For the full story see History of the Cold Lake First Nations. (PDF format)

For residential schools see History/Timeline of Indian Residential Schools. (PDF)

Athapaskan (often spelled Athabascan) is the mostly widely spread of all North American linguistic groups, extending from the Rio Grande to Alaska. It is believed that Athapaskan-speaking people moved into what is now Alberta approximately 7,000 years ago, following the receding ice cap and settling in forested areas throughout the subarctic. Athapaskans led a simple, nomadic life and were generally friendly toward each other and neighboring tribes. Although culturally diverse, the nature of this tribe's lifestyle left few archaeological remains; therefore, they are the least known of the natives who once lived within the boundaries of modern-day Alberta.
 

The southernmost Athapaskan group inhabiting Alberta was the Beaver, who were forced westward, up the Peace River watershed, by the warlike Cree in the late 1700s (the name Peace River originated after the two groups eventually made peace). Traditionally, the Beaver hunted caribou and bison that wandered north from the plains, but they were strongly influenced by the fur trade. Another distinct band of Athapaskans settled along the Mackenzie River watershed and are known today as the Dene (DEN-ay), meaning "the people." The Dene lived a simple life, depending on fish, birds, and game such as caribou and moose, and traveling in birchbark canoes. Further divisions within the Dene nation relate more to the area in which they lived rather than to distinct language or lifestyles. These groups include the Slave (known as the Slavey in the Northwest Territories) and the Chipewyan, both of whose traditional home was the upper watershed of the Mackenzie River.