Land acknowledgement
The RDCO acknowledges our presence on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded tm̓xʷúlaʔxʷ (land) of the syilx / Okanagan people who have resided here since time immemorial. We recognize, honour, and respect the syilx / Okanagan lands upon which we live, work, and play.
What is tm̓xʷúlaʔxʷ?
tm̓xʷúlaʔxʷ means the land and everything that lives and interacts on it. It is an all encompassing word that expresses the intersectionality of land and nature.
Westbank First Nation parks partnership
In 2014, the RDCO and Westbank First Nation (WFN) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the management of sntsk‘il’ntən - Black Mountain Regional Park. In 2018 the RDCO and WFN also entered into an MOU for the Protection and Conservation of Cultural Heritage Sites in Regional Parks. This document recognizes that the land throughout the Central Okanagan has been used by the syilx / Okanagan people since time immemorial.
To support public education of the syilx / Okanagan language, nsyilxcən, some Regional Parks have dual language trail names. This contributes to the RDCO's commitment to Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #14 Language and Culture: Aboriginal languages are a fundamental and valued element of Canadian culture and society and there is an urgency to preserve them.
Dual language guide to common plants and animals
Working with a syilx Artist and Knowledge Keeper, Krystal Withakay (spaxwawlm), Parks Services produced the brochure, Central Okanagan: Guide to Common Plants and Animals (suqinaq̓inxʷ tmxʷulaxʷ : tmíxʷ uł yayat əts p̓lal), in English and nsyilxcən where possible. The language key below provides audio clips to help with pronunciation.
The guides are available for Individuals at the Robert Hobson EECO or when they participate in a park program. We do not provide class-sets or bulk amounts.
.jpg "Central Okanagan: Guide to Common Plants and Animals")
Listen to audio clips of nsyilxcən words
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Trees, shrubs and wildflowers - cəɣíp naɬ sćʔak̓ʷ il c̓l̓c̓al |
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cəɣíp naɬ sćʔak̓ʷ il c̓l̓c̓al
sʔatqʷɬp - Ponderosa Pine ćápaʔx̌ - Western Redcedar ćqiɬp - Interior Douglas Fir muĺx - Black Cottonwood mĺmĺtiɬp - Trembling Aspen spkʷmiɬp - Douglas Maple ɬux̌ʷɬx̌ʷiɬp - Choke Cherry bush stikcxʷ - Red-osier Dogwood skʷlsiɬml’x - Kinnikinnick siyaʔ - Saskatoon Serviceberry sul̓àqa - Poison Ivy tm̓tm‘nýʔip - Common Snowberry sx̌ʷmiɬp - Soopolallie sc’isɬml’x - Tall Oregon Grape tukʷtán - Great Bulrush/Tule sp’ic’n - Indian Hemp kʷətskʷətswixups - Yarrow t’xay̓ápaʔ - False Solomon's-Seal tsəmtsəmɬk’íxʷ - Pearly Everlasting x̌ʷux̌ƛ̓miƛ̓p - Labrador Tea smúkʷaʔxn - Arrowleaf Balsam Root ʔítxʷa - Meadow Death Camas skńirnm - Yellow Bell smanuxt - Great Mullein ncqcqus - Buttercup sɬqmiɬp - Fireweed sxsístyaʔ - Rosy Pussytoes kʷlkʷaʕqn - Common Paintbrush sp’iƛ̓m - Bitterroot skʷukʷwiɬp - Wild Rose smitaʔ - Chocolate Lily snk̓l̓ip q̓axán - Mountain Lady's Slipper
qʷəqʷliʔt - Jack Pine ciqʷl̓x - Tamarack qʷəlqʷɬin - Birch stax̌cin - Tigerlily
