Social Organization

Athabaskans regarded themselves foremost as members of small local bands and not as part of a larger Athabaskan nation. Each band usually had 20 to 50 members, but might be larger. The nucleus of a local band was often a single family, and one's local band was the most important social unit.  Such bands normally had informal leaders. This person might be a skillful hunter, a respected elder, or the wealthiest member of the group.

Each local band belonged to a larger regional group that shared the same language and occupied a defined territory. A regional group had several hundred to 1,000 people but was not politically united. 

Group formation depended on the number of people who could use the available resources most efficiently.  Summer fish camp or fall caribou hunts could unite the entire regional group.  When resources were harder to find in winter and other times of the year, they would separate into the smaller local bands.  Regional groups would also come together for festivals at designated times.

Each person was free to choose which band they belonged to.  Generally, they were accepted as long as a person had relatives in a band.  Individuals could change bands based on personality conflict, marriage, or game availability. 

Relations between neighboring bands were not always friendly. Raids on another group or other neighboring cultures were common. Fighting normally consisted of surprise raids and ambushes rather than a planned large battle.  Raids often led to return attacks.  

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