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

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

It is hard to believe that December is upon us. As we depart from the time of the withering leaves and into the time of the cold weather there is much to be grateful as we approach the winter solstice.

It was wonderful to see many of you online in November as we explored how the "co" is showing up in our classrooms and communities. We look forward to seeing you again on January 17 as learn with and alongside Kelly Terbakset, IndigenEYEZ. 

We also wanted to let you know about the  2023-2024 Project Funding for Classrooms for educators to support classrooms in advancing reconciliation. The funds can be used to support educators (and their students) to deepen and enlarge their understandings of Syilx culture with teachings that connect land, culture and understandings of self in the world. Participating SSHRC Educators (individuals or teams) can request up to $500 to fill small resource gaps. Educators who receive the funds will share their project at the Forum on May 1^st (see info below).

We know that many of you are busy in your classroms preparing report cards and planning year end winter events and activities. As this year school year winds to a close we hope that your winter break brings rest and restoration to each of you.

If you have any questions or feedback we would love to hear from you. 

Sincerely,
SSHRC Facilitation Team 

Syilx Language 

kc̕aʔc̕aʔɬtan | time of the cold weather December 11- January 10

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

Food for Thought and Action

Learning a Language: Nsyilxcən for Everyone | Hosted by Kelowna Museums.  A 4-week language course led by syilx Knowledge Keepers and Elders. Dates are January 16, 23, 30 and February 6, 2024 (5:30 - 6:30 pm).

Indigenous Artist Talk: Madeline Terbasket | Hosted by Kelowna Museums. January 20. More information coming soon. Madeline Terbasket is a two-spirit storyteller that works in many different mediums to express themselves. They will speak about their art while interweaving their stories.

Nsyilxcen: The Journey Continues  | Hosted by Kelowna Museums. This is a brand new nsyilxcen class that will run from 6:45 - 7:45 on alternating Tuesdays (twice a month). These classes are geared towards museum students who have completed level 3 or anyone with a basic grasp of nysyilxcen. 

Nakulamen (what we do): Evening Storytelling "How Names Were Given" | Hosted by Kelowna Museums. January 11 6-730 pm A traditional captikwt told by by syilx Elders and knowledge carriers. Fun for all ages!

k’west’lap ee stethtatht (Truth Shows Itself) | Hosted by Kelowna Museums. Presented by syilx Elders Grouse and Pamela Barnes, this workshop series will help you understand and progress on the Truth and Reconciliation journey. Through four 3-hour workshops, participants access 12 hours of training in Indigenous cultural competency. Classes take place on Sunday from 10:00am-1:00pm virtually via Zoom. Participants are expected to attend all four workshops (January 21,28, February 4, 11).

Join kinSHIFT for an immersive and experiential workshop series that supports settlers to build the foundation for building relational skills for engaging respectfully and meaningfully with Indigenous peoples. Elements of Truth: Before Reconciliation is an opportunity to deepen your understanding of colonialism's impact on Indigenous peoples and open your heart to change. Truth before reconciliation is an opportunity for all of us to learn from our past, to begin to step into our fuller potential in the present, and to re-imagine a better way forward together. Workshops start February 6 and April 18. Register on Eventbrite or email enquiries@kinSHIFT.ca.k

Visit Ki-Low-Na Friendship Centre (442 Leon Ave., Kelowna) for the KFS Holiday Market in the Okanagan Room. Shop Indigenous vendors from the Okanagan, and support youth programs with the purchase of bannock tacos! Shop Original Born Art (OBA, KFS’s social enterprise) merchandise and pre-order a bannock taco online. (December 14, 12-4:30pm PST, Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society Holiday Market)

Play with Clay & Learn About Traditional Plants | Hosted by the Sncewips Heritage Museum.  January 2024. Brief art lesson on how to create sculpture with clay by syilx artist Coralee Miller. Learn about traditional plants and their uses while you sculpt one of our traditional plants!

Wolves: The Art of Dempsey Bob | Hosted by Kelowna Art Gallery. October 14, 2023 - February 18, 2024. This exhibition offers a personal encounter with one of the leading carvers of British Columbia’s Northwest Coast.

Shared Resources from our Colleagues at the University of Ottawa | Shared by the Faculty of Education at UOttawa. As part of the commitment the teacher education program has been providing training to teacher candidates on Project of Heart and the Caring Society’s Spirit Bear Resources. 

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 deepen local understanding of all who visit, and to enhance educators’ knowledge and capacities toward curricular unlearning (decolonization) and Indigenization. All materials and resources included on this site are publicly available.

Co-Curricular Resource Site

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