The Syilx Okanagan Nation Alliance website has a list of anchor books teachers can use in their lessons. The books are specifically about the Syilx people, which is the community’s land on which I teach. For my final project, my partner and I researched how to use anchor books authentically in teaching. We will look to use some of these books as we develop our lesson plans.
Constructing Indigeneity: Syilx Okanagan Oraliture and tmixʷcentrism
This is a research paper written by a member of the Syilx Okanagan People. Jeannette Armstrong’s objective is to share the history and culture of the Syilx People with the hope of revitalizing their language, knowledge, and traditions. For my project, my partner and I have decided to focus our curricular content on integrating Syilx peoples’ way of knowing and learning. We want to be intentional about not placing Indigenous peoples under one umbrella. We recognize and respect that all communities are different and want our lessons to reflect that.
This is a fantastic resource to learning authentically about the potlach traditions, history and current use. The site was created by the The U’mista Cultural Society who is focused on ensuring the survival of the cultural heritage of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations peoples whose traditional lands are on the West Coast of BC. They have a collection of videos, writings, photos etc that cover the history of the tradition for their people, the impact of the ban, and how potlach is used currently. Potlach is a commonly known Indigenous celebration, but one that so many non-Indigenous assume is used by all the First Nations which is inaccurate. Knowing that I am working and teaching on the lands of the Syilx people, it would be a great opportunity to compare and show the diversity of the Indigenous peoples. While the lessons are geared towards Social Studies 4/5, I think it could very easily be adapted to middle school students to learn about biases, perspectives and the impact of government and colonialism. Also to focus on the power and resilience of Indigenous peoples who refused to give up their traditions even when they were technically made illegal.
Food sovereignty from the perspective of the Syilx people
This is a fantastic resource that connects to the UN sustainability goals (connections to #1 – no poverty, #2 – zero hunger, #11 sustainability, #12 responsible consumption, #14 Life below water and #15 Life on land). Talking about preserving traditional ways of getting food from the land is such a vital part of not just their traditions, but sustaining their people and our land. Looking at the Gr 6 Social Studies curriculum, this would certainly fit when talking about government and thinking about who controls what parts of the food chain and why. It’s also a neat fit into science when you look at the partnerships like the Slow Food partnership that talks about how they are trying to restore things like the Sockeye Salmon runs etc. There would also be a tie into Literacy when talking about storytelling and all the captikwl that are told around food.
https://www.syilx.org/about-us/syilx-nation/timeline/
I appreciated learning about the peoples who have lived on the land that we now call the Okanagan and how they were split by the US/Canadian boarder in 1846 as well as all the other dates and events that have affected them. It certainly helps my linear thinking!
https://www.syilx.org/about-us/syilx-nation/syilx-intellectual-cultural-request/
I found this as I was researching the land that I am living and working on here in Kelowna. I found it very powerful that the Syilx people are requesting for people to ask permission and are ensuring that their traditions, art, music etc are used appropriately and accurately. I’m quite curious how often this hasn’t happened and how I, as a teacher who is lucky enough to have Indigenous Advocates that work so closely with us, would be approaching this.