way̓ x̌ast sx̌əlx̌aʕlt, incá iskʷist xíxʕutəm naʔł Zhaangswi Giizis uł Sienna Belanger-Lee kn t̓l syilx uł anishinaabe iʔ sqilxʷ uł kn t̓l nsisúlaʔxʷ ki kn mut uł inca kl iʔ mus spinkt t cohort.
Hello good day, my name is xíxʕutəm and Zhaangswi Giizis and Sienna Belanger-Lee and I come from the syilx and anishinaabe people and I’m from Bradley Creek/Dry Creek.
I was raised on the reserve at OKIB, nestled at the head of Lake Okanagan and I have been deeply rooted in my ancestral lands from a young age, fostering a profound connection to my indigenous identity and community. I am graduating in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in the nsyilxcn/nqilxʷcn language through the BNLF program at UBC Okanagan. I currently reside at nsisúl̓aʔxʷ – dry creek, and I am actively engaged in various endeavours that reflect my passion for Indigenous culture and environmental stewardship. As a facilitator of Indigenous planting opportunities, I am committed to promoting sustainable practices and revitalizing traditional land-based knowledge within my community.
I believe it’s important to have the proper pronunciation and audio recordings of the UBC Okanagan syilx street signs and additional nsyilxcn words. It brings in the opportunity for language revitalization and reclamation. I recorded the audio for snlkapítn (coffee shop). The importance of these signs and QR codes is for visitors and students on campus to have a way to interact with the nsyilxcn language, the traditional language of the Okanagan. My hope is that students will feel the need to actively do better to educate themselves on language of this place and its people.