Kʷu səcqʷaʔqʷʔálx
SLH History & Mission
SLH was founded in 2015. Our mission is to create new fluent nsyilxcn speakers, record Elders, provide a safe learning environment, and move in partnership and good relations with the Language Kin in our Nation. We provide sequenced immersion with trained teachers, utilizing the Paul Creek curriculum, lovingly crafted for our Nation by tw̓iʔ sʕamtíc̓aʔ Sarah Peterson, in a community learning environment. We record our fluent Elders and publish the recordings each year, shared on this website. Syilx Language House is a non-profit association. A thriving Indigenous language is proven to bolster pride and mental health in our communities. At SLH we believe that our success is embedded in uplifting and shouldering the work done by our language relatives, our Elders, and our fellow programs, language houses and language learning community partners.
Our program provides classes through online forums. Being online serves a large number of dedicated learners and diasporic community members. All current staff are continuing their n̓syilxcn̓ learning. Our language strengthens the health of our communities, the Syilx Nation, land-based knowledge, and expresses our title & rights.
With new direction and leadership, SLH is fostering language growth, alongside creating a learning community dedicated to safety, humility, connection, and healing. SLH is focused on building bridges towards, and with, our community. Together, we are working towards a language future that is built on mutual support, accountability, and celebration. SLH provides language opportunities through our accessible, online, and intersectional trauma-informed model, which uniquely supports more vulnerable members of our learning community (such as 2SLGBTQQIA+, neurodivergent, disabled, older, and/or silent speaking individuals). SLH has committed to recentering Elders within our language work. We are working towards an intergenerational model that ensures our language will continue to thrive for years to come.
Our program provides classes through online forums. Being online serves a large number of dedicated learners and diasporic community members. All current staff are continuing their n̓syilxcn̓ learning. Our language strengthens the health of our communities, the Syilx Nation, land-based knowledge, and expresses our title & rights.
With new direction and leadership, SLH is fostering language growth, alongside creating a learning community dedicated to safety, humility, connection, and healing. SLH is focused on building bridges towards, and with, our community. Together, we are working towards a language future that is built on mutual support, accountability, and celebration. SLH provides language opportunities through our accessible, online, and intersectional trauma-informed model, which uniquely supports more vulnerable members of our learning community (such as 2SLGBTQQIA+, neurodivergent, disabled, older, and/or silent speaking individuals). SLH has committed to recentering Elders within our language work. We are working towards an intergenerational model that ensures our language will continue to thrive for years to come.
nqilxʷcn nsyilxcn
nqilxʷcn n̓syilxcn̓ is an Interior Salish language spoken by syilx people. The nqilxʷcn n̓syilxcn̓ language speaking territory stretches across the Interior Plateau from Revelstoke BC to northern Washington. There are seven syilx Nation Bands in Canada: Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB), Westbank First Nation (WFN), Penticton Indian Band (PIB), Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB), Lower Similkameen Indian Band (LSIB), Upper Similkameen Indian Band (USIB), Upper Nicola Indian Band (UNB). Of the 12 tribes which make up the Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) of WA, there are six nqilxʷcn n̓syilxcn̓ speaking tribes: the suknaqínx (Okanagan), sn̓ʕay̓ckstx (Sinixt / Arrow Lakes), mətxʷu (Methow), nspil̓m̓ (Nespelem), sn̓pʕaw̓ilx (Sanpoil), and sx̌ʷy̓iłpx (Colville).
Our team
sqawaʔłlwút Alexis G. Tonasket is Colville Okanagan and lives in the Spokane, WA area. A c0-teacher and student at SLH, a parent, artist, activist and advocate for language and social justice. Sqawaʔłlwút is named after their great-great grandma who spoke fluent Halkomelem (Coast Salish).
sník̓łc̓aʔ Theo McKee is a descendant of USIB from Colville, Washington. His mother is Melissa McKee, and his grandparents are Rick Holmes and Marty Marchand. He is a teaching assistant, student, conscientious transcriber and editor. As well as studying at SLH, he is working towards his BA in First Nations Endangered Languages at UBC Vancouver.
yutlxʷ sklm̓qinx, Lindsay Ravensong, BA History
yutlxʷ is of sn̓ʕay̓ckstx, suknaʔqínx, Swedish and Frisian descent, with ancestral roots in the Okanagan Valley through her father. She grew up in Alaska and now resides in Westbank. She is the great-granddaughter of Ida Peone (suknaʔqínx) and John Francois (sn̓ʕay̓ckstx), and a proud descendant of Hwistesmetxe'qen through his daughter Sukomalqs. Yutlxʷ is a joyful learner of languages. She comes from a long line of educators and brings a passion for decolonized learning structures as well as for the benefits to mental health and well-being of communities through language. She is also an artist, an auntie, and an advocate for individuals who experience the world differently from others.
mlqnups Dylan Wilson is an OKIB member living in Enderby. He is a learner at the intermediate level, online, and taught an online evening language program to a cohort of OKIB hockey players.
