The Contact History of the Subarctic Athapaskans:

The Death of Barbue, a Kutchin Trading Chief

“…In the analysis of events in the western Canadian Subarctic in the post-European contact period, it has been customary to divide the historic continuum into several stages or eras. Labels suggested for the era that includes the early 19th century in this region are: "aboriginal-early contact horizon" (Helm andDamas, 1963); "era of early contacts" and "stabilized fur and mission stage" (Helm and Leacock, 1971); and "incipientearly contact" and "contact-traditional'' stages (Helm et al, 1975). The terms preferred here, because they do not presume stability, tradition, or change are: protohistoric (Bishop and Ray, 1976) for the stage that begins with the first knowledge of European presence; and the earlyfur trade era, which is initiated by fairly regular, direct trade with Eurocanadianseither at a post in or near a particular group's territory, or by travel to a more distant post.…”

The Subarctic Fur Trade: Native Social and Economic Adaptations, edited by Shepard Krech III

“…Literature about the impact of the fur trade on subarctic native cultures is controversial and sometimes acrimonious. Perhaps the most significant and worthwhile outcome of this volume is a consensus on the inadequacies of a chronological framework used by many subarctic specialists to analyse the historical period: it is a framework suggesting that significant changes in subarctic native cultures did not take place until recently (Helm and Leacock, 1971;Helm et al, 1975;Helm et al, 1981). While the complex supporting arguments differ, there is an essential agreement that significant changes in productive activities and structural changes in subarctic native economy and society are deeply embedded in the fur trade.…”