Nakoda (Stoney) facts for kids
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The Nakoda people, also known as Stoney or Îyârhe Nakoda, are an Indigenous people from Western Canada. They originally lived in parts of the United States too.
Long ago, they lived across large areas of what is now Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Montana. Today, their special reserve lands are mainly in Alberta and Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan, they are very similar to the Assiniboine people.
The Nakoda are related to the Dakota and Lakota nations. These groups are all part of the larger Sioux Nation. They share similar languages and come from the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains regions.
In their own language, they call themselves "Nakoda". This word means friend or ally. The name "Stoney" was given to them by early explorers. It came from their unique way of cooking. They would use fire-heated rocks to boil broth in bowls made of animal hide. The Nakoda are very closely related to the Assiniboine, who are sometimes called Stone Sioux.
In Alberta, the Nakoda First Nation includes three main groups: the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Wesley bands.
The Stoney people were not allowed in Banff National Park between 1890 and 1920. However, in 2010, they were officially welcomed back to the park.
Nakoda Groups
The Nakoda people are descendants of different groups from the Sioux Nation. These include the Dakota, Lakota, and especially western groups of the Assiniboine. The Nakoda became their own separate group around 1744.
The Nakoda were divided into two main tribal groups. These groups lived in different areas and spoke slightly different dialects. Each main group also had several smaller bands:
- Wood Stoney (Chan Tonga Nakoda): This name means ‘Big Woods People’. They were the northern tribal group.
- Alexis' band: This group included Stoney, Métis, and Woodland Cree people.
- Paul's band: This band was made up of Dane-zaa, Stoney, Woodland Cree, and Iroquois people.
- Mountain Stoney (Ye Xa Yabine Nakoda or Hebina): This means ‘Rock Mountain People’. They were the southern tribal group.
- Wesley's (Goodstoney's) band: This group included Stoney, Plains Cree, and Métis people.
- Chiniki's band: This band was made up of Métis, Stoney, and Plains Cree people.
- Bearspaw's band: This group included Stoney and Cree people.
- Sharphead's band: Also known as Wolf Creek Stoney or Pigeon Lake Stoney. This band included Stoney and Métis people.
Important Treaties
Treaties are special agreements between nations. They help define rights and responsibilities.
In 1877, members of the Nakoda nations from Paul and Alexis signed an agreement called an adhesion to Treaty 6.
Also in 1877, leaders from the Nakoda Nations of Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Wesley met with representatives of the British Crown. They discussed the terms of Treaty 7. In this agreement, the Crown promised to respect the Nakoda's right to govern themselves. They also agreed to protect their traditional way of life.
In return for using their traditional lands, the Nakoda were promised special reserve lands. These lands were about 279 square kilometers (108 square miles). They were located along the Bow River, between the Kananaskis River and the Ghost River. These lands became the Big Horn, Stoney, and Eden Valley reserves. These reserves are shared by the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Wesley tribes.
