Welcome to our Interactive Lessons
The okanaganfirstpeoples.ca would like to invite you to try out these lessons which are based on the Syilx calendar. These lessons are structured to provide the following information as you navigate through the lessons:
- Syilx seasonal change indicators
- When the Syilx seasons change (and how to tell)
- How the months are indicated by the moons
- When the moon months change and how many natural indicators are in a single season
- What each season and moon indicator is called in Nsyilxcen (the Okanagan language)
- The correct spelling and pronunciation of each season and moon indicators in Nsyilxcen
Seasonal patterns within the Okanagan Territory are measured by natural changes, for example: By changes of the moon cycles and the yearly seasonal cycle and is not to be compared with the European calendar. A European calendar has a fixed number of days, weeks and months in a single year. Our calendar is based on an understanding of significant weather and climate changes which are indicated by the natural environment and how we as Syilx utilize it. Moon cycle changes help to identify probable weather systems because of the power of the moon.