sn̓sałqʷ Jesse Helfrick, of samaʔ descent, was born in the Okanagan and began learning nqilxʷcn in 2022. His work with SLH began in 2023. He feels tremendous gratitude to be learning the language of this land.
stsaqwm̓ Rosalyn Wilson met us during our last in-person evening class, held at WFN. She is a teaching assistant, co-teacher, student and provides general admin support. A word geek who was raised in the Okanagan, with Euro ancestry, she appreciates hearing N̓syilxčn̓ as the language of the land throughout Syilx Territory. She is grateful for the Elders’ generosity in sharing and for the opportunity to deepen her learning through transcribing their stories.
xʷačúʔ Allan Lindley is the grandchild of Lottie and Isaac Lindley, from the Upper Nicola Band. They have been a language learner since they were young, and found SLH during the online program. They would listen to their grandmother tell stories and share wisdom, some of which would be published in Okanagan Grouse Woman, by Lottie Lindley and Dr. John Lyon. Xʷačúʔ is a co-teacher, student, transcriber, and provides cultural support to learners.
lɣmin Lance Hilderbrand is an Okanagan/Sinixt Colville member from Omak, and found us during the online program. Lɣmin is a co-teacher, learns thru co-teaching, conducts recording sessions with fluent Elders and provides general support, especially with tech, and more recently, administration. He is grateful to learn the language of his great-grandma Christine Williams.
Tracey Schwartz CPA is the SLH Bookkeeper, living in Falkland. By keeping our financial records, she gifts us the space to focus on language.
sník̓łc̓aʔ Theo McKee is a descendant of USIB from Colville, Washington. His mother is Melissa McKee, and his grandparents are Rick Holmes and Marty Marchand. He is a teaching assistant, student, conscientious transcriber and editor. As well as studying at SLH, he is working towards his BA in First Nations Endangered Languages at UBC Vancouver.
yutlxʷ sklm̓qinx, Lindsay Ravensong, BA History
yutlxʷ is of sn̓ʕay̓ckstx, suknaʔqínx, Swedish and Frisian descent, with ancestral roots in the Okanagan Valley through her father. She grew up in Alaska and now resides in Westbank. She is the great-granddaughter of Ida Peone (suknaʔqínx) and John Francois (sn̓ʕay̓ckstx), and a proud descendant of Hwistesmetxe'qen through his daughter Sukomalqs. Yutlxʷ is a joyful learner of languages. She comes from a long line of educators and brings a passion for decolonized learning structures as well as for the benefits to mental health and well-being of communities through language. She is also an artist, an auntie, and an advocate for individuals who experience the world differently from others.
mlqnups Dylan Wilson is an OKIB member living in Enderby. He is a learner at the intermediate level, online, and taught an online evening language program to a cohort of OKIB hockey players.
sn̓sałqʷ Jesse Helfrick, of samaʔ descent, was born in the Okanagan and began learning nqilxʷcn in 2022. His work with SLH began in 2023. He feels tremendous gratitude to be learning the language of this land.
stsaqwm̓ Rosalyn Wilson met us during our last in-person evening class, held at WFN. She is a teaching assistant, co-teacher, student and provides general admin support. A word geek who was raised in the Okanagan, with Euro ancestry, she appreciates hearing N̓syilxčn̓ as the language of the land throughout Syilx Territory. She is grateful for the Elders’ generosity in sharing and for the opportunity to deepen her learning through transcribing their stories.
xʷačúʔ Allan Lindley is the grandchild of Lottie and Isaac Lindley, from the Upper Nicola Band. They have been a language learner since they were young, and found SLH during the online program. They would listen to their grandmother tell stories and share wisdom, some of which would be published in Okanagan Grouse Woman, by Lottie Lindley and Dr. John Lyon. Xʷačúʔ is a co-teacher, student, transcriber, and provides cultural support to learners.
lɣmin Lance Hilderbrand is an Okanagan/Sinixt Colville member from Omak, and found us during the online program. Lɣmin is a co-teacher, learns thru co-teaching, conducts recording sessions with fluent Elders and provides general support, especially with tech, and more recently, administration. He is grateful to learn the language of his great-grandma Christine Williams.
Tracey Schwartz CPA is the SLH Bookkeeper, living in Falkland. By keeping our financial records, she gifts us the space to focus on language.
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Board of Directors
c̓uc̓uʔasq̓t Pamela Barnes (WFN) - co-chair łílat Jessica Chillihitzia (UNB) sqʷy̓tal̓qs Angie Pinchbeck (PIB) - co-chair nc̓ic̓n Dr. Percy Lezard (PIB) pk̓am̓ Dustin Schmauder |
Contact us
Syilx Language House
Please follow us on Facebook
Immersion classes are held online. We welcome visitors and hold regular community events. Interested learners are encouraged to contact us. For learning or self-study, download n̓syilxcn̓ materials: textbook and audio at https://ilfts.org
Please follow us on Facebook
Immersion classes are held online. We welcome visitors and hold regular community events. Interested learners are encouraged to contact us. For learning or self-study, download n̓syilxcn̓ materials: textbook and audio at https://ilfts.org