Embedded Files
"Since you asked I’ll try to explain. The sqilxw, the Okanagan, who we are… We’re the people of the stories. Everything we know and everything we do and are gonna be, is through our stories.." (Herman Edward, 1997, personal communication with Bill Cohen published in Dr. Cohen’s Ph.D dissertation)
Something the characters experienced in the story grabbed me emotionally. My imagination was challenged to visualize the story plot and characters to think about the possible meanings of the story. It was as if the story became embedded in my being, my consciousness, and in my Spirit.” (Dr. Joanne Archibald, 1997, p. 104)
"Knowing is more like dew. It is everywhere, but it only gathers into little drops that plop off boughs one by one." (Simon, 1995, p. 303 published in Dr. Cohen’s Ph.D dissertation)
syilx stories convey the social experience and act as a records system to preserve, maintain, and transfer the knowledge of the land. (Dr. Jeannette Armstrong)
captikʷɬ: syilx Story System
captikʷɬ: syilx Story System
"The captikʷɬ is a record of stories of the tmixʷ, the Animal-People, or all living beings. These stories have been passed down orally over the generations for thousands of years. Our captikʷɬ is the spirits of the land and our ancestry talking through story.
The captikʷɬ stories are connected to places, resources and practices within the Okanagan territory. Over thousands of years, the knowledge expressed through captikʷɬ in the nsyilcən language has created shared sets of values and worldviews. The potential for transformation is a foundational principle in captikʷɬ stories). For example, in “How Food Was Given,” the Animal-People sing songs to bring skmxist back to life. Other captikʷɬ tell of snklip defeating the People-Eating-Monsters." (The Story of our Ways, Cohen and Chambers)
Thank you to all of the syilx Elders & Knowledge Keepers who have gifted us teachings
Thank you to all of the syilx Elders & Knowledge Keepers who have gifted us teachings
Coralee Miller
Anona Kampe
Dr. Bill Cohen
Jasmine Peone
Elder Pamela Barnes and Elder Grouse Barnes
Dr. Jeannette Armstrong
Mourning Dove (via text)
Sense Making After Storytelling (not analysis)
Sense Making After Storytelling (not analysis)
Let's ask as many questions as we can in 5 minutes.
Reflect on:
Why has this story been carried forward?
What's important about it?
What are the relational aspects of kinship in it?
What is our positioning as humans (these are animalized people not personified animals)? What are we learning from this?
"We'll make the right decision when it comes down to it." (Dr. Bill Cohen)
Adapted from Dr. Bill Cohen's Teachings
The syilx captikʷɬ we are exploring together
The syilx captikʷɬ we are exploring together
What might we learn from c̓skʕáknaʔ (chickadee), sənk̓lip (coyote), and sník̓łc̓aʔ (elk)?
Thank you to Coralee Miller for sharing this art piece that was created for Rose Valley Elementary School
Session #2: Looking at captikʷł Through a Scientific Lens
Session #2: Looking at captikʷł Through a Scientific Lens
Session #3: Exploring Local Story Sharing Protocols
Session #3: Exploring Local Story Sharing Protocols
At our last session we started to swirl around some wonders about the difference between story holder, story teller and story maker (publisher etc.) and the responsibility to share captikʷɬ in ways that are respectful, responsive, relevant, reciprocal, and relational.
Constructing Indigeneity: Syilx Okanagan Oraliture and timxwcentrism
For our session, please read chapter three.
Session #4: Exploring Coyote Stories
Session #4: Exploring Coyote Stories
Having read Chapter 3 of Jeannette Armstrong's Dissertation, we thought it would be important to read more about how coyote got his name (and therefore his role/responsibility) and other captikʷɬ that highlight how coyote fights some monsters.
III. Coyote Fights Some Monsters (p. 39)
III. Coyote Fights Some Monsters (p. 39)
Session #5: Exploring Lazy Boy
Session #5: Exploring Lazy Boy
We are interested to dig more deeply into the book, m̀ym̀aytwixʷmntm iʔ sqilxʷtət - Stories of Our sqilxʷ Ways: 2016 and thought we could start with one of the captikʷɬ that is highlighted in this book - Lazy Boy (page 48-49).
