Co-Curricular-Making Resources

Welcome. This is your invitation to unlearning and decolonizing. No matter where you are in your personal journey, your arrival on this page makes us happy! If you wish to deepen your understandings about local Syilx (Okanagan) Knowledge and wisdom, then you may travel at your own pace into different “portals” with Sn’klip (Coyote) and learn more about your power as a human to contribute to the transforming of conditions on Earth that will positively impact the future—for the children of the future—while supporting others to take up the Education-related Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconcilation Commission of Canada Report (TRC, 2015). Scroll down and pay particular attention to the section Education for Reconciliation Calls to Action #62 and #63 that relate to educators’ roles in transforming curriculum and classroom practices to heed the call.

Why is local knowledge fundamental to unlearning and decolonizing? Local knowledge is relevant to the place you are in. It developed over thousands of years as First Peoples of the area live upon, interact with, learn to be part of and sustain the land and life that it gifts them. syilx knowledge holds that Sn’klip possesses the mind power to transform colonial monsters such as Residential Schools. One of the portals of this journey is that of Snk’lip. In that portal, you can see Dr. Bill Cohen explain, in a video, that the metaphorical monsters of colonization are monsters that have the power to harm children. As unlearners decolonizing, knowing the stories and words of the syilx support the process to learn and transform one’s thinking, one’s ways, and one’s actions.

This webpage seeks to connect with educators, people in educator positions, students, and people of the community who wish to learn more, share in the monster transforming powers that can support and deepen what you are already doing towards unlearning, and decolonizing the spaces you are in.

The intention for this webpage is that it not be prescriptive. We wish for you to feel that you have multiple entry points for your journey. This is a resources webpage that aims to provide inspiration, thought, and a place to seek resources that are mostly local and that are approved by syilx (okanagan) elders/scholars/knowledge keepers. Over time, resources will be added.

Welcome to the Land

Elders Pamela and Grouse Barnes are Syilx educators and Knowledge Keepers from Westbank First Nation. Their work is dedicated to preserving the Syilx language—nsyilxcen—, knowledge, and culture. Pamela graduated from UVic in 1993 with studies in Aboriginal government, and is one of the founders of Sensisyusten School. She works with several boards and groups locally. Both Pamela and Grouse are adjunct professors with the UBC School of Nursing, teaching cultural sensitivity training. Grouse is a fluent nsyilxcen speaker. He attended the En’owkin Centre where he learned to read and write in the oral language, toward becoming an educator. He is a spiritual care provider in the community and serves in various capacities throughout Okanagan Nation. Pamela and Grouse are both Okanagan College Honorary Fellows.

Land Acknowledgement

We respectfully acknowledge that the land on which we gather is the unceded territory of the Syilx (Okanagan) Peoples.

kʷu  ɬə c̕uləl’uʔs  iʔ  l təmxʷulaʔxʷs  iʔ  syilx  tali  əc  haʔ  stim aɬiʔ  əc mistim axaʔ  iʔ  təmxʷulaʔxʷselx  lut  pənkin̓  k̕l swit  t̕ə  xʷic̕xmselx

Think for a moment what your own land acknowledgment means. “We/I respectfully acknowledge” is about the relationship that we continuously build between people of settler ancestry or people of immigrant families, and the original local Syilx People of this land. The “unceded territory” means “unsold land”. Effectively, after over 10,000 years of caring for and living in reciprocity with the land and all of the life forms of the land, within just over 100 years, white European settlers stole the land and upset the delicate balance of all, putting the critical biodiversity of all of nature at high risk.

kʷu limʼt p cyʕap - we are happy you have arrived

Choose where to begin your monster-transforming journey by clicking on the portals below

All that we do comes back to the land and our relationship to the land: Sp̓iƛ̓əm ~ there to continuously bring us back to our roots

All that we do comes back to the land and our relationship to the land: Sp̓iƛ̓əm ~ there to continuously bring us back to our roots

Colonization is a “monster” and the extent of colonial ways goes well beyond Indian Residential Schools: Fly ~ there to remind us constantly

Colonization is a “monster” and the extent of colonial ways goes well beyond Indian Residential Schools: Fly ~ there to remind us constantly

Perspective is formed from your worldview. There is a distinct Western world view (Anglo-Euro Centric) and a distinct Indigenous worldview (which should be considered from a local lens, wherever you work and live and play. For us, that is the lens of the Syilx Okanagan People): Siyaʔ ~ there with creativity and imagination to help guide our disruption

