Gathering Wisdom IXMay 16, 2018

OKANAGAN NATION ALLIANCESyilx

• Create a culture of learning and build capacity

•Centre Syilx Culture

•Based on Community Voices

The ONA Chiefs Executive Council and Wellness Committee articulated a vision for Wellness services:

“Reclaiming and Restoring Syilx ways of being and knowing (worldview) through development of holistic Wellness programs and

services grounded in a Syilx framework”

ksa?xw ip k’l tmxwula?xw

It has root ties to the Land

Syilx Wellness Framework

Supporting our Children, Family and

Community through our Syilx Ways

Our ways: grounded in captikwl

Community Driven Process: Gathering the Pieces:

•Community plans

•ONA Wellness Committee

•Elders, Youth & Children Projects

•Community based research

•Nationwide Forums

•Syilx Knowledge sessions

•Community Visits – 1 to 1

•Questionnaires/Surveys

Nation Based Plans –Finding Common Ground and Clarifying

Nation based strategies developed and centered within captikwl, language and community voices,

• Quality Assurance Model • Health Plan• Mental Wellness Plan• Child & Family Plan• Traditional Wellness Strategy• Early Years Strategy

Developing : Elder Care & Cancer Care Strategies

Services Practice Jurisdiction

Health

Child & Family

Mental Wellness

Early Years

Syilx Teachings

Community Engagement

Practice Model Developments

Quality Assurance

Nation to Nation principle

Advocacy

Lobbying

Syilx Rights -Children and

Families

Syilx Laws

Nsyilxcen

Understanding the layers in the words and the roles and responsibilities attached to those:

FamilyFamily decision making

Kinship rolesSyilx child development chart

CommunityNation

“Use words which have land and community knowledge thousands of years old”

Dr. Jeannette Armstrong

“The language belongs to each one of us: Give it life.”

Elders Wisdom

That old man every evening he would sing us a song and he sat us on his lap and he always

touched our hair. He would make sounds. We don’t do that any more. That is grandparents teaching. Just like saying that you are close to me you are a part of me your heart is my heart and you are me. I was young when I

went there and he went qws qws qws. It was tenderness and love.

Twi Joey Pierre, Penticton Indian Band elder

Bringing the Children’s Voice

“I feel loved when my mom holds my hand”Teigan Peterson, Gr 1

Utilizing Captikwl

Chipmunk and Owl Woman

“The chipmunk granddaughter was vulnerable when she was off on her own.

Just as our kids and youth are vulnerable.”

“Things happen and they change you.”

“Grandmothers can put the heart back in.”

Lazy Boy and Grizzly Bear

“Sometimes it may not be your family that teaches you.”

“The word ‘abandoned’ might not be the right word. There is a time in a young person’s life when the child has to be able to change to become a man. Either he

can live and become a man or he will remain how he is.

“The over-all concept is like today when families give up on addicted members or those with negative behaviors. They go to treatment or leave the community

to find help, get healing, and find their gifts. Then they can come back home and share their gifts with their own people.”

Okanagan Nation Response Team Health AdvocateR’Native Voice / Kwu Xast Elders Wellness CoordinatorYouth Wellness Coordination Syilx Early YearsFamily Decision Making You, Empowered Strong

Stories Forums, Elder & Youth Gatherings, Elders Retreats, Youth Leadership, Unity Run, Early Years Gathering

Implementing

“Senklip, coming back. He will ask , did you teach your kids how to look after the land?”

- Syilx Nation Member

i? citxwtet: Our House

For the People: Spirit of the Syilx Unity Run

May 10-13, 2018

Syilx People celebrated our 10th

Year of hosting the Unity Run

For More Information

Jennifer LewisWellness Manager

Wellness.manager@syilx.orgC: 250-826-7844

Pauline TerbasketExecutive DirectorDirector@syilx.org

Toll Free 1.866.662.9609 www.syilx.org