As Syilx people, gathering together for an event is a time honoured tradition. From gathering together for storytelling in the winters, or in the summers to fish, events continue to hold an important role in our daily lives.
Continuation of multicommunal social institutions of interaction, of kinship, gathering, and practicing activities language and ceremony is a vital contribution in today’s day and age, building or enhancing relationship support and help and identity for all involved. The concept of getting to know the land and each other is a long-term practice in health and well-being in all aspects of traditional land management and self-care. These community focused events help encourage and instill cultural teachings, education and awareness for the Nation and the public, build success in terms of understanding cultural identity through holistic occasions such as the Unity Run, R’Native Voice, and Youth Leadership Gathering. These events give cause to ignite the spark and passion in the journey that youth, women, men, and elders transition through.
Upcoming Events
Syilx Hunting Camp October 18 @ 8:00 am
The Syilx Hunting Camp is a community-led initiative, supported by the Okanagan Nation Alliance, that takes place annually in October. The camp brings our people together on the land to…
PIB Open House October 21 @ 2:00 pm
ONA Open House Join us for the ONA Open House, a chance to come together, connect with one another, and learn more about the programs and services supporting our Syilx…
Coyote Rivers Tour October 30 @ 6:00 pm
Okanagan Nation Alliance and Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre are proud sponsors of the four-part performance, “Epic Misadventures of the Trickster Coyote”, by Julian Brave NoiseCat. Award-winning author, Oscar-nominated filmmaker, and…
Elder’s Luncheons November 3 @ 11:00 am
The Syilx Elders Luncheons are gatherings organized by the Okanagan Nation Alliance to bring Syilx Nation Elders together to reconnect, share stories, enjoy a meal, and spend time with one…
Annual Events Spirit of Syilx Unity Run + Spirit of Syilx Unity Run The Okanagan Nation Alliance’s Annual “Spirit of Syilx” Unity Run takes place with over 100 youth and members from across the Syilx Nation to create awareness on suicide and violence. Participants run over 330 km starting from the previous end point. This annual run started in 2009 with the three major goals: to create awareness of high violence in our Nation, to promote Nationhood among Syilx youth and to promote healthy living.
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Fry Releases + Fry Releases The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) continues the work of restoring salmon throughout our territory – releasing hundreds of thousands of sockeye fry into the Okanagan and Columbia basin creeks, rivers, and lakes. Eggs are raised to the fry stage in either the kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓ Hatchery or in classrooms through the Okanagan and Columbia as part of our Fish in Schools (FinS) program, which provides students a hands-on opportunity to learn about their lifecycle and the importance of their ecosystems.
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Annual General Assembly & Syilx Youth Leadership Gathering + Annual General Assembly & Syilx Youth Leadership Gathering 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.
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Salmon Feast + Salmon Feast The Salmon Feast is a three-day event that involves multiple activities including: ceremonies, a canoe paddle, and a salmon feast and ceremony on the Sunday for snxaʔl̓iwlem, honouring the sacredness of the river. The event upholds and celebrates the cultural traditions of the Syilx people, while drawing attention to the shared responsibility we all have to care for and protect our environment.
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capti’kʷl: k̓ʷəck̓ʷəcstimʔ iʔ stəɬtaɬtet + capti’kʷl: k̓ʷəck̓ʷəcstimʔ iʔ stəɬtaɬtet The Okanagan Nation Alliance, in collaboration with the En’owkin Centre, organizes several captikʷɬ Forums each year. These forums aim to gather feedback and foster community engagement by exploring the teachings within Syilx captikʷɬ in the context of policy and planning, as well as Syilx Nation building.
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Grandmother’s Gathering + Grandmother’s Gathering This event holds space for our syilx Grandmothers to support the implementation of the Nation’s axá iʔ sccuntət iʔ tl x̌aʔxitət x̌l iʔ nəqsil̓tət (Family Declaration) and the development of a written syilx Family Law. As part of this work, grandmothers are standing up their traditional roles through action planning to strengthen syilx families and the grandmothers’ personal cultural learning and healing through our sqilxʷ / syilx / sʔukʷnaqínx ways.
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Salmon Calling Ceremonies + Salmon Calling Ceremonies Salmon Calling Ceremonies are sacred gatherings held to honour, pray for, and call our ntytyix (salmon) back to their ancestral waterways. The ceremonies take place at 5 significant locations along the Columbia River system: Kettle Falls, Castlegar, Revelstoke, McIntyre Dam, and Enloe Dam.
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xʷəxʷmínaʔ Fishery +
xʷəxʷmínaʔ Fishery Syilx Nation Members are invited each spring, usually late April-early May, to the annual xʷəxʷmínaʔ (trout) Fishery. Participants fish for rainbow and bull trout while connecting with the tmxʷulaxʷ (land) and siwɬkʷ (water).
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River Restoration Workshop + River Restoration Workshop The Okanagan Nation Alliance in collaboration with many project partners have been successfully restoring spawning and rearing habitat for salmon in the Okanagan Basin for over 20 years. Traditional Ecological Knowledge, best management practices, measured stream geometry and natural habitat features have guided these restoration works. This workshop will teach the math behind the stream analysis and hydraulics that directed the restoration designs and describe the planning, construction, monitoring methods and results.
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