Kazan River

History

The abundance of wildlife along and close to the river attracted both the Caribou Inuit and the Chipewyan Sayisi Dene for about 5,000 years. Originally, the Caribou Inuit did not live in the area but returned to the coast for the winter. In the 18th century, Dene use of the area declined and Caribou Inuit, especially the Harvaqtuurmiut ("people of the Harvaqtuuq") and Ihalmiut bands, began to live along the river year round. Remnants of Ihalmiut campsites, and those of the Dene may be found along the river. Although the Inuit today no longer live along the river, they do still travel it to hunt and fish.

The first European to visit the area was Samuel Hearne in 1770 at Yathkyed Lake. However, the river was not mapped until visited by Canadian geologist and cartographer Joseph Tyrrell in 1894. Explorer Knud Rasmussen also visited the area in 1921–1924 during the Fifth Thule Expedition.