Elder Peter Alexis mourned

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The Stoney people of the Alexis community recently lost Peter Alexis, one of their foremost spiritual Elders, who died suddenly on February 28, 1986.

Alexis Indian Reserve is located about 50 miles north-east of Edmonton.

Peter Alexis, who previously had heart trouble, passed away at 77 years old during a religious ceremony. He was singing a traditional drum song at a seasonal prayer gather-ing held at Buck Lake, Alberta.

Alexis is remembered as a hunter, trapper, family man and most of all, as a spiritual guide and leader of Stoney traditional religious practices.

Alexis promoted his culture, by his living example of following tribal customs in the traditional manner.

He had counselled people not to forget how to pray and give thanks to the Creator for all they have in life.

In a recent interview, Alice Alexis spoke fondly of her late husband, as she looked back on 54 years of marriage with Peter. She remembers him as being a very kind, open-minded and devoted family man. She saw that he not only preached self-reliance and moderation but followed his own advice in his daily life.

"We did not rely on welfare, we raised our children in the Indian way, taking care of their health needs with traditional medicine. There were times when we had no doctors, not even aspirin," said Mrs. Alexis.

Peter Alexis had played a lead role in holding traditional sweats, sundances, and ghost dances. Alexis was also a devout Catholic and made annual pilgrimages to Lac St. Anne. He was often joined by his grandchildren and other relatives, walking either from Alexis or Drayton Valley to the popular religious shrine.

To support his family, Alexis was open to both traditional and modern means.

He had pursued his love of hunting and trapping near Drayton Valley where he had a trapline. Even his older age did not stop him from going on regular visits to his trapline earlier this year. Alexis was also one of the first to raise cattle and horses on the Alexis reserve. Each spring, Alexis planted a garden and encouraged others to do the same.

At a recent Indian Elders meeting held on the Montana Reserve, Alexis spoke in favour of protecting the hunting and trapping rights of Treaty Indians.

"It is our right to survive the way we want in this country. Why are they limiting our access to our livelihood," said Alexis in protest of government and industry actions that restrict hunting rights.

The restrictions, Alexis said, includes a rule that people have to have a game license before they can sell moose hides and the disturbance of game by workers clearing land in traditional hunting areas.

Percy Potts, Indian Association of Alberta, Treaty 6 vice president, remembers

his uncle as a man who taught him the requirements of life and ways to achieve those requirements. "He was a man of faith who really expressed his beliefs in sharing and caring," said Potts.

Anthony Potts, 82, also remembers his brother-in-law, Peter Alexis, as a spiritual leader who would teach "the pipe" and other practices to young people.

"He was truly one who followed his culture," said Potts. "Peter had the gift to lead spiritual ceremonies like the ghost dance."

Peter Alexis is survived by his wife, Alice, his sons Solomon, Fred and Benny and his daughters, Susan, Ida, Florence, Theresa, Diana and Doreen. He is also survived by 28 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

Peter Alexis was predeceased by five of his children and his brother Alex.