Shuta Got'ine
Mountain Indians, specifically the Shuta Got'ine, also known as Mountain Dene, are an Indigenous group located in the Mackenzie Mountains and along the Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories of Canada. They traditionally lived in semi-permanent winter camps and relied on hunting and trapping for subsistence, targeting animals such as moose, Dall sheep, and woodland caribou. Their culture is deeply connected to their knowledge of the terrain, which facilitated mobility and resource gathering. The introduction of fur trading in the early 19th century significantly impacted their way of life, as they began to interact with European traders and settlers. Unfortunately, this contact also led to the spread of diseases like influenza and measles, which severely affected their population. By the early 20th century, the signing of Treaty 11 established a chief and council for the Shuta Got'ine, providing them representation in local governance. Today, the community continues to engage in local employment and participates in Canadian government programs, with an estimated population of 100 to 150 individuals residing in the Tulita area. The Shuta Got'ine speak a dialect of the Athapaskan language family, which highlights their cultural connections to other Indigenous groups in the region.
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Shuta Got'ine
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Subarctic
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Northeastern Athapaskan
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Mackenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories, Canada
The Shuta Got'ine, an Indigenous group sometimes referred to as Mountian or Mountain Dene, live on the slopes of the Mackenzie Mountains and banks of the Mackenzie River in semi-permanent winter camps in the Subarctic cultural area. Historically, they depended on hunting moose, Dall sheep, woodland caribou, and trapping ground squirrels for subsistence and utilitarian by-products. Some who lived near the river also fished. Mooseskin boats were essential to river travel and trading, particularly after European Canadian contact. The Indigenous people had much knowledge of their terrain and good mobility. They sometimes faced starvation, which reduced their number, as did internal feuds and hostilities with nearby Indigenous groups.
Canadian trappers and traders knew of the Shuta Got'ine as early as 1789, but it was not until 1822 that they interacted with them. The building of Fort Simpson in 1822 and Fort Norman (now Tulita) in 1823 brought sustained European contact and trading with Shuta Got'ine and many other Indigenous nations living in the Mackenzie mountain region. The introduction of influenza and measles reduced their population. The signing of Treaty 11 in 1921 created a chief and council who represented their people at Fort Norman.
Most Mountain employment in the twenty-first century is local, with some involvement in Canadian government programs. An estimated 100 to 150 Mountain live in Canada’s Tulita area (formerly known as Fort Norman) across the river from the mountains. The Mountain speaks Athapaskan, a language of the Na-Dene family, which is similar to the language of the K'asho Got'ine and Slavey people.
Bibliography
Dickason, Olive Patricia, and William Newbigging. A Concise History of Canada’s First Nations. 3rd ed., 2017.
"First Nations in Canada." Government of Canada, www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1307460755710/1536862806124. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Gillespie, Beryl C. "Shuta Got'ine (Mountain)." Canadian Encyclopedia, 4 Feb. 2022, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mountain-band. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
"People and History." Northwest Territories Tourism, spectacularnwt.com/about-nwt/people-and-history. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.