Culture & Heritage of our Community

West Kelowna sits on the traditional, unceded territory of the suknaqinx/syilx People, who have lived on and cared for these lands since time immemorial. Today, Westbank First Nation continues this legacy of stewardship, sharing their living culture, language (nsyilxcən), and traditions with the broader community. Sacred oral stories, known as captikʷɬ (capt-EER-kwth), pass down ancestral knowledge, laws, and a deep connection to the Okanagan landscape.

Visitors can experience this culture firsthand through local Indigenous-owned businesses, public art installations, and community spaces like the sncəwips, which offers dedicated space to collect, preserve, and showcase syilx histories from an Indigenous perspective.

European fur traders with the Hudson’s Bay Company arrived in the region in 1811, travelling along the historic Fur Brigade Trail. Over time, early agricultural settlements, orchards, and transportation corridors developed alongside the established syilx communities, shaping the West Kelowna recognized today.

Art Gallery at Grizzli Winery

The art gallery at Grizzli Winery features the works of local artists and their exhibition rotates on a seasonal basis. Summer Exhibition: November 1, 2025 - January 26, 2026 Grizzli Winery Winter...

Sncəwips Heritage Museum

The Sncewips Heritage Museum showcases all that the sqilxw people from this area have to offer. There are excellent opportunities for everyone to get involved with the Museum, and we...

Westbank Museum

Locally run and operated by knowledgable staff passionate about our local history, the Westbank Museum boasts interesting and unique facts about the history of our region....