People of the Portage
Much of the present-day culture of the Slave River region owes its existence to an unusual geological landmark. The broad, terraced belt of granite that cuts across the Slave River below Fort Smith, just along the border of Alberta and the North West Territories is responsible for creating a series of four violent rapids in the midst of the river's course.

These rapids-the Cassette, Pelican, Mountain and the darkly named Rapids of the Drowned-presented an insurmountable obstacle to commercial river navigation, and the most significant roadblock on the main gateway to the Arctic. At the same time, however, this barrier became the foundation of a busy trading centre and an enduring northern community.

Growth of Fort Smith: For centuries, First Nations tribes had bypassed the rapids on their way to the hunting grounds of the Peace and Slave River deltas. When fur traders began to infiltrate the area in the early 19th century, the ancient trails became a well-established portage. In the 1870's, the Hudson's Bay Company built outposts between the 30 kilometre stretch of treacherous water, and people of the Cree, Chipewyan and Métis, some already resident of nearby Salt River, gravitated to the new transportation hubs.

In the communities of Fort Fitzgerald to the south and Fort Smith to the north, aboriginal workers found employment on the boats that carried furs and other goods along the Slave River waterway, as well as on the loading docks and along the portage route. The advent of steam-powered craft also created a need for local wood-cutters.

A Village Endures: Fort Smith's reign as the commercial centre of the long portage lasted almost an entire century, until a southern rail link to Hay River in 1968 ended barge operations on the Slave.

In the meantime, however, the village had been bolstered by the early establishment of a Catholic mission, a medical centre, and a Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment. It had also benefited from successive "rushes" through the area to the gold fields of the Yukon and Yellowknife and the oil projects of Norman Wells. When Wood Buffalo National Park was established in 1922, Fort Smith became its administrative centre. An all-weather highway to Hay River now links the village to the south by road.

Today, Fort Smith is based on an economy of federal, territorial and aboriginal government, along with education, tourism and forestry. The ancient portage trails are poised to become a part of the Trans-Canada Trail system, continuing along the Slave River to Fort Resolution and the shores of Great Slave Lake.

Beadwork, Tufting and Quilling: Exploring the Northern Arts
Traditional Dene clothing, snowshoes, birchbark baskets and drums, Métis paintings and carvings, and a fascinating array of aboriginal handcrafts reflect the distinctive sub-Arctic culture. Moose hair tufting and Dene quillwork are among the most exacting skills still practiced by northern artisans. Quillwork, made with porcupine quills dyed, flattened and sewn into elaborate patterns, is often found on moccasins, vests, jackets and gloves.