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Birds of prey and owls - ʔɬnimn iʔ sqiltk |
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k̓sus nlƛ̓ʕʷut̓qs - Turkey Vulture ɬəɬákʷ - Cooper's Hawk (Chicken Hawk) pyaʕ - Red-tailed Hawk ɣɣ’ícɣən - American Kestrel c̓ixʷc̓xʷ - Osprey pql̓qin - Bald Eagle snínaʔ - Great Horned Owl sq’əq’áxʷ - Western Screech-Owl paʔsnína - Great Gray Owl
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Songbirds and water birds - nkʷʔkʷíntn naɬ siwɬkʷ il skəkákáʕkaʔ |
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nkʷʔkʷíntn naɬ siwɬkʷ il skəkákáʕkaʔ
nk’ʷítlps - Mallard aʔsiwɬ - Loon skʷaʕ’s - Great Blue Heron c’ris - King Fisher skekaka ets Icken Il cicwixa - American Dipper x̌ʷnamx̌ʷnm - Calliope Hummingbird kʷlkʷʕaqn - Northern Flicker spwal’qn - Hairy Woodpecker qʷáʕsqiʔ - Steller's Jay aʕickʷəla - Meadow Lark c’əskáʕknaʔ - Black-capped Chickadee
w’əsw’áʕsx̌aʔ - Robin k’ʷsixʷ - Canada Goose
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Mammals - knknusis |
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t’əntanwiya - Little Brown Bat k’wík’ʷxʷnaʔ - Deer Mouse q’ʷəq’ʷc’wíyaʔ - Yellow-pine Chipmunk kʷil aʔísck’ - Red Squirrel mhúyaʔ - Common Raccoon skʷúykʷi - Yellow-bellied Marmot stunx - American Beaver sənk’l’íp - Coyote yilíkʷlxkn - Bighorn Sheep pwalxkn - Mule Deer sw’aʕ - Cougar sk’məxist - Black Bear
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Butterflies and moths - ḱʷk̓ʷyumaʔ t̓xʷtʷtix iʔ tmixw |
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ḱʷk̓ʷyumaʔ t̓xʷtʷtix iʔ tmixw
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Caterpillars - k’ʷsk’ʷsm’uɬ |
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Dragonflies and damselflies - x̌ʷətx̌ʷətáʕks |
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Reptiles, amphibians and fish - ḱʷk̓ʷyumaʔ siwɬkʷ iʔ tmixw |
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sw’ar’ák’xn - Tree Frog smynap - Western Toad ʔar̓síkʷ - Western Painted Turtle k’ʷəxʷk’ʷxʷáp - Garter Snake sxʷyups - Great Basin Gopher Snake xaʔxʔúlaʔxʷ - Rattlesnake klklxiw̓s - Northern Alligator Lizard c̓m’tus - Sturgeon kəkn’í - Kokanee Salmon
ntitiyx - Spring Salmon xʷuxʷm’ínaʔ - Rainbow Trout sk̓awílx - Water snake
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Arachnids and insects - ʔkʷtlwis iʔ tmxʷulaxʷ |
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tupl’ - Wolf Spider sqʷuʔɬ - Paper Wasp sqʷuʔɬ - Yellow Jacket t’əpt’əp’q’in - Bumblebee tupl̓ iʔ siwɬkw - Water Strider səla̓qs - Mosquito p̓up̓aʔwíkn - Stink Bug kəkc’ílxkn - Wood Tick sa̓rsər - Field Cricket x̌əx̌m’áʕɬ - Cicada nsl̓sl̓íkn - Ladybug Beetle np̓wp̓aʔwíkn - Ten-lined June Beetle
axʷúxʷyaʔ - Ant m’aʕmlaʔ - Earthworm c̓ʕ̓anc̓n - Grasshopper
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Problem plants and animals - k̓sistia |
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sq̓ṕxʷiɬp - Dalmatian Toadflax sntkʷl̓kʷal̓ìw̓stn̓ - Canada Thistle aʔísck’ - Eastern Gray Squirrel spəpl’ínaʔ - European Rabbit
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