Whatì

With rich and varied wildlife, the area has long been a favoured hunting ground of the Tłı̨chǫ (Dogrib Dene) Indigenous people. The North West Company established a trading post there in 1793, and many natives began settling there permanently, while they continued to hunt and fish in the area. With the establishment of a trading post at Fort Rae on Great Slave Lake in the late 19th century, most regional trading was accomplished at the Hudson's Bay Company and free traders posts there. A trading post at Lac La Martre was not again established until the 1920s.Free Traders in Northland Start Again, The Edmonton Bulletin, May 6, 1922

On January 1, 1996, the community officially changed its name from Lac La Martre to the Tłı̨chǫ name "Wha Ti", meaning "Marten Lake," the same meaning as the French and then on August 4, 2005 to the current spelling. Other traditional Tłı̨chǫ names for the settlement include Tsoti{{Pronunciation needed|date=February 2024}} ('fouled water lake') and Mine Go Kola{{Pronunciation needed|date=February 2024}} ('net fishing with houses').

Before 2005, the community was unincorporated, and local governance was provided by a First Nations band government, Wha Ti First Nation. Under the terms of the Tłı̨chǫ Agreement, most responsibilities of Wha Ti have been transferred to a new Whatì Community Government. However, the First Nation is still recognized by the federal government for Indian Act enrollment.

{{stack|{{Historical populations

| title = Federal census population history of Whati

| type = Canada

| align = right

| width =

| state =

| shading =

| percentages =

|1976|213

|1981|268

|1986|345

|1991|392

|1996|418

|2001|453

|2006|460

|2011|492

|2016|470

|2021|543

| footnote =

| source = Statistics Canada
{{cite web | url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/statcan/CS94-905-1981.pdf | title=1981 Census of Canada: Census subdivisions in decreasing population order | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=May 1992 | accessdate=February 1, 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2013/statcan/rh-hc/CS92-101-1987.pdf | title=1986 Census: Population - Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=September 1987 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2013/statcan/rh-hc/CS93-304-1992.pdf | title=91 Census: Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions - Population and Dwelling Counts | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=April 1992 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2012/statcan/rh-hc/CS93-357-1997.pdf | title=96 Census: A National Overview - Population and Dwelling Counts | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=April 1997 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/english/census01/products/standard/popdwell/Table-CSD-P.cfm?T=1&SR=1&S=1&O=A&PR=61 | title=Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, and Census Subdivisions (Municipalities), 2001 and 1996 Censuses - 100% Data (Northwest Territories) | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=August 15, 2012 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/hlt/97-550/Index.cfm?TPL=P1C&Page=RETR&LANG=Eng&T=302&SR=1&S=1&O=A&RPP=9999&CMA=0&PR=61 | title=Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data (Northwest Territories) | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=August 20, 2021 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table-Tableau.cfm?LANG=Eng&T=302&SR=1&S=51&O=A&RPP=9999&CMA=0&PR=61 | title=Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Northwest Territories) | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=July 25, 2021 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table.cfm?Lang=Eng&T=302&SR=1&S=86&O=A&RPP=9999&PR=61 | title=Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Northwest Territories) | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=February 8, 2017 | accessdate=February 1, 2022}}

}}}}

{{stack|{{Historical populations

|align=none

|cols=2

|title=Annual population estimates

|2001|491

|2002|486

|2003|481

|2004|490

|2005|491

|2006|480

|2007|491

|2008|480

|2009|488

|2010|494

|2011|490

|2012|507

|2013|505

|2014|513

|2015|533

|2016|529

|2017|522

|footnote= Sources: NWT Bureau of Statistics (2001 - 2017)[https://www.statsnwt.ca/population/population-estimates/commtotals_2001-2017.xlsx Population Estimates By Community] from the GNWT

}}}}

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Whatì had a population of {{val|543|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|143|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|162|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:543-470}}|470|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|470|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|58.33|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|543|58.33|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202&geocode=A000261 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), Northwest Territories | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=February 18, 2022}}

The majority of the population is Indigenous of which 445 were First Nations and 10 were Métis. The main languages were Dogrib and English with a few North Slavey speakers.

While trapping, hunting, and fishing continue to be the main economic activities in this traditional community, efforts have been made to develop tourism as well. A fishing lodge was opened, and many tourists come to see the abundant wildlife, including black bears, barren-ground caribou, wolves, and eagles. The community takes special pride in the fact that no alcohol is allowed there.

Whatì is part of the Tlicho Government.[http://www.tlicho.ca/community/whati Whatì] at the Tlicho Government

Whatì Airport connects the community by air to the territorial capital Yellowknife.

Whatì is connected to the territorial road network by the Tłı̨chǫ Highway (Northwest Territories Highway 9), an all-season gravel road running from the community to the Yellowknife Highway (Northwest Territories Highway 3). The only road access to Whatì prior to the Tłı̨chǫ Highway opening in 2021 was via winter road.{{cite web|url= https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/news/infrastructure/2019/10/work-begins-on-97-km-all-season-road-in-n-w-t|title=Work begins on 97-km all-season road in N.W.T.|website=canada.constructconnect.com|date=October 23, 2019|access-date=January 28, 2020}}{{cite news |last=Van Dusen |first=John |date=November 30, 2021 |title='The opportunities are endless': Tłı̨chǫ Highway opens, marking a new chapter for Whatì, N.W.T. |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/tlicho-highway-opens-whati-all-season-road-1.6267723 |publisher=CBC News |accessdate=November 30, 2021}}

Telephone service was introduced to Whati in 1982.

