General Tour Overview

The tour of Kalamalka Garden will allow visitors to learn a brief history of Syilx (pronounced: see-eel), who are the Indigenous people of the Okanagan - and the Captikʷł (pronounced: chap-teek-cool) which are the stories, laws and cultural values of the Syilx Okanagan people, which have been passed down from generation to generation by oral tradition.  Through these ancient stories, the Syilx have preserved their worldwide view and relationship with nature.  Here at the Kalamalka Garden, guests will get to experience first hand the beauty and importance of both the Indigenous plant life and the traditional Indigenous knowledge that has existed for thousands of years, and still exists today.

Guests will have the opportunity to learn to identify traditional plants, understand how these plants are used for medicinal and food purposes, and see demonstrations of how to harvest and use the plants.

The tour presenter will provide short workshop on an Indigenous garden product and how it is grown, harvested and made into a gift. The workshop will explore the elements of traditional foods and medicines, history of the Okanagan area, Indigenous gardening techniques, and samples of foods from the garden.