Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation

(Redirected from Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation)

The Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation (Stoney: Cade Wicashdabi[2]) no. 437 is a Nakoda First Nation with reserves near Edmonton, Hinton, and Whitecourt, in the Canadian province of Alberta, and headquartered at 54° N and 114°, about 85 kilometres (53 mi) west of Edmonton. The Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation is a member of Treaty 6.

Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation
Band No. 133
Cade Wicashdabi
Land[1]
Main reserveAlexis Indian Reserve 133
Other reserve(s)
Land area144.79 km2
Population (January 2022)[1]
On reserve1,229
Off reserve965
Total population2,194
Government[1]
ChiefTony Alexis
Council size7
Tribal Council[1]
Yellowhead Tribal Development Foundation (fr)

Reserves

edit
Alexis Nakota Sioux reserves
Reserve Location Area (hectares)
Alexis Indian Reserve 133 70 km NW of Edmonton 6175.2
Alexis Cardinal River Indian Reserve 234 73 km SE of Hinton 4661
Alexis Elk River Indian Reserve 233 87 km SE of Hinton 98
Alexis Whitecourt Indian Reserve 232 13 km NW of Whitecourt 3544.9

Demographics

edit

As of March, 2019, the total registered population of Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation is 2036 persons. There are 508 registered males, and 459 females living on their own reserve. [3]

Members of Alexis First Nation are of the "Stoney" or "Nakoda" ethnic group. The Stoney are sometimes considered part of the Assiniboine. The terms "Stoney" and "Assiniboine" stem from outsider's descriptions of how those peoples cooked by using heated stones (Assiniboine originates from the Ojibwe language; asinii meaning "stoney" and bwaan meaning "cooker"). The term Sioux is also an outsider's description used by the French to describe the Dakota and Lakota Nations in the United States. The Dakota and Lakota in Canada are non-treaty First Nations. Their traditional language is Nakoda/Stoney, and their endonym is I'sga I?abi.[4]

Government

edit

Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation has a custom electoral system based on section 10 of the Indian Act.[5] Current chief and council were elected on June 14, 2022, and will hold their positions until June 17, 2026.[6]

Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation Chief and Council
Title Name
Chief Tony Alexis
Councillor Darwin Alexis
Councillor Dwayne Alexis
Councillor Hank Alexis
Councillor Tina Cardinal
Councillor Darren Kootenay
Councillor Lonnie Letendre
Councillor Emily Potts

Events

edit

Pow-wow/Fastpitch tournament

edit
 
In the arbor during the grand entry, Alexis powwow 2007.

The Alexis Annual Pow-wow Celebrations and Fastpitch Tournament is held on the Alexis reserve each summer in July. The Fastpitch tournament draws prizes of about $14,000 depending on the number of teams entered. The Pow-wow is generally divided into various categories, such as a drum contest and dance contests based on ages and/or styles. Competitors from many different First Nations participate.

Lac Ste. Anne Pilgrimage

edit

The main townsite is located on the shores of Lac Ste. Anne, which the Nakota Sioux call Wakâmne, or God's lake. Every summer there is a pilgrimage to the lake which is attended by up to 40,000 over four days, most of First Nations and Métis descent.

 
Lac Ste. Anne pilgrims enter the waters during the blessing of the lake.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Metis Settlements and First Nations in Alberta: Community Profiles" (PDF). Ministry of Indigenous Relations. April 2022.
  2. ^ Stoney Language Dictionary
  3. ^ "Indian and Northern Affairs Canada First Nations Profile", Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Government of Canada, retrieved 2012-04-21
  4. ^ "Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation - Our Language". Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation. 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  5. ^ Indian Act, 1985 ss.2-10 (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 2004-01-05, retrieved 2007-07-23
  6. ^ "Governance". Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. 16 January 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
edit