By Kelsie Kilwana, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

skawilx, also known as Sarah Alexis, recalls having a vivid dream as a teenager that led her to understand her true responsibility to the siw涩k史 (water), and specifically k涩usx虒nitk史 (Okanagan Lake).

In the dream, she was visited by nx虒ax虒aitk史, briefly known by settler folks as 香蕉视频直播淥gopogo.香蕉视频直播� To have a dream of nx虒ax虒aitk史 is very significant, and often, for sqilx香蕉视频直播檞, dreams carry information about the work you are being called to do.

香蕉视频直播淚 remember telling my sister, and my sister was like, `Oh, my goodness, you have to remember this moment in your life and think about why you had that dream and why you香蕉视频直播檙e seeing him,香蕉视频直播澫憬妒悠抵辈�� she says.

Having grown up intimately close to k涩usx虒nitk史 (Okanagan Lake), she says it was her first call to her responsibility to do what she could to caretake the siw涩k史 (water).

And ever since then, skawilx has dedicated her life to the siw涩k史 and has furthered her understanding of sqilx香蕉视频直播檞 roles and responsibilities to the water through nsqilx史cen.

As an academic and expert, the Okanagan Indian Band member has contributed knowledge towards developing the syilx siw涩k史 Strategy (Okanagan Water Strategy) with Okanagan Nation Alliance.

香蕉视频直播淎 lot more sama7 (visitor) people, a lot more Western people, are wanting to base work on Indigenous knowledge, syilx knowledge, localized knowledge,香蕉视频直播� she shares. 香蕉视频直播淎nd that knowledge is really an extension of all of the places that we live in. It香蕉视频直播檚 an extension of the natural world, the mimicry of the natural world, because that香蕉视频直播檚 really what and who we are.香蕉视频直播�

Grasslands, deserts, forests, mountains, rivers, and lakes all each have a name 香蕉视频直播� just like any person. And skawilx shares that it香蕉视频直播檚 important for non-sqilx香蕉视频直播檞 folks to learn about language, place names, and personal accountability in the natural world order 香蕉视频直播� for this will begin to shift how people see themselves as part of place.

She says people can start by learning about the more accurate name for one of the major water landmarks in her nation香蕉视频直播檚 territory, colonially known as Okanagan Lake 香蕉视频直播� but historically known as k涩usx虒nitk史.

香蕉视频直播淐ontemporarily, it香蕉视频直播檚 really important that we recognize and talk about the places that we香蕉视频直播檙e all from,香蕉视频直播� she says.

k涩usx虒nitk史 is 香蕉视频直播渁 place or a body of water that has two long sides,香蕉视频直播� skawilx explains.

香蕉视频直播淭wo long sides in the sense of like when you look at your body, and you香蕉视频直播檙e talking about `my right side香蕉视频直播� and `my left side.香蕉视频直播� And if we were to visually look at Okanagan Lake, that香蕉视频直播檚 exactly it, this long body of water.香蕉视频直播�

The tie-in to human autonomy in k涩usx虒nitk史 is important to recognize, skawilx says, and is something that is common in other place names.

香蕉视频直播淩ecently, I was reminded that a lot of the words that we have in nsqilx史cen, or in nsyilxcen, often reflect the words we have for ourselves and vice versa,香蕉视频直播� she shares.

香蕉视频直播淲e are based off of the land. And so, of course, words that are associated with our body, our physical body are also reflected out there on the land on the tmx史ulax史 (the land) in the natural world order.香蕉视频直播�

To build on this, skawilx shares, a lot of the place names in sqilx香蕉视频直播檞 homelands share unique sounds that mimic the natural habitat and give the listener knowledge about the essence of each place 香蕉视频直播� mimicking sounds of the rushing water or other attributes.

香蕉视频直播淲e can look at them and listen to them and figure out what they香蕉视频直播檙e really trying to tell us because a lot of place names often mimic the natural world order that香蕉视频直播檚 around there,香蕉视频直播� she says.

香蕉视频直播淪o when we speak in nsqilx史cen, when we understand nsqilx史cen, we香蕉视频直播檙e just an extension of the timx香蕉视频直播檞 (everything alive) and the tmx史ulax史 (the land) and syilx. So, thinking about the importance of recognizing place names and learning them is very fundamental in this contemporary context.香蕉视频直播�

skawilx says she has witnessed many changes to k涩usx虒nitk史 just within her lifetime.

香蕉视频直播淚n the Okanagan, it has this aesthetic that it香蕉视频直播檚 so beautiful, you can come here, and you can go boating and swimming and fishing, and in the winter, you can come skiing, and you can explore all these places,香蕉视频直播� she says.

香蕉视频直播淲e have wineries, vineyards and this playground that you can come in and enjoy, but all of those things take away from the actual ecosystems that are out there. We have a lot of red-listed and blue-listed species here in the Okanagan, and so anytime you buy into all of these like recreational things 香蕉视频直播� think about the impacts it香蕉视频直播檚 having.香蕉视频直播�

She also encourages sama7 (visitor) folks to get curious about their water use, asking themselves questions such as: Do you know where it comes from? Do you know which tributaries are responsible for providing you with water? Have you visited those places?

She says it香蕉视频直播檚 also important for settlers to do their own research, since sqilx香蕉视频直播檞 people already have a lot of responsibilities to shoulder.

香蕉视频直播淵ou know, growing up sqilx香蕉视频直播檞, we were going to high school and beyond that, to live and learn, to be educated about knowledge systems and knowledge beliefs that aren香蕉视频直播檛 ours, and now we香蕉视频直播檙e very familiar with those,香蕉视频直播� she says.

香蕉视频直播淪o now those tables need to be flipped in a way. I think the big thing non-syilx people can do in terms of k涩usx虒nitk史, is to be curious about how water plays a role in their own life.香蕉视频直播�

For sqilx香蕉视频直播檞 people, many feel a heavy responsibility to the timx香蕉视频直播檞 and siw涩k史 that can feel overwhelming because of colonial interference. syilx Peoples are commanded to caretake the land as intended by Creation.

skawilx shares a good way to start that connection with the timx香蕉视频直播檞, for syilx people, is by learning a traditional introduction in the language.

香蕉视频直播淲hen you learn how to introduce yourself, you香蕉视频直播檙e not only talking about yourself and your own job, or your responsibilities or the pieces that you hold, but also you香蕉视频直播檙e bringing in your extended kinship,香蕉视频直播� she says.

香蕉视频直播淲e all have roots that stem from different places. And I think recognizing those places is important and fundamental in terms of each of us stepping into our own roles, each of us stepping into our responsibilities of being sqilx香蕉视频直播檞, being syilx.香蕉视频直播�

Knowing that nsyilxcen introduction will show sqilx香蕉视频直播檞 how interconnected life is in terms of water 香蕉视频直播� there will be water-based words found in names that enact responsibilities, life work, place names, and family names. It香蕉视频直播檚 embedded deeply into sqilx香蕉视频直播檞 existence.

香蕉视频直播淵ou know, whether that香蕉视频直播檚 in people香蕉视频直播檚 jobs, or whether that香蕉视频直播檚 in their families, or whether that香蕉视频直播檚 in community work, volunteer work, or whether it香蕉视频直播檚 in more abstract thinking, it香蕉视频直播檚 always there. You香蕉视频直播檒l see it香蕉视频直播檚 the basis and foundation of everything, and I know, it香蕉视频直播檚 really cliche to say, but water is life,香蕉视频直播� she says.

香蕉视频直播淚 think if we were to step forward into the future, recognizing that water is in every single thing that we do, I think that香蕉视频直播檚 a very strong step forward.香蕉视频直播�

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