Whatì has a subarctic climate (Köppen: Dfc; Trewartha: Ecld) with mild to warm summers and long cold winters.

{{Weather box

|location = Whatì
WMO ID: 71163; Climate ID: 2202678; coordinates {{coordinates|63|08|01.07|N|117|14|41.05|W|type:airport_region:CA-NT|name=Whatì}}; elevation: {{cvt|271.3|m}}; 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1974–present

|metric first = Y

|single line = Y

|Jan maximum humidex = 3.9

|Feb maximum humidex = 6.5

|Mar maximum humidex = 12.7

|Apr maximum humidex = 17.1

|May maximum humidex = 29.1

|Jun maximum humidex = 37.7

|Jul maximum humidex = 36.8

|Aug maximum humidex = 35.2

|Sep maximum humidex = 32.3

|Oct maximum humidex = 17.8

|Nov maximum humidex = 5.4

|Dec maximum humidex = 6.1

|year maximum humidex = 37.7

|Jan record high C = 4.1

|Feb record high C = 7.0

|Mar record high C = 13.1

|Apr record high C = 19.6

|May record high C = 29.1

|Jun record high C = 33.6

|Jul record high C = 33.7

|Aug record high C = 34.4

|Sep record high C = 30.9

|Oct record high C = 18.0

|Nov record high C = 5.6

|Dec record high C = 6.3

|year record high C = 34.4

|Jan high C = -20.6

|Feb high C = -16.9

|Mar high C = -10.3

|Apr high C = 1.3

|May high C = 11.7

|Jun high C = 19.5

|Jul high C = 22.4

|Aug high C = 18.8

|Sep high C = 11.8

|Oct high C = 0.8

|Nov high C = -10.2

|Dec high C = -18.1

|year high C = 0.9

|Jan mean C = -25.1

|Feb mean C = -22.6

|Mar mean C = -17.6

|Apr mean C = -6.0

|May mean C = 5.6

|Jun mean C = 13.5

|Jul mean C = 16.4

|Aug mean C = 13.1

|Sep mean C = 6.9

|Oct mean C = -2.5

|Nov mean C = -14.4

|Dec mean C = -22.5

|year mean C = -4.6

|Jan low C = -29.4

|Feb low C = -28.2

|Mar low C = -24.9

|Apr low C = -13.4

|May low C = -0.5

|Jun low C = 7.4

|Jul low C = 10.4

|Aug low C = 7.4

|Sep low C = 1.9

|Oct low C = -5.7

|Nov low C = -18.6

|Dec low C = -26.9

|year low C = -10.0

|Jan record low C = -48.4

|Feb record low C = -47.4

|Mar record low C = -46.3

|Apr record low C = -41.6

|May record low C = -24.4

|Jun record low C = -5.1

|Jul record low C = -2.0

|Aug record low C = -3.3

|Sep record low C = -9.5

|Oct record low C = -32.4

|Nov record low C = -39.8

|Dec record low C = -46.1

|year record low C = -48.4

|Jan chill = -57.2

|Feb chill = -54.8

|Mar chill = -55.1

|Apr chill = -49.5

|May chill = -28.2

|Jun chill = -13.2

|Jul chill = -3.1

|Aug chill = -6.8

|Sep chill = -17.0

|Oct chill = -36.7

|Nov chill = -45.2

|Dec chill = -53.0

|year chill = -57.2

|humidity colour = green

|time day = 1500 LST

|Jan humidity = 77.8

|Feb humidity = 73.3

|Mar humidity = 59.3

|Apr humidity = 49.5

|May humidity = 46.6

|Jun humidity = 46.7

|Jul humidity = 48.7

|Aug humidity = 57.0

|Sep humidity = 63.7

|Oct humidity = 80.7

|Nov humidity = 85.8

|Dec humidity = 81.0

|year humidity = 64.2

|source 1 = Environment and Climate Change Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020{{cite web

|publisher = Environment and Climate Change Canada

|url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=NT&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=417000000&dispBack=0

|id = Climate ID: 2202678

|title = Whati

|work = Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020

|access-date = 2024-11-14

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20241114210521/https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=NT&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=417000000&dispBack=0

|archive-date = 2024-11-14

|url-status=live}}

}}

• List of municipalities in the Northwest Territories
• Whatì Airport
• Whatì Water Aerodrome

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{Commons category-inline}}
• [https://www.tlicho.ca/community/whati Official website]

{{Communities of Northwest Territories}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whati, Northwest Territories}}

Category:Communities in the North Slave Region

Category:Tłı̨chǫ community governments in the Northwest Territories

Category:North West Company

Category:Dene communities