The Okanagan Nation Alliance is proud to announce our new book, qʷʕay snk̓lip Blue Coyote by Billie Kruger, which will be launched at the Okanagan Nation Wellness Gathering November 20, 2019. Billie is an Okanagan Nation interdisciplinary artist from the Okanagan Indian Band. She studied at the En’owkin Center and Paul Creek Language Association and is a beginner speaker of the nsyilxcәn language. Billie has created many works: sewing, beading, and traditional art practice. She has a strong connection to the land and her ancestors to which she attributes her success as an artist.

The book is a contemporary Syilx captikwł about snk̓lip, a gorgeous being created by k̓ʷəlncutn to rid the world of nʔaɬnaʔsqilxʷtn in preparation for the sqilxw that would come. snk̓lip was made to be courageous, strong, and intelligent and was gifted with special powers to aid him in transforming the nʔaɬnaʔsqilxʷtn. snk̓lip was confident in his abilities to carry out this important job, sometimes a little too confident. Eventually, after battling countless nʔaɬnaʔsqilxʷtn so bravely, the burden of the enormous responsibility began to ware on snk̓lip. He became exhausted and his anxiety grew with each battle. snk̓lip fell into a deep depression and was filled with shame, hate and anger towards himself. Even the support of his friends and family could not help him, only snk̓lip could help himself. Through ceremony, connecting to the land, and sharing his story could snk̓lip begin to heal and reclaim his power.

The Okanagan Nation Alliance is committed to ensuring that our captikwł, our nsyilxcən language, and our Syilx teachings continue to shape our path forward. This book was created as a resource in hopes that it will create a greater awareness of mental health issues while providing an opportunity for greater mindfulness of the importance cultural identity and community play in the well-being of First Nations. A growing body of research shines a light on how such connections to community and land cannot only prevent, but also restore physical, mental and spiritual well-being of our people. These cultural practices of connecting to our land have always been an intrinsic part of Syilx life.

 

---

Brittany Mullin Brittany has completed her Bachelor of Dental Science at UBC Vancouver, and is setting her sights on the next academic endeavor. In September 2019 Brittany will begin a Master’s in Public Health program at The University of Victoria. She wishes to broaden her lens and work more with communities, helping those who may […]

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Territory: From August 27-28, 2019, the Okanagan Nation hosted the ‘Purple Ribbon Campaign Caravan” as part of International Overdose Awareness Day. This Caravan saw people from across the Syilx Okanagan territory rally and travel to various communities, sharing resources and bringing awareness to the issue of the pervasive drug and opioid crisis […]

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Territory: On July 31, 2019, the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) will host the “Syilx Well-Being: Nation Drug Forum”. This Drug Forum is part of a broader stream of work carried out by the ONA that affirms our continued commitment to bring awareness to the issue of the pervasive drug and opioid crisis […]

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Territory: The ONA congratulates Syilx Okanagan Nation member, Coralee Miller, as the artist of the 2019 Okanagan Nation Salmon Feast logo. Every year the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) has a Nation community member create an original design to represent the annual Okanagan Nation Salmon Feast. As Coralee states ” I am of […]

In the spirit of partnership and reconciliation, a landmark agreement to explore salmon reintroduction into the Columbia River Basin between the Syilx Okanagan, Ktunaxa and Secwepemc Indigenous Nations, Canada and British Columbia was signed today in Castlegar. The Letter of Agreement is a commitment by the five governments to collaborate on exploring the reintroduction of […]

Upholding their mandate to protect and advance Syilx People’s Title and Rights, the Chiefs Executive Council has been negotiating with Canada at a Recognition of Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination table. We know who we are. Through this process, the government of Canada can finally and formally tell itself and all of its bodies to recognize […]

Way’ Chiefs, Councillors and Membership, Following the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) Annual General Assembly of July 17-18, 2019, it is important to emphasize that the proposed Recognition Agreement process is one of de-colonization where we as members of the Syilx Nation finally hold the power to decide how we are to govern our collectively-held territorial […]

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Okanagan Territory: The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) is proud to announce that our Annual General Assembly (AGA) will take place from July 17-18, 2019. This event provides Syilx Okanagan people with the opportunity to gather as a Nation, celebrate the many successes that have taken place for our people over the last […]

