Indigenous Partnership and Programs

Learn about syilx knowledge and living culture

The syilx people have lived in the Okanagan Valley since time immemorial. Learn about syilx cultural practices, traditional tools and dwellings, the impact of colonization, and more.

Learn at the Okanagan Heritage Museum

We invite you to visit the Indigenous gallery at the Okanagan Heritage Museum. This gallery is the result of a multi-year collaboration informed by the vision and expertise of syilx Elders and knowledge keepers.

Guests of all ages are welcome to enter the qʷćiʔ (a traditional Okanagan winter home), designed and built under the guidance of Elder Eric Mitchell.

Visit our friends at Sncewips Heritage Museum

Our friends and partners at Sncewips Heritage Museum in Westbank allow “the public to experience the collections, histories, and oral stories of the syilx people from a sqilxʷ perspective.”

Learn more at Sncewips.com

Learn at a class, workshop or event

Kelowna Museums works with Indigenous partners to provide rich learning experiences that are culturally respectful and engaging. Throughout the year, we provide programs such as:

Language Series

nsyilxcən for Everyone

A series of 4-week beginner language courses led by Knowledge Carriers and Elders of the syilx Nation.

Learn about the local Indigenous language and gain a deeper understanding of syilx culture and connection to place. Students will learn some basic vocabulary, pronunciation, greetings and language meaning.

Wildrose Native Traditions hosts Level 1, 2 and 3 classes throughout the year. These 4-week classes are for everyone, regardless of heritage.

$75 Registration
Program participation is at no cost for those who self-identify as Indigenous.

This program is made possible in part by the generous support of the Central Okanagan Foundation.

2025 Schedule

The following dates and details are subject to change. Class registration typically opens 4 to 6 weeks before the starting date.

Check back for updates and additional class dates throughout the year!

Level 1 – nsyilxcən for Everyone

Dates to come, 2025

Registration opens soon

Level 2 – nsyilxcən for Everyone

January 14, January 21, January 28, February 4

Registration now open

Level 3 – nsyilxcən for Everyone

February 18, February, February 25, March 4, March 11

Registration now open

nsyilxcən: The Journey Continues

January 14, February 18, March 4, April 29

Registration now open

Upcoming Programs

[decm_event_display event_selection=”custom_event” included_categories=”22,9,20″ show_time=”off” show_venue=”off” show_name=”off” show_price=”off” show_category=”off” show_weburl=”off” show_callout_box=”off” event_count=”3″ result_message=”Check back soon for more fun and insightful events!” details_link_color=”#983222″ details_icon_color=”#983222″ details_label_color=”#983222″ cards_spacing=”||||true|false” event_inner_spacing=”1rem|1.5rem|1rem|1.5rem|true|true” align=”center” thumbnail_margin=”1rem||1.5rem||false|false” thumbnail_padding=”||||false|false” thumbnail_width=”100%” button_align=”on” cards_spacing_tablet=”||||true|false” cards_spacing_phone=”1rem|-1rem|1rem|-1rem|true|true” cards_spacing_last_edited=”on|tablet” event_inner_spacing_tablet=”|1.5rem||1.5rem|false|true” event_inner_spacing_phone=”|1rem||1rem|true|true” event_inner_spacing_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” title_level=”h3″ title_font=”BC Sans Bold||||||||” title_text_color=”#1E1E1E” title_font_size=”1.3rem” title_line_height=”1.8rem” duration_font=”BC Sans|||on|||||” duration_text_color=”#983222″ duration_font_size=”1rem” duration_line_height=”2em” excerpt_font=”BC Sans|300|||||||” excerpt_font_size=”1rem” excerpt_line_height=”1.6rem” callout_day_of_the_week_text_color=”#983222″ custom_view_more=”on” view_more_text_size=”1rem” view_more_text_color=”#FFFFFF” view_more_bg_color=”#983222″ view_more_font=”BC Sans Bold||||||||” view_more_icon=”%%3%%” view_more_icon_color=”#FFFFFF” animation_style=”flip” animation_duration=”1600ms” animation_intensity_flip=”25%” title_font_size_tablet=”1.3rem” title_font_size_phone=”1.3rem” title_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” excerpt_font_size_tablet=”1rem” excerpt_font_size_phone=”1rem” excerpt_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” border_radii_event_border=”on|5px|5px|5px|5px” border_color_all_event_border=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” box_shadow_style_event_box_shadow=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][/decm_event_display]

Where to find out about future programs

Looking for a program that’s not currently listed?

Our Indigenous programs and workshops are very popular, and spaces fill up quickly. To find out about future Indigenous programs: