Welcome to the communtiy of Behchokö, Northwest Territories, Canada, largest Tłįcho community with approximately 1950 people located close to the North Arm of Great Slave Lake.
Behchokö was formally known as Rae-Edzo, the name was officially changed under the Tłįcho agreement in 2005. Although it has always been known as and referred to as Behchokö in the Tłįcho language. Behchokö from the Tłįcho language means "Big Knife". Behchokö is comprised of two communities, Rae and Edzo.
The name, Rae can be traced back to Dr. John Rae, who opened a Hudson's Bay Company post in 1882 at Old Fort Rae about 8 km from the present location, on Marion Lake. Rae is the main community where most of the people and services are located, and houses the central offices for the Tłįcho Government and the Tłįcho Community Services Agency and Tłįcho Investment Corporation.
Taken from the NWT Bureau of Statistic
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Population (2005) 1,951 |
Primary Language (2004)
93.1% speak Tłįcho |
Traditional Activities (2003) 35.3% Hunting & Fishing 15.1% Trapping 38%Consuming Country Foods |
Edzo was named after a historical Tłįcho leader who arranged peace between the Tłįcho and the Yellowknives. Development of Edzo begin in 1965 by the government, to attract residents from Rae to the new community, however many chose to remain in Rae, where hunting, fishing and trapping were more accessible. Today Edzo, is a largely a residential community and home to the Chief Jimmy Bruneau Regional High School. Edzo is located just off of Highway No. 3 and is about 15 km by road from Rae.
Today, many younger residents are employed in Tłįcho companies, in local government and business, or work on rotation at the diamond mines, some 300 km north of the community. However the traditional lifestyle based upon traditional pursuits remains important in Behchokö and hunting, fishing and trapping remain parts of the livelihood of many of our people.
Under Behchokö you will find more information under the following headings:
