.