Welcome to the 2025 Nakota Language Conference
Theme: Watezehebi Yobami – Honouring Our Youth
On behalf of the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, we are honoured to welcome you to the 2025 Nakota Language Conference in Edmonton, Alberta. This year’s theme, Watezehebi Yobami—Honouring Our Youth—reflects our deep commitment to empowering Nakota youth as leaders and caretakers of our language, culture, and identity.
Our Nation is facing a critical time. A language assessment conducted in November 2024 revealed that only 9% of our members are fluent in Nakota, with the majority of fluent speakers aged 55 and older. This conference is a vital step toward reversing language loss by focusing on youth as the heart of revitalization efforts.
Throughout this gathering, we will work together to:
• Empower our youth to lead language preservation efforts and strengthen cultural identity.
• Co-create a youth-led language framework that supports revitalization at home, in schools, and through modern technology.
• Build intergenerational connections through mentorship between Elders and young learners.
• Promote cultural reconnection through ceremonies, land-based learning, and traditional practices.
• Establish lasting community engagement through the creation of a Youth Language Advisory Circle to lead future language initiatives.
We are proud to host a rich, multi-day program that brings together youth, Elders, leaders, and community members in celebration and action:
Conference Overview
Day One: Setting the Foundation
• Opening Ceremony
• Grand Entry
• Nakota Chiefs’ Dinner
• Live Entertainment by Youth
Day Two: Learning and Leadership
• Keynote Address: Chief Arvol Looking Horse
19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe, and Spiritual Leader of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota Oyate
• Youth Presentations, Workshops, and Breakout Sessions
Day Three: Mobilizing for the Future
• Youth Panel
• Language Revitalization Circle
• Closing Ceremony and Activities
This conference is not just a gathering—it is a movement. Together, we honour the voices of our youth, uplift our language, and take collective steps to ensure that the Nakota language thrives for generations to come.
Welcome, and thank you for being part of this journey.
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