Left About

About Us

Right About

We are the K’ai Tailé Dené,
people of the land of the willow

Our name signifies our deep connection with the rich, vast landscapes of the Peace-Athabasca Delta—lands we have traditionally survived on and connected with for thousands of years. From hunting and trapping to fishing and gathering, these lands have provided for our people since time immemorial and continue to support the traditional ways of our ancestors.

Today, we are known as the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN). We signed Treaty 8 in Fort Chipewyan in 1899, acknowledging our inherent and cultural connection with the land. We continue to exercise our treaty and cultural rights and maintain our identity as K’ai Tailé Dené, people of the land of the willow.

Vision Statement

We are the ACFN K’ai Taile Dene. We are fiercely protective of our Treaty Rights, our traditional land, and our language for future generations.

k’aitélé hot’įné dáídlį. t’ahú tsąba nálya nį sí, eyi bet’á nuheyatié ú nuhenéné hųtł’édhé bóghedi hóɂą yųnadhé xa. eyi beghą dánítł’éth nuheskéné beskéné xa. nuhenéné k’e náídé ú t’ahú lósí náílzé ú edeghą nakóhíldé ú nánuhenet’en ha hóɂą íle.

Mission Statement

We honour our ancestors’ traditional ways of being and knowing, and innovate new ways to protect and preserve our Language, our Land, and our Treaty Rights. We invest in people, programs and infrastructure to empower our Members, strengthen and sustain our Nation, and to benefit our future generations.

denénį bech’ánįé ú ɂasí t’a k’adórely̨ą nį sí bek’édásídlį hóɂą. t’ahú tsąba nálye nį sí eyerots’į nuyatié ú nuhehéné ú t’ąt’ú náídé sí eyi bóghedi hóɂą. t’ąt’ú eyi bóghedi walí yanadhé hoxa, t’ąt’ú nuheba súghá ha sí eyi bekádáníta hok’étł’á. dene ts’éráídi ú yoh ú la ú honelten ú nuhenéné k’e ɂasíe dáíltsi ú dene beba súghá ha sí horelyų́ eyi ɂasíe xa dádóríldzá, kų́t’ú k’aitélé hots’į denesųłiné hoɂą́zį́ nárátser ha, tth’i nuheskéné beskéné bets’ádíe k’érální ha ú yets’én nárátser ha.

circle photos
core-value-circles
feather

Our core values

Service

Service dene ełts’érádi

Empowerment

Empowerment náráítser ha

Trailblazing_

Trailblazing yųnadhé ha hóɂą hołé

Collaboration

Collaboration ełá eghálaghída

Accountability

Accountability horelyų́ la bek’óją ú net’į ha

Respect

Respect horelyų́ bek’ésedlį dézą

Our Nation at a glance

We have a population of about 1,200 people_

We have a population of about 1,200 people.

About a third of our Members live_

About a third of our Members live in Fort Chipewyan, a large percentage live in Fort McMurray, and some live in Fort McKay and Fort Smith, NWT.

The remainder of our Members are scatteredthroughout Alberta and across Canada and the world_

The remainder of our Members are scattered throughout Alberta and across Canada and the world.

We protect eight reserves on the south shore of Lake Athabasca

We protect eight reserves on the south shore of Lake Athabasca, the Athabasca Delta and the Athabasca River.

Our Dené Laws

Share what you have

Share what you have

Help each other

Help each other

Love each other_

Love each other

Sleep at night and work during the day

Sleep at night and work during the day

Be polite

Be polite

Be respectful of Elders

Be respectful of Elders

Children behave respectfully

Children behave respectfully

Pass on teachings

Pass on teachings

Be happy

Be happy

Our protection area

ACFN thunzea dechen, yághe ejere and et’then protection zone
ACFN thunzea and dechen yághe ejere stewardship zone

Chipewyan 201

Chipewyan 201C

Chipewyan 201F

Chipewyan 201A

Chipewyan 201D

Chipewyan 201G

Chipewyan 201B

Chipewyan 201E

map full

Our entities

ACFN’s Dené Lands and Resource Management (DLRM) was established to create capacity for the community in order to work with industry and government to assess the environmental impacts of industrial development on the ACFN territory.

Acden is the business arm of the ACFN. Acden provides essential services for the planning, construction, maintenance and reclamation of Alberta’s oil sands.

Learn more at acden.com.