May 2023 Co-Curricular Newsletter

Co-Curricular Making: Honouring Indigenous Connections
to Land, Culture and the Relational Self | May 2023

Way' SSHRC Project Educators, Community Partners, Research Partners, and Research Assistants,

On the Syilx Okanagan Moon Calendar, April 30 - May 29 is the time of sp̓iƛ̕mtən | bitter-root. As we consider Chief sp̓iƛ̕mtən, the bitter-root, and all that they provide as a gift to the Syilx Okanagan People, we orient toward educators’ efforts to ground themselves and their students with ever-deepening roots through co-curricular, co-relational learning. Our focus is upon reverence and responsibility for the land, the animals, the plants, and the water where we walk on unsold Syilx Okanagan Territory. As we are taught by the Syilx People, the power of all of tmixʷ to regenerate is to be respected and it is up to us as humans to protect the pathways for this regenerativity. For children, adolescents, future generations, and all of tmixʷ, diverse minds must think and act collectively.

To learn more about Syilx Ways of Knowing and Being, scroll down to have a glance at what is offered in our inter-connected community. Let us know any time how we may contribute to your co-planning and co-curricular-making. Please contact the team through danielle.lamb@ubc.ca or margaret.macintyre.latta@ubc.ca.

Sincerely,
SSHRC Facilitation Team

Upcoming Opportunities

Syilx & Settler Pedagogy Circle | final session of this school year Wednesday, May 24 3:30-4:30 pm online Facilitated by Kelly Terbasket (IndigenEyez), Kelly Hanson, & Jody Dlouhy-Nelson Strengthening our co-relational co-curricular making through continued reflection and complicated conversations. Zoom Link here For more info. e-mail jody_dlouhy.nelson@ubc.ca

Learning a Language: Nsyilxcən for Everyone | May 16, May 23, May 30, June 6 2023 | Hosted by Kelowna Museums. A 4-week beginner language course led by Knowledge Keepers and Elders of the Syilx nation. https://www.kelownamuseums.ca/event/learning-a-language-nsyilxcen-for-everyone-level-1-2/

Cultural competency training Elders Pamela and Grouse Barnes: K’west’lap ee Stethtatht (Truth Shows Itself) | May 17, May 24, May 31, and June 7 1:00-4:00 pm | Laurel Packinghouse. If price is a barrier, please let Kelowna Museums know. To register see: https://www.kelownamuseums.ca/event/truth-shows-itself/

nsyilxcən Language Lessons with Jasmine Peone and the ILT | Thursday, May 25 4:00-6:00 pm at North Glenmore Elementary. We host a land experience from 4:00 - 6:00 and Jasmine will join us from 5:00-6:00 pm. Check out the website.

Nature Network Zoom Session with the ILT | next session Monday, June 19 3:30-4:45 pm, where we will be learning about how plants & animals are our teachers. Zoom link here. Check out our Nature Network website.

captikwl Lunch Group with the ILT | next session Wednesday, June 7 9:00 am-2:30 pm in person where we will be meeting to connect our learning to the land. Check out our website.

nakulamen (what we do): syilx Traditional Plant Use Walking Tour | May 7 and 28 1:00-3:00 pm, Hosted by Okanagan Museums The Okanagan is incredibly biodiverse, and the syilx/Okanagan people have deep knowledge of how to use the different plant species for food, medicine, shelter, even natural deodorant! Register

Syilx Language

sp̓iƛ̕mtən | bitter-root

tmixʷ | a concept "central to understanding all aspects of the Syilx environmental ethic" (Armstrong, 2009), a quantity of life-forces spreading out in many strands (Armstrong, 2009), and intertwined (Armstrong, Landspeak 2021)

Armstrong, J. (2009). Constructing indigeneity: Syilx Okanagan oraliture and tmixʷcentrism, unpublished doctoral thesis, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.

Armstrong, J. (2021, Mar 19). Landspeak: a gathering of Indigenous and Irish voices. [video]

See the ta’tupa Spirit Bear Moon Calendar on the Okanagan Nation Alliance Resource Page

More Opportunities With Our Partners

Learn With Us | Hosted by IndigenEYEZ / KinShift. An array of workshops, including some by custom design, are experiential and guided by Indigenous values: reciprocity, inclusion, curiosity and humility. Workshops for Indigenous Women, Leaders, Changemakers & Innovators, and workshops for Settlers, too. https://indigeneyez.com/learn/

ONA Events 2023 | April-June | Hosted by Okanagan Nation Alliance. Including ceremonial Fry Releases and Spirit of the Syilx Unity Run. Syilx.org events here

Kelowna Art Gallery (KAG) | KAG offers ongoing programing for students and teachers. To learn more about tour opportunities at KAG and how to book a session, go to this link: Kelowna Art Gallery School Tours.

Bringing the Salmon Home a Columbia River Salmon Reintroduction Initiative gathering that took place May 2-3 | More information here: https://columbiariversalmon.ca

For more information about our community partners please visit their sites: Okanagan Nation Alliance, IndigenEYEZ, Kelowna Art Gallery, and Kelowna Museums. Do you have an event that you would like to share? Please email the SSHRC PG facilitation team.

Co-Curricular Making Resources

The purpose of these curricular resources is to enhance educators’ professional knowledge and capacities toward curricular Indigenization. All materials and resources included on this site are publicly available.

Co-Curricular Resource Site

Meet one of our Research Assistants (RAs)

Brianna Chernenkoff

Brianna Chernenkoff is Métis from Winnipeg Manitoba; she has lived in the Okanagan for the majority of her life. She enjoys traveling and exploring the Okanagan region and British Columbia. She is in her third year of studies at UBC Okanagan, in a BSc program with a concentration in Data Science and Psychology. Brianna has goals of going to medical school to become a Pathologist, and to take her knowledge from Environmental Sciences and learned Traditional Ecological Knowledge, to better understand and aid in resolving the water contamination crisis which many Indigenous Communities in Canada face. Brianna works closely with the teams project manager, Danielle Lamb to help with reports, communications with participants and general organizational tasks.

For information on the other Research Assistants, click the link below.

Meet the RAs

You are receiving this email because of your participation with the Co-Curricular Making: Honouring Indigenous Connections to Land, Culture and the Relational Self Project.