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.
Business-to-Business Forum with Fortis BC April 2, 2025
The Okanagan Nation Alliance, in collaboration with FortisBC, is organizing a business engagement event specifically for Syilx-led entrepreneurs and business owners. This event aims to provide insights into FortisBC’s procurement and contracting processes while fostering direct networking opportunities between local Syilx contractors and FortisBC staff. Who should attend? Syilx Nation Member-owned businesses, Syilx entrepreneurs, and/or […]
First Speakers Language Gathering March 28-30, 2025
Lifting up the voices of our elders The First Speakers Language Gathering is a space for first language speakers and fluent language speakers to gather and discuss planning around sqilxʷ education, culture, and well-being. Honoraria and travel support will be provided to fluent speakers only. Non-fluent speakers and language learners are welcome to join and […]
captikʷɬ: k̓ʷəck̓ʷəcstim iʔ stəɬtaɬtet Forum 2: March 20, 2025
Strengthening Our Truth Okanagan Nation Alliance will be hosting captikʷl Forums this year, in partnership with the En’owkin Centre. The captikʷł forums are held for insight and community engagement in examining Syilx captikʷł, how lessons from the captikʷł connect with our modern way of living, and how to integrate Syilx values and principles within captikʷł […]
Syilx Water Forum Friday March 21, 2025
The Water Forums is a gathering of the community to showcase the work completed through the Natural Resource Department’s Community Water Forum Project. The...
Early Years Gathering March 26 & 27, 2025
I? scmala?tet The Early Years Gathering provides opportunity for Aboriginal Early Childhood professionals to engage in a manner that can contribute to capacity building and resource...
Grandmothers Gathering April 7th - 9th, 2025
Calling Syilx Grandmothers who are passionate about working with children and families to reclaim and restore Syilx family ways of being. This event is an opportunity for Grandmothers within the Syilx Okanagan Nation to gather and focus on familial roles, Nation needs, and traditional models of child-raising in today’s world. Grandmothers will identify training and […]
Syilx Youth Camp October 2025
kʷu tl təmxʷulaʔxʷ The Syilx Youth Camp aims to encourage Nation unity, practicing culture and tradition all while building strong connections. Youth will engage in various activities and learning experiences designed to connect them with the land and each other. We will be balancing the aspect of teaching and learning by ensuring there will be […]
Walk for The Children September 30
Healing starts with us Join us for a 2 km Walk for Reconciliation on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation! We will be departing from the Safeway Parking lot and making our way to the SIRS Monument outside the Penticton Hatchery on En’owkin Trail. Please Note: Please attend walk at your own risk, the ONA is […]
xʷəxʷmínaʔ Trout Fishery 2025 Date TBC
The Syilx Nation would like to invite Syilx Nation members to join us for the xʷəxʷmínaʔ Trout Fishery. We will be fishing for rainbow trout and bull trout and reconnecting with the eastern part of our Syilx Territory. Fishery will be hosted at the mouth of the Lardeau River at the Trout Lake Recreation Site […]
Honouring styíłc̓aʔ Ceremony March 2025
The Syilx Nation would like to invite you to join us for a ceremony to honour and pray for styíłc̓aʔ (caribou). No registration required – see poster for more details!
Children First Forum 2023 Date TBC
The Children First Forum is an annual ONA event held to bring together syilx Okanagan leadership, staff, and community members working with children and families to equip them with tools for care of our children. This includes building relationships, gaining new ideas and perspectives, preparing to lobby for legal jurisdiction, and addressing any gaps. Open […]
captikʷɬ: k̓ʷəck̓ʷəcstim iʔ stəɬtaɬtet Forum 2: March 20, 2025
Strengthening Our Truth Okanagan Nation Alliance will be hosting captikʷl Forums this year, in partnership with the En’owkin Centre. The captikʷł forums are held for insight and community engagement in examining Syilx captikʷł, how lessons from the captikʷł connect with our modern way of living, and how to integrate Syilx values and principles within captikʷł […]
Four Food Chiefs Gathering TBD
ɬə txətʼntiməlx mnimɬcəlx kʷu ks txətʼntimʼ The Four Food Chiefs Gathering is an annual gathering of Syilx Nation members. This event focuses on information sharing, utilizing the enowkinwixw model through our Four Food Chiefs. Join us for a two-day gathering featuring workshops, presentations, keynotes, and activities focused on connecting with the land and water, promoting […]
Syilx Indian Residential School Healing Gathering April 3-4, 2024
puti kʷu‿alaʔ The Syilx Indian Residential School (SIRS) Committee at the ONA holds an annual gathering for Syilx Okanagan residential school survivors, intergenerational survivors, and other family members to share stories, support each other, and participate in healing together. Residential schools were extremely disruptive to Syilx Okanagan relationships. Families were separated and roles were forgotten, […]
Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, & Two Spirit Gathering October 2023
The Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLBTQQIA+ (MMIWG2S) has been a National tragedy over many decades, and has affected the Syilx Nation directly through the loss of our loved ones within our communities. The 4th annual MMIWG2S Gathering will feature Keynote speakers and presentations on some of the current issues so the Syilx […]
Syilx Water Forum Friday March 21, 2025
The Water Forums is a gathering of the community to showcase the work completed through the Natural Resource Department’s Community Water Forum Project. The...
