Staff and volunteers of the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives have recently begun an intensive Cultural Safety Training program, led by Indigenous elders, Chris Marchand and Eric Mitchell.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the first step toward reconciliation and, we hope, further collaboration with the Sylix people of the Okanagan Nation,鈥� GVMA executive director Steve Fleck said.

Program coordinator Laisha Rosnau adds: 鈥淥ver the past several years, there鈥檚 been a groundswell of interest in the Indigenous history of the Okanagan, especially from teachers.鈥�

Educators are often looking to the GVMA for artifacts, archival materials, and programs to help facilitate students gaining more knowledge in this area.

鈥淲e at the museum are in the position of being a predominantly white 鈥榮ettler鈥� staff facilitating learning the history of a rich culture and heritage that is not only not our own, but one which has been historically misrepresented and discriminated against,鈥� Rosnau said.

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In conjunction with the learning process facilitated by Cultural Safety Training, GVMA is hosting and facilitating the Okanagan Online Book Club鈥檚 2020/21 season focusing on Indigenous books and authors, to all who are interested.

The book club begins with 21 Things You Might Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph, on Nov. 19, then will read and discuss books by Okanagan Indigenous authors.

鈥淲e鈥檒l read the stories of Harry Robinson, a traditional Okanagan storyteller, who Thomas King once described as 鈥榯he most powerful storytelling voice in North America,鈥欌�� Rosnau said.

Other books that the club will discuss will be Jeanette Armstrong鈥檚 seminal novel Slash, Gerry William鈥檚 The Women in the Trees, the newly released Calling My Spirit Back by Elaine Alec, and for April poetry month Sandra Lynxleg鈥檚 Glass Beads.

鈥淲e hope to encourage a greater understanding of both the history of the Sylix people of the Okanagan, and how both this history and contemporary culture informs Sylix literature, art, and culture,鈥� Rosnau said.

All are welcome to join the Okanagan Online Book Club by signing up for links to articles, interviews, and additional material on each book and author. As well, they鈥檒l be a monthly online meeting to discuss the books.

鈥淲e may even have a special guest author join us for one of the online discussions, but I won鈥檛 promise too much yet,鈥� Rosnau said.

For more information and to join the Okanagan Online Book Club, visit .

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