Olalla is an unincorporated settlement in the South Okanagan

Okanagan

The Okanagan , also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as Okanagan Country is a region located in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. As of 2009, the region's population is approximately 350,927. The...

 region of the Southern Interior of British Columbia

British Columbia Interior

The British Columbia Interior or BC Interior or Interior of British Columbia, usually referred to only as the Interior, is one of the three main regions of the Canadian province of British Columbia, the other two being the Lower Mainland, which comprises the overlapping areas of Greater Vancouver...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, located southwest of Penticton (the nearest large city) and just north of Keremeos

Keremeos, British Columbia

Keremeos is a village in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. The name originated from the Similkameen dialect of the Okanagan language word "Keremeyeus" meaning "creek which cuts its way through the flats" referring to Keremeos Creek which flows down from the Upper Benchlands to the...

. Kaleden

Kaleden, British Columbia

Kaleden is a small historic community located minutes south of Penticton in the Okanagan valley in the province of British Columbia Canada. Overlooking Skaha Lake, Kaleden is made up of picturesque vineyards and lakeview orchards. Visitors are offered a relaxed environment with good bed and...

, just northeast beyond Olalla along BC Highway 3A

British Columbia provincial highway 3A

Highway 3A is the designation of two segments of highway in the southern part of British Columbia.-Kootenays - Castlegar-Nelson-Creston Highway:...

, occupies the pass dividing the Okanagan Valley beyond and the Similkameen Country

Similkameen Country

The Similkameen Country, also referred to as the Similkameen Valley or Similkameen District, but generally referred to simply as The Similkameen or more archaically, Similkameen, is a region roughly coinciding with the basin of the river of the same name in the Southern Interior of British Columbia...

 of which Olalla is a part.

Like most of the Okanagan

Okanagan

The Okanagan , also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as Okanagan Country is a region located in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. As of 2009, the region's population is approximately 350,927. The...

, Olalla supports a fruit industry and is a retirement community.

Name

Olalla's name is a local adaptation of the Salish and Chinook

Chinook Jargon

Chinook Jargon originated as a pidgin trade language of the Pacific Northwest, and spread during the 19th century from the lower Columbia River, first to other areas in modern Oregon and Washington, then British Columbia and as far as Alaska, sometimes taking on characteristics of a creole language...

 word for "berries". The word is listed as olallie or ollalie in many Chinook Jargon

Chinook Jargon

Chinook Jargon originated as a pidgin trade language of the Pacific Northwest, and spread during the 19th century from the lower Columbia River, first to other areas in modern Oregon and Washington, then British Columbia and as far as Alaska, sometimes taking on characteristics of a creole language...

lexicons.