We, the Syilx Okanagan people, feel a deep connection with our land and with our relatives, the animals and the trees, the rocks and all living things that share the environment. The relationship Syilx Okanagan people have with their land forms the basis of Syilx Okanagan governance. On a basic level, Syilx Okanagan communities work in unison to manage local resources. By working collectively, Syilx Okanagan beliefs and values are infused into Syilx Okanagan external relationships and partnerships.
The ONA is constantly working towards effective partnerships and working relationships to find solutions and collaborative processes for a more sustainable future. The ONA strives to partner with member communities internally and with outside agencies, to explore how we might work together to build potential partnerships for a better, more resilient future.
The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) is dedicated to promoting and advancing Syilx Okanagan worldview, principles, and practices into resource planning and management. These initiatives allow for engagement on a wide range of issues currently impacting the territory. The ONA is directed by the Chiefs Executive Council (CEC) to work together with our communities to advance and assert the Okanagan Nation Title and Rights. The Natural Resource Committee (NRC) and its subcommittees and working groups inform the CEC and the ONA by making technical recommendations on all major projects within the territory.