snx̌aʔiwləm gathering celebrates salmon and their revival in syilx Okanagan waterways
snx̌aʔiwləm gathering celebrates salmon and their revival in syilx Okanagan waterways

By Aaron Hemens, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Community members from across the syilx Okanagan Nation gathered last week for their annual autumn salmon feast, to honour ntytyix (Chief Salmon) and to celebrate successes restoring the fish to their ancestral waterways. The Sept. 22 event concluded the Okanagan Nation Alliance’s three-day snx̌aʔiwləm (honouring the sacredness of the river) gathering at sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ (Okanagan Falls), an ancient fishing site reclaimed by the nation last year. “It was a good run for our people this year,” said Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie (y̓ilmixʷm ki law na) before the feast. “It was so cool to see so many of our people … fishing like our people have fished here for thousands of years.” skwelcampt, from syilx and Secwépemc Nations, is pictured at a salmon feast

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