Clothing is, and always has been, a distinctive aspect of the culture of the Dene, the Athapaskan-speaking peoples of Canada's Northwest Territories. The skill and artistry embodied in many of the oldest garments testify to a tradition that was already ancient when Europeans first penetrated North America's western subarctic regions.

Summer tunic, Gwich’in type, ca. 1875.
Canadian Museum of Civilization VI-Z-184

These early garments were produced by a people for whom mere survival in a harsh northern environment must often have been a challenge, yet who found the time and creative energy to make clothing that was not only highly functional, but beautiful as well. The arrival of foreigners in Dene territory in the late eighteenth century and the involvement of the indigenous people in the European fur trade initiated a period of rapid cultural and historical change. Fashions in dress and adornment reflected Native people's exposure to foreign technologies, goods, and styles. Yet beneath the outward changes in materials, forms, and design lie continuities in function, technology, and aesthetics.

Boy’s winter outfit, Gwich’in, 1989, made by Florence Peterson, Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories.
Canadian Museum of Civilization VI-I-86, 89, 90

Today, despite the widespread availability and popularity of imported factory-made clothing, sewing in a distinctive cultural tradition remains a vital and respected activity in many Dene communities. Garments are produced for everyday and special-occasion wear as well as for sale to non-Natives. Modern seamstresses have absorbed much of southern, white culture into their work, but they have processed it in their own way: what they make reflects Dene tastes and traditions.

	Traditional Summer Clothing
	Traditional Winter Clothing
	Slavey Woman's Outfit
	Fur Trade Period Clothing
	Modern Dene Sewing