I was fortunate enough to grow up having Grandparents. Our Grandfather was our Hereditary Chief. Our Grandmothers on both sides of our family were the holders of our history. They gave us so much in terms of time, life lessons and teachings/Snuweyelh. I learned to accept our responsibilities and obligations to our family andour community from these role models. I had great relationships with my three grandparents that I knew. They taught me some language, a lot of family genealogy and oral history - although I didn’t know it was oral history at the time. And they gave us our ancestral names so that we would always know who we are.
My parents and grandparents were products of the residential school system however, I didn’t know that growing up. They didn’t really talk about it. They showed us that we could be anything we wanted to be and encouraged us in education and sport. They encouraged us every step of the way, whether we were furthering our education, starting jobs or starting our families, they always supported us. They often joined us at graduations, soccer games, lacrosse games and canoe races. Their houses were havens to us. A day doesn’t go by where we don’t think of them and the teachings they left us. When we were young, our grandparents told us about their parents and siblings. They told us history about our people that were already on the other side. I know stories about my great grandparents that were long passed away by the time I came along. We had photos and they would tell us stories about them and made them a part of our lives, it is as if we knew them.
They encouraged us to travel and see the world, knowing that we would come home and help in the community. We learned well. Now, my parents, Ernie “Iggy” and Deanna George are Elders now. They are in their 70’s, and my Dad is now coming
to terms with being an Elder. He is our hereditary Chief, and my Mom was our first band social worker and then drug and alcohol counselor (from the frying pan into the fire). They support their 11 grandchildren in education, sport and music. They gave all of their grandchildren ancestral names. Each child knows who held the name prior, and understands the gift and the responsibility. Most of these grandchildren have been to the special areas of our territory and they have heard the oral history. Some are learning the language, some paddle in the canoe, and all have the stories of their grandparents. They attend ceremonies of our people and understand the importance of knowing who we are.
Life is different now, all the children lead busy lives. It doesn’t seem like we get together as often as a family. But when we do – there is a lot of love and laughter involved. Now there are great grandchildren, 11 so far. We have four generations of Ernie Georges, there have been five in total. We have another generation to whom we can pass the knowledge. We have tons of photos of our late grandparents, our aunts and uncles that went too soon that we will show, so our own grandchildren will know them. I am so blessed that my sisters let me borrow their grandchildren. We will keep telling our history, we will continue our ceremonies, and we will talk about the ones passed on. We will keep their legacy alive with all of the lessons, the teachings/ the Snuweyelh. The greatest gift I have been given by my old people is the gift of knowing who I am as Tsleil-Wautt (one of the Tsleil-Waututh). Someday, my generation will be Elders, and I worry about that. What if we don’t know enough? What if we forget? And then I remember my Grandparents and my parents and I know that we will be okay.
