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 91裸聊视频淥gopogo.91裸聊视频� To have a dream of nx虒ax虒aitk史 is very significant, and often, for sqilx91裸聊视频檞, dreams carry information about the work you are being called to do.

91裸聊视频淚 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 you91裸聊视频檙e seeing him,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� 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 sqilx91裸聊视频檞 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.

91裸聊视频淎 lot more sama7 (visitor) people, a lot more Western people, are wanting to base work on Indigenous knowledge, syilx knowledge, localized knowledge,91裸聊视频� she shares. 91裸聊视频淎nd that knowledge is really an extension of all of the places that we live in. It91裸聊视频檚 an extension of the natural world, the mimicry of the natural world, because that91裸聊视频檚 really what and who we are.91裸聊视频�

Grasslands, deserts, forests, mountains, rivers, and lakes all each have a name 91裸聊视频� just like any person. And skawilx shares that it91裸聊视频檚 important for non-sqilx91裸聊视频檞 folks to learn about language, place names, and personal accountability in the natural world order 91裸聊视频� 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 nation91裸聊视频檚 territory, colonially known as Okanagan Lake 91裸聊视频� but historically known as k涩usx虒nitk史.

91裸聊视频淐ontemporarily, it91裸聊视频檚 really important that we recognize and talk about the places that we91裸聊视频檙e all from,91裸聊视频� she says.

k涩usx虒nitk史 is 91裸聊视频渁 place or a body of water that has two long sides,91裸聊视频� skawilx explains.

91裸聊视频淭wo long sides in the sense of like when you look at your body, and you91裸聊视频檙e talking about `my right side91裸聊视频� and `my left side.91裸聊视频� And if we were to visually look at Okanagan Lake, that91裸聊视频檚 exactly it, this long body of water.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淩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,91裸聊视频� she shares.

91裸聊视频淲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.91裸聊视频�

To build on this, skawilx shares, a lot of the place names in sqilx91裸聊视频檞 homelands share unique sounds that mimic the natural habitat and give the listener knowledge about the essence of each place 91裸聊视频� mimicking sounds of the rushing water or other attributes.

91裸聊视频淲e can look at them and listen to them and figure out what they91裸聊视频檙e really trying to tell us because a lot of place names often mimic the natural world order that91裸聊视频檚 around there,91裸聊视频� she says.

91裸聊视频淪o when we speak in nsqilx史cen, when we understand nsqilx史cen, we91裸聊视频檙e just an extension of the timx91裸聊视频檞 (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.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淚n the Okanagan, it has this aesthetic that it91裸聊视频檚 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,91裸聊视频� she says.

91裸聊视频淲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 91裸聊视频� think about the impacts it91裸聊视频檚 having.91裸聊视频�

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 it91裸聊视频檚 also important for settlers to do their own research, since sqilx91裸聊视频檞 people already have a lot of responsibilities to shoulder.

91裸聊视频淵ou know, growing up sqilx91裸聊视频檞, we were going to high school and beyond that, to live and learn, to be educated about knowledge systems and knowledge beliefs that aren91裸聊视频檛 ours, and now we91裸聊视频檙e very familiar with those,91裸聊视频� she says.

91裸聊视频淪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.91裸聊视频�

For sqilx91裸聊视频檞 people, many feel a heavy responsibility to the timx91裸聊视频檞 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 timx91裸聊视频檞, for syilx people, is by learning a traditional introduction in the language.

91裸聊视频淲hen you learn how to introduce yourself, you91裸聊视频檙e not only talking about yourself and your own job, or your responsibilities or the pieces that you hold, but also you91裸聊视频檙e bringing in your extended kinship,91裸聊视频� she says.

91裸聊视频淲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 sqilx91裸聊视频檞, being syilx.91裸聊视频�

Knowing that nsyilxcen introduction will show sqilx91裸聊视频檞 how interconnected life is in terms of water 91裸聊视频� there will be water-based words found in names that enact responsibilities, life work, place names, and family names. It91裸聊视频檚 embedded deeply into sqilx91裸聊视频檞 existence.

91裸聊视频淵ou know, whether that91裸聊视频檚 in people91裸聊视频檚 jobs, or whether that91裸聊视频檚 in their families, or whether that91裸聊视频檚 in community work, volunteer work, or whether it91裸聊视频檚 in more abstract thinking, it91裸聊视频檚 always there. You91裸聊视频檒l see it91裸聊视频檚 the basis and foundation of everything, and I know, it91裸聊视频檚 really cliche to say, but water is life,91裸聊视频� she says.

91裸聊视频淚 think if we were to step forward into the future, recognizing that water is in every single thing that we do, I think that91裸聊视频檚 a very strong step forward.91裸聊视频�

READ MORE: Indigenous contractor won91裸聊视频檛 represent 91裸聊视频榯oken Indians91裸聊视频� in B.C. hospital dispute

Like us on and follow us on .