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NATURE
· Plants and Animals in the Dry Land
FIRST PEOPLES
· The Osoyoos Indian Band: Preserving Our Past, Strengthening Our Future
HISTORY
· A Scarcity of Water
This is a link to a map of the Grasslands of British Columbia with an optional close-up map of the Southern Okanagan.

FOCUS  Southern Okanagan

The Osoyoos Indian Band
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This is a painting of men on horseback by Francis Baptiste.
Men on Horseback. Inkameep Day School painting by Francis Baptiste. RBCM 15851.
Indian Cowboys

The Okanagan people were hunters, gatherers and traders, and their territory, with its abundance of grasslands, was optimal for grazing livestock. The introduction of the horse created a new alliance that would forever change the traditional Okanagan lifestyle and would usher in a new era of trade. Horses enhanced the already strong trading skills of the Okanagan, and allowed trade with other nations that were previously inaccessible due to distance. Ranching and raising horses and cattle became a way of life for many of Okanagan people. Many of these "Indian Cowboys" gained a certain measure of wealth and fame according to Western standards, through either their rodeo exploits or ranching expertise.

Rodeo. Painting by a student at the Inkameep Day School. Osoyoos Museum.
This is a painting of a rider on a horse at a rodeo by a student at the Inkameep Day School.
Stelkia Ranch,Oliver. Nk'Mip Desert and Heritage Centre, Osoyoos.
This is a photograph of people and horses at Stelkia Ranch in Oliver, British Columbia.
The Osoyoos Indian Band - 
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