The Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation 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 km west of Edmonton. The Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation is a member of Treaty 6.

Reserves

Demographics

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. 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.

Government

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

Events

Pow-wow/Fastpitch tournament

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

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.