"The Syilx of the Okanagan Nation, live in eight communities in the interior of British Columbia and Washington. Over 400 band members live and work on the Osoyoos Indian Reserve which stretches from Oliver to Osoyoos.
Okanagan First Nations once travelled widely to fishing, gathering and hunting areas. Each year, the first harvests of roots, berries, fish and game were celebrated by ceremonies honouring the food chiefs who provided for the people. During the winter, people returned to permanent winter villages. The names of many of the settlements in the Okanagan Valley–Osoyoos, Keremeos, Penticton and Kelowna–come from aboriginal words for these settled areas and attest to the long history of the Syilx people on this land."
Source: Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre
Four Food Chiefs
Okanagan oral history tells of the how the Tmiw', or the People-That-Were (plant, water, and animal spirits) prepared the changing world for the new kind of people that would be coming to live on the earth: the People-To-Be. How would they live? What would they eat? The four food chiefs - N'tyxtix (Salmon), SpiNem (Bitterroot), Skmxist (Black Bear), and Siya (Saskatoon Berry) - gave it much thought.
Finally they turned to Skmxist (Black Bear), oldest and wisest among them. Skmxist said "I will give myself, and all of the animals I am Chief over, to be food for the People-To-Be."
N'tyxtix (Salmon) said "Yes. You are truly wisest among us. I will also give myself, and all the things that live the water whom I am Chief over, to be food for the People-To-Be."
SpiAem (Bitterroot) said "I will do the same. All the good roots under the ground whom I am Chief over will become food for the People-To-Be."
Lastly, Siya (Saskatoon berry) said "I will do so as well. All of the good things that grow above the ground whom I am Chief over will give themselves to be food for the People-To-Be."
With that, Skmxist lay himself down and died. All the People-That-Were gathered together and all took turns singing songs, trying to bring him back to life, but to no avail. They then sang songs to heal other's sorrow. Finally, Fly came took his turn to sing his song. It was so powerful, Skmxist awoke.
Fly told the four Chiefs "When they come, the People-To-Be will take your bodies for food. When they do, they will sing this song as thanks. All things will have their own song. The People-To-Be will use songs to help each other, to heal, to teach, and to remember. ...and that is how food and songs were given to the People-To-Be.
The pavilion is shown below:
This pavilion (community gathering space) is built on the symbolism of the traditional women's hat worn by Okanagan and other interior/plateau tribes. In the picture Victoria Baptiste George, wife of chief Narcisse is wearing her traditional hat. The older women, grandmothers and mothers usually wore this style of hat.
Grandmothers and mothers are the main care givers and teachers of young children, this hat structure symbolizes the traditional teachings, guidance and discipline of Okanagan Indian ways. Kids were taught they had to be respectful and to "earn" their way through "rights of passage" from thinking and acting like a child, to behaving like a responsible hard working adult with adult responsibilities and tribal responsibilities.