When the men of the North West Company first arrived in the Stuart Lake area in the early 1800s, they realized that to succeed, they needed to fit into the existing Dakelh trade network. The First Nations people immediately realized that it was advantageous to trade with these newcomers.

 Without the assistance of the Dakelh and other First Nations people, the men of the North West Company would not have survived the harsh winters of this area, and Fraser and his crew would not completed their journey. Traditional skills such as canoe making, hunting, fishing, snowshoe making, net making, hunting and gathering, preparing and storing food and ensuring shelter all were valued by the North West Company men. It became advantageous to both groups to intermarry. The Dakelh women, many of whom were daughters of chiefs, were able to establish trading partnerships that were useful to their extended families. In turn, the Nor’ Westers gained life partners that were invaluable to survival and success.