Fort Babine
Encyclopedia
Fort Babine, British Columbia
(Wit'at) is a small native reserve community, located at the northern tip of Babine Lake
, approximately 100 km north of Smithers
. It is accessible by an all-weather gravel logging road. There are approximately 60 year-round residents. Its traditional Babine
name is "Wit'at," which is an abbreviated form of "Wit'ane Keh," "place of making dry fish." The name "Babine" comes from a French word for "pendulous lips" and refers to the fact that the native female inhabitants first encountered by Europeans had the practice of placing wooden labrets in their lips to enlarge them.
post was established further down the lake in 1822. Fort Kilmaurs, also known as Fort Babine and later Old Fort, was eventually closed and the H.B.C. moved to the northern tip of the lake to establish a new Fort Babine. This happened in the 1840s. The H.B.C. store closed in the 1970s, but the native community remained. A direct road link to the community was finally established in the 1980s, as well as the supply of electricity. Regular telephone service finally came to Fort Babine in the spring of 2006.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
(Wit'at) is a small native reserve community, located at the northern tip of Babine Lake
Babine Lake
Babine Lake is the longest natural lake in British Columbia, Canada.Babine Lake is located northeast of the town of Burns Lake in central British Columbia, some west northwest of the city of Prince George. It is long, wide, and has a net area of and a total area of...
, approximately 100 km north of Smithers
Smithers
Smithers may refer to:* Smithers , a surname* Smithers, British Columbia, a town in Canada** Smithers Airport, a public airport** Smithers Secondary School** Smithers railway station* Smithers, West Virginia, a city in the United States...
. It is accessible by an all-weather gravel logging road. There are approximately 60 year-round residents. Its traditional Babine
Babine
In its broader sense, Babine refers to the Athabascan Indians who speak the Babine dialect of the Babine-Witsuwit'en language in the vicinity of the Babine River, Babine Lake, Trembleur Lake, and Takla Lake in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada....
name is "Wit'at," which is an abbreviated form of "Wit'ane Keh," "place of making dry fish." The name "Babine" comes from a French word for "pendulous lips" and refers to the fact that the native female inhabitants first encountered by Europeans had the practice of placing wooden labrets in their lips to enlarge them.
History
Archaeological evidence indicates that there is a long history of human habitation in the Fort Babine area. When the first Europeans arrived, there was at least a summer village in this location—and there may possibly have been full-time occupants. The first Hudson's Bay CompanyHudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
post was established further down the lake in 1822. Fort Kilmaurs, also known as Fort Babine and later Old Fort, was eventually closed and the H.B.C. moved to the northern tip of the lake to establish a new Fort Babine. This happened in the 1840s. The H.B.C. store closed in the 1970s, but the native community remained. A direct road link to the community was finally established in the 1980s, as well as the supply of electricity. Regular telephone service finally came to Fort Babine in the spring of 2006.