Spirit of Syilx Unity Run May 29 - June 1, 2025
The Okanagan Nation Alliance’s Annual “Spirit of Syilx” Unity Run is scheduled to take place May 30 to June 2, 2024. Over 100 youth and members from across the Syilx Nation will run to create awareness on suicide and violence. Participants will relay over 330 km starting from ncaʔm, Christina Lake, BC and run through the eastern portion of the Syilx Territory to qalisuʔ, Gerrard, BC. This Annual Run started in 2009 with the three major goals of the run: to create awareness of high violence in our Nation, to promote Nationhood among the Youth and to promote healthy living.
Fry Releases May 2025
This ceremonial release of 10,000 Okanagan Sockeye fry takes place by members of the Okanagan Nation and over 430 students from local schools so that kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓ (cause to come back) will...
Salmon Calling Ceremonies June 2024
We honour our ancestors with this annual ceremony in which we gather in five separate locations along the Columbia River to help pray for the return of the salmon.
Salmon Feast September 19-21, 2025
It is one of the goals of the Syilx Okanagan Nation to carry on the work of the people's ancestors and Elders who taught the importance of preserving and revitalizing...
Grandmothers Gathering April 7th - 9th, 2025
Calling Syilx Grandmothers who are passionate about working with children and families to reclaim and restore Syilx family ways of being. This event is an opportunity for Grandmothers within the Syilx Okanagan Nation to gather and focus on familial roles, Nation needs, and traditional models of child-raising in today’s world. Grandmothers will identify training and […]
Syilx Nation Drug & Human Trafficking Forum 2024 Date TBC
Responding to the opioid drug crisis The Syilx Nation Drug Forum is an annual event to create space for sharing of information, resources, tools, stories and personal experiences related to drug and alcohol use. It began in response to the opioid drug crisis and focuses on bringing awareness to overdose. This will be a space […]
Business-to-Business Forum with Fortis BC The Okanagan Nation Alliance, in collaboration with FortisBC, is organizing a business engagement event specifically for Syilx-led entrepreneurs and business owners. This event aims to provide insights into FortisBC’s procurement and contracting processes while fostering direct networking opportunities between local Syilx contractors and FortisBC staff. Who should attend? Syilx Nation Member-owned businesses, Syilx entrepreneurs, and/or […]
YES Specialized Training iʔ scx̌asəsmil̕tət The YES Program is dedicated to assisting the Syilx Nation in addressing family violence and sexual assault. As part of the Specialized Training within the YES Program, we offer a comprehensive full-day training session aimed at enhancing the capacity to effectively respond to various forms of violence. Open to Syilx Nation Members, Community […]
kʷu əc ̕ ulluʔs: Frontline Wellness Gathering and Supporting Frontline Workers The YES Program offers specialized training and self-care opportunities for frontline workers of the Syilx Nation, addressing their community responsibilities in crisis response. It aims to combat vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue by providing tools for self-care and a relaxing environment for respite. This event will feature training aimed at […]
Syilx Nation Data Governance Plan Presentations nłk̓ʷsalqʷm: ackʷum iʔ sck̓łpaʔx̌tət The Syilx Data Plan has been guided by the collective knowledge and wisdom of our ancestors, elders, knowledge keepers, and Nation members of today to plan and prepare for the people-to-be. Good quality wellness data helps with community planning and monitoring of programs. ONA data team would like to invite you […]
Early Years Gathering I? scmala?tet The Early Years Gathering provides opportunity for Aboriginal Early Childhood professionals to engage in a manner that can contribute to capacity building and resource...
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 […]