As of July 9, 2019, about 57,875 Sockeye have entered the Columbia River. It is estimated that 75-85% will return to the Okanagan. In total, we are anticipating there will be 60,000 sockeye returning to the Columbia, with 45,000 to 51,000 sockeye heading to the Okanagan. These low returns are a result of poor migration […]

sɬuxʷqaynm (Castlegar), Syilx Territory: On June 24, 2019, as part of the Okanagan Nation Alliance’s (ONA) ongoing effort to bring salmon back to the Upper Columbia, a sockeye fry release and cpu taʔstm iʔ xaʔxʔitət uɬ ck ́aʕxtm iʔ ntytyix Salmon Ceremony took place at Millennium Park in sɬuxʷqaynm, BC. These actions are central to Syilx […]

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Okanagan Territory: The Chiefs of the Syilx Okanagan Nation welcome the May 2, 2019 decision of the British Columbia Court of Appeal in R. v. Desautel, recognizing and protecting Sinixt Aboriginal hunting rights in B.C. Sinixt are inextricably linked to our broader Syilx Okanagan Nation, sharing common language, culture, history, traditions and […]

The BC Wildfire Service, the Okanagan Nation Alliance and the Lower Similkameen Indian Band plan to conduct a 192-hectare prescribed burn near Crater Mountain, about 15 kilometres west of Keremeos. The burn is the first phase of a comprehensive, multi-year project that is intended to improve bighorn sheep habitat, reduce wildfire threats to nearby communities […]

scʕaxans nhithitwəl̓ (Peachland Watershed), Syilx Territory: On March 22, 2019, as part of World Water Day, the Okanagan Nation hosted the 5th annual siwɬkʷ (Water) Forum. This year’s theme was ‘Collaborative Approach to Water Resiliency: Protecting Our Headwaters’, and in collaboration with the Town of Peachland, focused on the health and protection of the scʕaxans […]

As part of Budget 2019, First Nations in British Columbia will have a stable, long-term source of funding to invest in their communities’ priorities, through a historic revenue-sharing agreement between the Province and the First Nations Leadership Council. Starting April 2019, approximately $3 billion over 25 years will be shared with B.C. First Nations, meaning […]

BRIEFING NOTE TO: UBCIC CHIEFS COUNCIL FROM: UBCIC EXECUTIVE DATE: FEB 19, 2019 RE: BC SPEECH FROM THE THRONE, 2019 PURPOSE To provide a summary and analysis of the reforms and initiatives presented in the Throne Speech delivered at the BC Legislature in Victoria. BACKGROUND Lieutenant-Governor Janet Austin initiated the spring session of BC legislature […]

Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, BC – On February 13, 2019, the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA), as part of the Fish in Schools (FinS) program, will deliver the final round of sc’win (sockeye salmon) eggs or fry to participating schools within the Columbia region of Syilx territory. ONA’s FinS is a comprehensive fish education program for […]

We would like to recognize BRIDGES participant Tara Stanley, Wey’ my name is Tara Stanley, my father is Bruce Abel from Westbank First Nation and my mother the late Theresa (Tess) Stanley from Akisq’nuk. My Maternal grandparents are the late Doreen Stanley (?Akisq’nuk) and the late Albert Ignatius (Yaqan Nukiy), my paternal grandparents are Edna […]

We would like to recognize BRIDGES participant Taylor Lezard,  My name is Taylor Lezard, I am from the Penticton Indian Band. An employment goal of mine is to find a career as an esthetician in a high end spa. I am continuously educating myself. I have just completed my esthetics program and am currently finishing off […]

Healthy Schools Cooking in the Classroom update: Since September 2018, ONA has provided to the Okanagan Schools through the Health Promoting Schools programming. Over 90 students, at 3 schools have had the opportunity to participate in cooking, and enjoying foods based learning at school! I hope the pictures convey the absolute excitement and joy the kids […]

One of the lowest returns in the past 10 years of scwin is expected in 2019. ONA biologists have analyzed a number of data sets*, and are currently forecasting lower than average returns of adult sc’win for the 2019 fishing season. In comparison to the previous 10-year avg., our predictions suggest there will be 50% […]