Nakoda

Nakoda, also spelled Nakota, is the designation used for a group of Sioux-speaking Indigenous peoples in North America. The Nakoda are part of the broader Sioux language family, and the name is often used by the people themselves for their language and identity. The Nakota languages are one of the three major divisions of the Sioux language, closely related to Dakota and Lakota.

Historically, Nakota-speaking groups inhabited the northern Great Plains, including regions of present-day Alberta and Saskatchewan, as well as portions of Montana and North Dakota. They were nomadic hunter-hunters who relied on bison and horse culture, living in tipis and moving with seasonal herd migrations. They participated in regional trade networks and formed alliances with neighboring tribes.

In Canada, the best-known Nakoda community is the Stoney Nakoda Nation, based in Morley, Alberta, near Calgary. The Stoney Nakoda Nation comprises three bands: Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Wesley. The nation is recognized within Canada’s treaty framework and maintains cultural programs, language preservation efforts, and governance structures.

Today, Nakoda communities continue to preserve cultural traditions, language, beadwork, and ceremonies, while engaging with contemporary governance, education, and economic development. The Nakoda people are part of the broader Indigenous landscape of Canada and the United States, contributing to regional history and contemporary society.

See also: Stoney Nakoda, Assiniboine, Sioux, Indigenous peoples of North America.