Nicola Valley Institute of Technology has launched a two-year Indigenous Business Diploma that blends Indigenous knowledge with business education. Rooted in the Syilx Nation’s Four Food Chiefs teachings, the program uses traditional stories to connect business learning with community well-being, relational accountability, and sustainability. “Those stories are called captikʷł , or Storywork, and they are our laws and protocols—everything we need to know to live as a people,” said NVIT Elder Casey Holmes (Upper Nicola Indian Band). The curriculum follows a seasonal structure—each term reflecting the values of one of the Four Food Chiefs—and covers topics such as governance, economic sovereignty, and land stewardship. The first intake begins in Fall 2025.
