Chippewayans

Chippewayans, a North American people, forming the central and most important division of the widespread Athabascan family. Their domain extends in all directions round Lake Athabasca, where the Hudson Bay Company's Fort Chippewayan is their chief meeting-place. They are of a quiet, inoffensive disposition, and most of them are employed by the company as trappers, carriers, and in other capacities. Chippewayan, which in Algonquin means "pointed coat," is the name given them by their Cree neighbours; but they call theenselves Tinney, i.e. "Men" in the Athabascan language. Their tribal divisions are very numerous, and the so-called Beavers, Dogribs, Strongbows, Sheep, Red Knives, Hares, Slaves, Brushwood, and Horn Mountains, are all Chippewayans; in fact, all the tribes between the Rocky Mountains and Hudson Bay, as far south as the Churchill river and Methy portage, are members of this group.