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My name is Corinne George. I am Wet’suwet’en with Gitksan lineage from the Gidimt’en (Bear) Clan. This is my truth, and through sharing my truth, I strive for ongoing healing and to continue the journey of reconciliation.As a Wet’suwet’en woman born and raised on what is now known as the “Highway of Tears,” it was not uncommon to receive inferior treatment. There were even times when I was overtly targeted. It has been very common for people to outwardly refuse to acknowledge my existence as a human being.
I was always afraid to share my truth because I did not want to be stigmatized. I am the daughter of a residential school survivor and a WWII veteran. As a result of colonization, I have encountered incredible levels of trauma.
I need to acknowledge and speak my truth.
As I share my pain and experiences, I have gathered self-awareness and every time I speak about my trauma, I heal a little bit more.
I do not deserve to be treated like I do not exist.
Despite the historical impacts of colonization and trauma, my connections to my ancestral ways and my identity have been critical. This is how I survived and how I strive to thrive.
List of contents
Sensitivity Warning
ixForeword: Grand Chief Stewart Phillip – Union of British Columbia Indian Chief
xiIntroduction
1Chapter 1: My Great Grandparents, My Grandparents, and My Parents
5Chapter 2: My Childhood
25Chapter 3: A Dark Trail – Off the Trail of My Ancestors
45Chapter 4: Healing
71Chapter 5: Reconnecting to the Trails of My Ancestors
97Chapter 6: Conclusion – Truth … and then Reconciliation
109Notes
127About the Author
129
About the author
Corinne George is Wet’suwet’en from the Gidimt’en Clan (Bear Clan). Corinne has a Master of Arts in History from the University of Calgary, where she wrote her thesis on Grassroots Activism of Aboriginal Women in Calgary and Edmonton, 1951-1985. With extensive experience in research, writing and teaching, Corinne strives for Truth and Reconciliation in all aspects of her life and seeks to integrate various levels of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into her work. In her spare time, her hobbies include hiking, snowshoeing, cycling and Aikido—for which she has earned her Nidan. Corinne has spent many years living in both Alberta and British Columbia, and currently lives in C’iggiz- Gidimt’en, Wet’suwet’en territory, as the Regional Principal of the College of New Caledonia- Burns Lake Campus.Grand Chief Stewart Phillip has dedicated his life to defending Aboriginal Title and Rights, achieving Reconciliation and self-determination for BC First Nations. A member of the Penticton Indian Band Council for 24 years and Chief for 16 years, he is currently serving his eighth, three-year term as the President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC). Grand Chief Phillip has helped critique, shape, and advance landmark legislation and policies that work to bridge cultural and ideological divides and rectify the wrongdoings of Canada’s colonial governance.
Summary
My name is Corinne George. I am Wet’suwet’en with Gitksan lineage from the Gidimt’en (Bear) Clan. This is my truth, and through sharing my truth, I strive for ongoing healing and to continue the journey of reconciliation.
As a Wet’suwet’en woman born and raised on what is now known as the “Highway of Tears,” it was not uncommon to receive inferior treatment. There were even times when I was overtly targeted. It has been very common for people to outwardly refuse to acknowledge my existence as a human being.
I was always afraid to share my truth because I did not want to be stigmatized. I am the daughter of a residential school survivor and a WWII veteran. As a result of colonization, I have encountered incredible levels of trauma.
I need to acknowledge and speak my truth.
As I share my pain and experiences, I have gathered self-awareness and every time I speak about my trauma, I heal a little bit more.
I do not deserve to be treated like I do not exist.
Despite the historical impacts of colonization and trauma, my connections to my ancestral ways and my identity have been critical. This is how I survived and how I strive to thrive.
