# Fond du Lac Denesuline First Nation

Fond du Lac Dene Nation (Chipewyan: Gánį Kóé) is a Dene First Nation located in the boreal forest area of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The main settlement is Fond-du-Lac, situated on the east side of Lake Athabasca. It is a remote fly-in community. The population in 2011 was 874, mainly of Dene and Métis descent. 705 residents selected Dene as their mother tongue in 2011.
Fond du Lac is a geographic name meaning "far end of the lake" in the French language (literally it translates as "bottom of the lake").

## History

Founded as a community over 150 years ago, by Denesuline First Nations in pursuit of furs, fishing, hunting and trapping the community has seen little changes. Many in the community can trace their ancestral roots to the early 19th century. "Living off the land" is still a way of life in Fond-du-Lac.
Many of the residents are descendants of the Maurice's Band who signed an adhesion to Treaty 8 in 1899. The Maurice's Band (Chief Maurice Piche's Band) split in 1949 forming the Fond-du-Lac Band and the Black Lake Band.

## Reserves

Fond du Lac Dene Nation is a First Nation band government with 6 territories around the eastern area of Lake Athabasca.
* Fond du Lac 227 is 15,520 hectares (38,400 acres) 59°20′55″N 106°58′22″W﻿ / ﻿59.3485°N 106.9729°W﻿ / 59.3485; -106.9729 on the north shore of Lake Athabasca and contains the village of Fond du Lac.
* Fond du Lac 228 is 1,082.5 hectares (2,675 acres) 59°18′00″N 107°12′23″W﻿ / ﻿59.2999°N 107.2063°W﻿ / 59.2999; -107.2063 across the lake from the village.
* Fond du Lac 229 is 7,821.1 hectares (19,326 acres) 59°26′02″N 107°42′45″W﻿ / ﻿59.4338°N 107.7124°W﻿ / 59.4338; -107.7124 west of the village on the north shore of the lake. Population 0 in 2011.
* Fond du Lac 231 is 2,023.5 hectares (5,000 acres) 59°07′20″N 107°54′09″W﻿ / ﻿59.1222°N 107.9026°W﻿ / 59.1222; -107.9026 borders the Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park on the McFarlane River. Population 0 in 2011.
* Fond du Lac 232 is 2,023.5 hectares (5,000 acres) 59°08′28″N 107°24′39″W﻿ / ﻿59.1410°N 107.4107°W﻿ / 59.1410; -107.4107 on the Otherside River east of Fond du Lac 231. Population 0 in 2011.
* Fond du Lac 233 is 8,341.5 hectares (20,612 acres) 59°16′35″N 107°16′33″W﻿ / ﻿59.2764°N 107.2757°W﻿ / 59.2764; -107.2757 on the south side of the lake surrounding Fond du Lac 228. Population 0 in 2011.
Fond du Lac had a total registered membership of 1,895 with 1,066 members residing on-reserve and 829 members residing at locations off-reserve in September 2013. The Fond du Lac First Nation is a member of the Prince Albert Grand Council.

## Economy

The main enterprise today in Fond du Lac is working in the mineral and other resource extraction business. Others follow a tradition of fishing, hunting, and trapping as well as providing guide services to the many fishing camps in the area.

## Transportation

There are minimal roads within the community and no year-round roads to the community. It is only accessible by air (through the Fond-du-Lac Airport), inland water transport and snowmobile. Common transportation for community members includes driving large trucks and ATVs better known as four wheelers. In the winter there is a seasonal ice road with access to Uranium City and Stony Rapids (with the latter community in turn connected to the rest of the province via another ice road). The community greatly relies on aircraft and barges for supplies and services. In the winter the occasional truck will venture in on the ice road with supplies.

## Climate

Fond-du-Lac has a typical northern Saskatchewan subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) with long, frigid winters and short, mild to warm summers.
Climate data for Fond-du-Lac :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −24 (−11) | −20 (−4) | −12 (10) | 0 (32) | 9 (48) | 17 (62) | 20 (68) | 18 (64) | 11 (51) | 2 (35) | −9 (15) | −17 (2) | 0 (31) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −28 (−18) | −25 (−13) | −18 (0) | −6 (21) | 4 (39) | 11 (51) | 15 (59) | 13 (55) | 7 (44) | 0 (32) | −12 (10) | −23 (−9) | −5 (23) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −32 (−25) | −30 (−22) | −24 (−11) | −12 (10) | −1 (30) | 5 (41) | 10 (50) | 8 (46) | 2 (35) | −3 (26) | −15 (5) | −26 (−14) | −10 (14) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 20 (0.8) | 15 (0.6) | 18 (0.7) | 18 (0.7) | 20 (0.8) | 36 (1.4) | 51 (2.0) | 48 (1.9) | 36 (1.4) | 33 (1.3) | 28 (1.1) | 20 (0.8) | 343 (13.5) |
| Source: http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=710762 ||||||||||||||