About Us
History of Sncewips | Mission & Vision
The History of Sncewips
The Sncewips Heritage Museum began as a repository after Westbank First Nation achieved self-government in 2005. As our collection grew, so did we. We were given the name sncewips (sen-cha-weeps) which interprets to “how our tangible objects tell our story” or “a conversation with an ancestor”. We officially opened our doors as the Sncewips Heritage Museum on June 14th, 2014. Over the years we continued to grow and five years later, we moved, re-opening on February 1st, 2020. Through all of its changes and growth, our museum has stayed true to our name and provided a protected place for sqilxʷ representation, culture, and heritage.
As a non-profit society, Sncewips relies on the generosity of people like you to operate!
If you would like to make a donation, you can do so by clicking the link here and selecting Sncewips Heritage Museum as the donation recipient. limlemt (thank-you) for your support!
Museum Opening (2014)
Museum Gallery (2014)
New Location (2020)
Community Re-Opening in New Space (2020)
Museum Space (2020)
ntytyix Exhibit (2023)
sp̓iƛ̓m Exhibit (2023)
Family Exhibit (2023)
Truth & Reconciliation Exhibit Opening (2024)
Our Mission
We believe in the power of our own voice to inspire, educate, and transform. We aspire to benefit the community by maintaining a safe space for language, culture, and acknowledgement through open and respectful dialogue. We make our resources and collections accessible to local, regional, national, and international patrons through consultation and collaboration with individuals and organizations.
Our Vision
We will create awareness and provide access to our living history by acknowledging our language, captikʷɬ, and connection to our traditional territory as the foundation of who we are as sqilxw. We are dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting art and artefact collections while providing educational experiences that reflect the heritage and natural history of the syilx/Okanagan people.