Perspective is formed from your worldview. There is a distinct Western world view (Anglo-Euro Centric) and a distinct Indigenous worldview (which should be considered from a local lens, wherever you work and live and play. For us, that is the lens of the Syilx Okanagan People): Siyaʔ ~ there with creativity and imagination to help guide our disruption

The Syilx People are proud, and they have kept their culture alive in spite of years of government efforts to suppress, destroy, their language, their culture, the land, waters, plants and animals for which they have been caring for 11,000 years (Sam, 2013): skəm̓ xist ~ alongside us with traditional wisdom and ancient teachings

The Syilx People are proud, and they have kept their culture alive in spite of years of government efforts to suppress, destroy, their language, their culture, the land, waters, plants and animals for which they have been caring for 11,000 years (Sam, 2013): skəm̓ xist ~ alongside us with traditional wisdom and ancient teachings

Each time we base our teachings in the oraliture of the Syilx, we acknowledge the origins of the story: Ntytyix ~ food for the “people to be”: providing us with nourishment to get the job done

Each time we base our teachings in the oraliture of the Syilx, we acknowledge the origins of the story: Ntytyix ~ food for the “people to be”: providing us with nourishment to get the job done

Together, working in an ethical space of engagement (Ermine, 1996), we begin the path to healing so necessary to embrace the Calls to Action of the TRC and set the conditions for transformation which will benefit future generations: Snk’lip ~ embodying both trickster-like and transformative powers for our work

Together, working in an ethical space of engagement (Ermine, 1996), we begin the path to healing so necessary to embrace the Calls to Action of the TRC and set the conditions for transformation which will benefit future generations: Snk’lip ~ embodying both trickster-like and transformative powers for our work

References & Image Credits

Armstrong, Jeanette, (2009) Constructing Indigeneity: Syilx Okanagan Oraliture and tmixw centrism, PhD Thesis. online at http://d-nb.info/1027188737/34

Barnes, Pamela (2021, May – 2022, January), On-going Elder teachings through the Syilx & Settler Pedagogy Circle, and and Co-Curricular-Making: Honouring Indigenous Connections to Land, Culture, and the Relational Self.

Battiste, M., Bouvier, R., & EBSCOhost. (2013). Decolonizing education: Nourishing the learning spirit. Vancouver: UBC Press.

Cohen, Bill (2020, 2021, 2022). Teachings of Coyote Stories,  kʷu ʔúllus sessions, and teachings through the Syilx & Settler Pedagogy Circle, and Co-Curricular-Making: Honouring Indigenous Connections to Land, Culture, and the Relational Self.

Cohen, Bill. School Failed Coyote so Fox Made a New School: Indigenous Okanagan Knowledge Transforms Educational Pedagogy. PhD Thesis 2010. Chapter 1 p. 30-53, Chapter 3 online at https://circle.ubc.ca/handle/2429/30469

Ermine, W., & desLibris – Documents. (2005). Kwayask itôtamowin: Indigenous research ethics. Indigenous Peoples’ Health Research Centre.

Newman, C., Hudson, K.. (2019). Picking up the pieces: Residential school memories and the making of the witness blanket. Orca Book Publishers.

Sam, Marlowe Gregory, (2013) Oral narratives, customary laws and indigenous water rights in Canada. PhD Thesis online at https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0074307

Lecoy, Denise (2021)

Terbasket, Kelly (2021, 2022). Teachings through IndigenEYEZ, and and Co-Curricular-Making: Honouring Indigenous Connections to Land, Culture, and the Relational Self.

Terbasket, Pauline (2021, 2022). Teachings through Water . . . & Syilx & Settler Pedagogy Circles, and Co-Curricular-Making: Honouring Indigenous Connections to Land, Culture, and the Relational Self.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015). Final report of the truth and reconciliation commission of canada: Volume one, summary : Honouring the truth, reconciling for the future ([Second printing]. ed.). Toronto: James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers.

Kou-Skelough/We are the People: A Trilogy of Okanagan Legends. Penticton: Theytus, 2004.

“Bitterroot Centre Star” by Jeremy Hiebert licensed under All Rights Reserved. Retrieved from Flickr with permission.

“Our afternoon visitor (Bear)” by Ross Robinson licensed under All Rights Reserved. Retrieved from Flickr with permission.

“Coyote” by Jim Sedgewick licensed under All Rights Reserved. Retrieved from Flickr with permission.

“Saskatoon Berries So Tasty” by Andy King licensed under All Rights Reserved. Retrieved from Flickr with permission.