Economic Life

The Na-Dene’s traditional economy was largely devoted to subsistence activities, although there was also some long- distance trade for obsidian, copper, and sea shells. Iron may also have been traded along the west coast from sources in Asia before Europeans arrived.

The Na-Dene made use of a variety of plant and animal resources. For the Haida and Tlingit, resources derived from the sea and coastal rivers were of great importance. For Athabaskan groups in the interior, large game– including moose, caribou, and bison – were important for food and hides, but small game and fish often contributed an even larger portion of the diet. Prior to the development of trade with Europeans, the Na-Dene did not keep domestic animals. The Tlingit and Haida grew small amounts of tobacco, but potatoes and other crops were widely cultivated only after trade began with Europeans.

During the fur-trade period most Na-Dene maintained their traditional subsistence activities and also provided large quantities of food for the consumption of the European fur traders. They traded fresh and dried meat, fish, and in some cases crops such as potatoes. Some groups resisted involvement in the fur trade, preferring to concentrate on their traditional subsistence activities. Chipewyan bands known as “Caribou Eaters,” for example, continued to follow herds of caribou on the tundra during most of the year. Similarly, many Beaver and Slave trapped so few furs that Assiniboine, Objiwa, and Iroquois trappers were engaged as trappers and sent by the NWC to Alberta. Game animals, such as bison, were nearly exterminated in the Peace River region by these post hunters.

The availability of iron tools, guns, fish nets, and sawn lumber for boats may have strengthened local subsistence activities for many groups; there is little evidence of a collapse of the traditional economies during the fur-trade period. The periodic food shortages and incidents of starvation which did occur reveal the inability of traders to transport large quantities of food and the unpredictability of local food resources. The Tlingit and Haida both devised institutions such as potlatches in this period. The Tlingit became well armed and resisted Russian control while expanding their own trade with the interior.

Major changes in the subsistence economy occurred with the exploitation of various resources and the expansion of government services following World War II. Oil and mineral resources were developed on a large scale, and, to support this kind of economic activity, roads, airports, and communication facilities were constructed. Some native people found employment in these projects, although in many cases the workforce was dominated by non-native workers recruited from other areas. In recent years First Nations have attempted to improve employment opportunities by negotiating agreements with firms planning major developments in their regions. First Nations have had some success in gaining employment opportunities for their peoples in the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and British Columbia, where land claims are being actively negotiated. Some First Nations also operate their own corporations, which are involved in such fields as forestry, road construction, housing construction, air charter services, oilfield maintenance, agriculture, and fisheries.

In Yukon and Northwest Territories, the territorial and federal governments employ one-fourth of the labor force. The representation of native people in government service is gradually increasing as a result of employment policies and special training programs for native teachers, social workers, managers, renewable-resource officers, and police officers. Students in these programs may receive support from their First Nation or through the post-secondary and training programs of the federal government.

In many cases Na-Dene employed in the wage economy continue to follow traditional pursuits such as trapping, hunting, and fishing. Such activities have continuing economic importance and represent a positive lifestyle that has deep cultural roots. There is ample land suitable for traditional activities near most Na-Dene communities. Even in larger centres such as Calgary or Yellowknife, the availability of vehicles makes it possible for Na-Dene individuals to go into the bush to trap, hunt, and fish as their ancestors did. The Na-Dene have adopted new technology such as high-powered rifles, snow machines, and outboard motors, but food resources are still used principally for personal consumption or shared through kin networks. In Canada, aboriginal people are subject to some game laws such as those protecting endangered species and registering traplines. However, they have successfully challenged laws that would have restricted their rights to engage in subsistence activities.

The average Na-Dene income is relatively low by Canadian standards and unemployment is several times the rate for non-natives in the same region. Low employment persists even in communities located near major resource developments such as mines or oilfields. The creation of reserves facilitated resource development while isolating natives from training and employment opportunities. In the past, Na-Dene people, like most First Nations people across Canada, faced discrimination in education and employment. Today, however, increasing numbers of Na-Dene people are successfully adapting to modern technology while maintaining a sense of identity and purpose through traditional activities.