Our Guiding Texts
Our Guiding Texts
In this text, you will find a telling of three syilx captikʷɬ. These are not legends, tales or myths. They are sacred stories.
In this text, you will find a wide variety of syilx captikʷɬ recorded by Mourning Dove (Christine Quintasket)
Harry Robinson, one of the great storytellers of the Interior Salish people of North America, has written 3 texts, including: Write it on Your Heart, Living by Stories, and Nature Power
More Okanagan, Colville, and Sanpoil captikʷɬ
More Okanagan, Colville, and Sanpoil captikʷɬ
Creation of the Animal People: about creation
Woodpecker and the Theft of Fire: about the origin of fire
Coyote's Salmon: about how Coyote teaches the Sanpoils to harvest salmon
The Bear Woman: about a woman kidnapped by a grizzly bear
Dirty Boy: about a woman who married the sun
Coyote And The Buffalo: about why buffalo don't live near Kettle Falls
Coyote Quarrels With Mole: about Coyote fighting with his wife
Spirit Chief Names The Animal People: about the naming of the Chip-chap-tiqulk
Chipmunk And Meadow-Lark: about two children attacked by a monster
Coyote Becomes Chief of the Salmon: about the adventures of Coyote
How The Cold Lost Its Power: about the origin of the seasons
The Five Wolves: about a boy who turned into a chickadee
The Origin of Different Languages: about a quarrel
The Rolling Stone: about Coyote getting in trouble with a grasshopper family
The Tick and the Deer: about the origin of the wood tick
Turtle and the Eagle: about Turtle winning a race
Mourning Dove is a rare and important study of the Interior Salish people during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
This is Dr. Bill Cohen's dissertation, which includes multiple references to syilx captikʷɬ
Dr. Bill Cohen is one of the contributors to this 2021 book which analyzes the dominance of whiteness in the Okanagan Valley of BC to expose how this racial notion continues to sustain forms of settler privilege.
More Resources to Support our Learning:
More Resources to Support our Learning:
Where Else Can You Find captikʷɬ?
Where Else Can You Find captikʷɬ?
If you are interested in ordering books from Theytus, please email: order@theytus.com
A number of Okanagan Nation Alliance publications with local syilx captikʷɬ are available to order:
Blue Coyote
Lazy Boy
A Home for Chipmunk
How Coyote Broke the Salmon Dam
Chipmunk and Owl Women
To order, submit a Book Order Form.
Tales of the Okanogans - Collected by Mourning Dove (1888 - 1936)
Tales of the Okanogans - Collected by Mourning Dove (1888 - 1936)
This is a retelling of thirty-eight local syilx captikʷɬ which were shared by Mourning Dove in the 1900's. Unfortunately, this book is out of print, but you may be able to find a copy.
Check out this YouTube playlist from the En'owkin Centre nsyilxcən Language Program, which includes readings from the Tales of the Okanogans by Mourning Dove.
The syilx Language House Association formed in 2015 with the express purpose of training new nsyilxcən speakers and documenting our remaining Elders. This film documents an Elders storytelling evening with five fluent Elders, Andrew McGinnis, Victor Antoine, Theresa Ann Terbasket, Tony Qualtier and Sarah Peterson, Feb 23, 2016. This ten-minute film shares a selection of the ninety minutes of stories audio recorded.
Listen to Madeline Terbasket share the captikʷł Coyote and Eagle. After seeing majestic Eagle flying, senklip (Coyote) dreams of nothing but flying high like Eagle.
Listen to Madeline Terbasket share the captikʷł Coyote and Eagle. After seeing majestic Eagle flying, senklip (Coyote) dreams of nothing but flying high like Eagle.
You might also want to watch Madeline's TED Talk captikʷł is medicine in which Madeline shares how captikʷł, brought them back to life, and how play and laughter were a critical part in their journey back to health.
Upcoming Session Dates
Upcoming Session Dates
Our sessions will take place on zoom
Sessions will always be on Tuesdays
from 11:10 AM - 11:50 AM
Tuesday, December 13th
Tuesday, January 17th
Tuesday, February 7th
Tuesday, March 14th
Tuesday, April 11th
Tuesday May 23rd
Tuesday, June 13th
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