tqʷəlqʷiltmnt
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Join us for an important session during SAAM focused on Sexual Assault Education. This event will provide foundational knowledge and practical tools to help build safer communities through awareness and prevention.
Topics:
- What is sexual assault?
- Understanding age of consent laws
- General training on recognizing and responding to disclosures
- How to support survivors with empathy and respect
- Review of local and national resources available for support and reporting
tqʷəlqʷiltmnt – talk about it
Whether you’re a student, educator, caregiver, or community member, this session is open to all and encourages meaningful dialogue and learning. Let’s work together to create a culture of consent, respect, and support.
Calling all Syilx Elders to join us for another fall luncheon. We can visit, laugh, and share stories! The n̓xaʔcín̓ luncheon will feature music, bingo, and door prizes!
Open to Syilx Nation elders.
OIB April 16 (1)
The Okanagan Nation Alliance would like to welcome Syilx Nation Members to join us for the xʷəxʷmínaʔ (Trout) Fishery. We will be fishing for rainbow trout and bull trout and connecting with our tmxʷulaxʷ (land) and siwɬkʷ (water).
Location: The fishery will occur at the Lardeau River outlet, near the bridge at the southern end of Trout Lake near Gerrard, BC.
Time: Fishery to start at sunrise and run throughout the day and weekend. Camping on-site is encouraged!
Open to all Syilx Nation Members | Travel Support Available
We welcome any Syilx Nation members who would like to participate in this food fishery to please find contact information below. ONA Fisheries will be on-site with rods and reels.
For more Info About The Fishery: Ross Zeleznik, Fisheries Biologist at rzeleznik@syilx.org or 250-365-0340
For more Info About Travel Support: Raven Mikuletic, Communications Coordinator at rmikuletic@syilx.org or 250-707-0095 ext. 121
Lardeau Fishery Poster 2025
Join the Nation Child and Family Team as we present to Chief & Council and language speakers with the neqsiltet Family Declaration.
The neqsiltet Family Declaration was developed by elders and knowledge keepers, who worked together to support the Nation’s families to revitalize aspects of our sqilxʷ/syilx/sʔukʷnaqínx ways of being and knowing.
*Lunch will be provided!
Open to All Syilx Nation Members & Community Members
USIB Family Declaration Presentation and Luncheon 2025
skc exwexwipla / uł stełtalt
The Annual General Assembly takes place each year, along with the Syilx Youth Leadership Gathering. The event brings together the Syilx Okanagan Nation to celebrate our accomplishments and provide an opportunity for Nation members to come together. The AGA is hosted by each of the Syilx Okanagan communities on a rotating basis.
The 2025 AGA and YLG will be hosted by the Upper Nicola Band. Exact location to be determined soon!
AGA 2025 Poster
We run for our people and our land
The Unity Run emerged in June 2009, as a response to youth requesting to come together and find a way to raise awareness about suicide and violence in their communities. This event allows the ONA to engage with the youth in the community, provides a significant opportunity to reach the ever-growing number of youth among the eight member communities and hearing what issues are important to them. Between 140 and 200 Okanagan Nation members will come together over the multi-day event, with a minimum of 100 partakers joining for the entire event. Based on the previous years, the average age of runners will be in between the ages of 14 and 18, with the youngest runner being 5 and the oldest in their 60’s.
The majority of the runners will be members of Okanagan Nation communities who are chaperoned by designated community members. If you have youth that would like to participate, please contact your local member community youth worker or Wellness/Health department. If you would like to bring your own youth or yourselves please register directly with the ONA.
This event occurs annually on the first weekend in June!
Donations:
If you are interested in donating to the Spirit of Syilx Unity Run for Suicide and Violence Awareness, please see payment options below:
- E-transfer to etransfertd@syilx.org (we are registered for auto-deposit – no password required)
- Please include a note for your e-transfer in the message box stating “Donation – Unity Run 2024”
- Cheques payable to “Okanagan Nation Alliance” (please see mailing address below)
- Please include a note of your cheque in the memo box stating “Donation – Unity Run 2024”
- Cash donations can be dropped off at our main office
Mailing Address: 101-3535 Old Okanagan Hwy, Westbank BC V4T 3L7
kł cp’elk’ stim’
This ceremonial release of Okanagan Sockeye fry takes place by members of the Syilx Okanagan Nation and over 430 students from local schools so that kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓ (cause to come back) will continue. These fry have been raised as part of Okanagan Nation Alliance’s (ONA) Fish in Schools Program along with fry from the hatchery. ntyitix (salmon) is central to the Syilx Okanagan peoples creation stories and through our captikwl (oral history), passed down through generations; it is our responsibility to be stewards of our lands and waters. These ceremonies with our language, songs and prayers are an integral part of the work that we continue, to ensure our efforts to revitalize our culture. For thousands of years these ceremonies and customs have been brought forward for our children.
Everyone is welcome to attend and participate. Due to logistics, we ask that all large groups please contact the organizer prior to attending.
snpintktn, Penticton Fry Release Location (Skaha Lake East Marina)
nɬəɬt́pmuscin, Vernon Fry Release Location (by Marshall Fields Dog Park)
kiʔláwnaʔ, Kelowna Fry Release Location (Rotary Beach Park)
sənƛ̓uxuxtan, Six Mile Creek Fry Release Location (by OKIB Fire Hall)
snɬuxwqnm, Castlegar Fry Release Location (Millennium Park)
takliʕaickst, Slocan Fry Release Location (Village of Slocan Boat Ramp)
snkx̌ykntn, Revelstoke Fry Release Location (Centennial Park Boat Launch)
sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ Park (Okanagan Falls Provincial Park)
Spallumcheen River Release Location (Cherryville Recreation Site)
Salmon River Release Location (Tim’s By The River Campsite)
Please Note: Locations may not be exact but ONA Signage and vehicles will be onsite to assist.
Fry Release Poster 2025
