Culture is Healing

This week’s episode with Tchadas Leo is packed with teachings to help us reach our fullest potential.   He talks about how smudging became a foundation in his reconnection to culture, and how patience can transform everything — the way we live, the way we create, and the way we heal.   Tchadas also shares why joy and purpose are not optional, but essential parts of healing and living well.

This week’s guest is family—George’s brother-in-law, Cal Swustus Jr., from Cowichan Tribes. Cal shares how he navigates walking in two worlds - Indigenous and Western.   Listeners will hear teachings on rites of passage, the guidance of Elders, and how storytelling and performance are great tools for moving through grief and growth.    Cal nudges listeners to lean on culture as a source of healing...

Richard Van Camp and George Harris Jr. share a conversation about the signs we receive from those who have passed on.  They speak to how oral storytelling, cultural practices, and creative projects carry us through loss.  Richard reflects on his experiences as a Tłı̨chǫ storyteller and author, and on the ways culture connects us across generations. To learn more about our work at CheckingIn visit...

In the final episode of Season 2, host George Harris Jr. sits down with storyteller and TV host Bob Kronbauer—better known as BC Bob—for a conversation rooted in stories—about learning, and unlearning. They share about how salmon, harvesting and food have brought people together in their lives and created deeper understanding.  Bob shares about his own learning path as a non-Indigenous person buil...

This week’s episode of Culture is Healing feels a little closer to home — because George’s guest is his sister, Iona Harris. They share memories from their upbringing in Stz’uminus First Nation. They share how, in their home, culture has always been a way of life, and family a built-in support system and source of teachings. Iona also brings forward her own teachings — shaped by her community and...

What grounds you when life gets hard? For Qwuy’um’aat (Eyvette Elliott), it’s culture and family. In this episode, Qwuy’um’aat offers reflections shaped by her experience as an Indigenous mother. Her snuw’uy’ulh (teachings) speak to how you can live in alignment with your values, carry wisdom forward to the next generation, and prioritize time for healing through connection.  This episode is a sof...

This conversation goes beyond the idea that culture heals — it asks how we live that truth in our everyday lives. Vanessa Lesperance is a Métis woman originally from Treaty 1 territory, and Ariana Fotinakis is Anishinaabe. Both speak candidly about what it means to reclaim culture when you weren’t raised in it, and the messy, sacred work of navigating identity as women of mixed Indigenous heritage...

Carrying the names and languages of our ancestors — especially when we didn’t grow up with them — is a powerful kind of healing.   In this episode, Victoria Fraser (Siqaltunaat) shares what it means to walk with language — as a learner, teacher, and descendant. She reflects on the grief and beauty of reconnecting with culture, and how both children and elders play a vital role in keeping language...

What does it mean to carry your culture forward while still learning it yourself? Kalila George-Wilson of Tsleil-waututh Nation joins George to talk about the teachings that live in everyday moments. From the kitchen table to the classroom, Kalila shares how ceremony, nature, and ancestral guidance have shaped her path. This episode is a reminder that healing and learning often go hand in hand—and...

What does it mean to reclaim identity after generations of disruption? In this episode, George is joined by detani hoshis tsekwi ( Carrie Lamb), an Indigenous HR leader and co-founder of Sacred Workplaces, for a personal conversation about the long road back to cultural connection. Carrie opens up about her childhood trauma, spiritual awakenings, and the teachings that have shaped her work in tran...

George sits down with Smulthun (Thomas George Jr.), a cultural practitioner from Halalt First Nation with deep roots across the Coast Salish world. Known for his work in men’s wellness, sweat lodge ceremonies, and youth support, Smulthun reflects on how cold water baths, traditional medicine, and ancestral teachings have guided his healing.  He shares teachings from his grandmother, takeaways from...

In this episode of Culture is Healing, we sit down with Indigenous food sovereignty advocate, chef and storyteller Qwustenuxun.   Rooted in Salish culture and drawing from over a decade of experience cooking for Elders in his home community of Quw’utsun, Qwustenuxun shares powerful reflections on the spiritual, cultural, and communal role of food.   From inherited teachings to the sacred responsib...

For our first episode of season 2, George is joined by Len Pierre - Puleeqweluck, a Coast Salish educator, consultant, and knowledge sharer from Katzie First Nation. Len is an award-winning entrepreneur, professor, TEDx Speaker, and social change-maker whose work focuses on decolonization, reconciliation, and transforming education systems. We speak about the path of cultural reconnection — the fe...

As the final episode of Season 1, this conversation brings us back to the heart of what Culture Is Healing is all about. Montana Fox, an Anishinaabe writer, bead weaver, and Community Engagement Manager at CheckingIn, joins us for a conversation on identity, belonging, and culture. Together with George Harris Jr., she reflects on the quiet, everyday practices that help her stay rooted in who she i...

This week on Culture is Healing, George Harris Jr. sits down with Cameron Park, an educator who is a settler who spent over 20 years learning from the Stz’uminus First Nation community.   From language and ceremony to grief and generosity, Cameron reflects on the teachings that shaped him—lessons you won’t find in any textbook.   It’s a conversation about showing up with heart, earning trust, and...

George is joined by Atawni Hall of Sq’ewlets First Nation—a mother of five and Program Coordinator for q’eyéx. Atawni speaks openly about her path to sobriety, and how movement, ceremony, and language have supported her healing. She reflects on breaking harmful cycles, raising her children with teachings, and staying grounded in who she is becoming. She also shares how life in Sq’ewlets looks a li...

This week’s episode is rooted in resilience. George Harris Jr. and Ryan Boyer reflect on their personal paths of reconnecting to identity, community, and ancestral teachings.  Ryan, a counsellor of mixed Celtic, Norse, Slavic, and Cherokee ancestry, shares perspectives shaped by his work in First Nations mental health and his own healing journey. They speak to the emotional and spiritual healing t...

In this episode of Culture is Healing, host George Harris Jr. sits down with Katy Carson who shares her path of reclaiming Indigenous identity and connection to her community.  They share memories of the ceremonies that shaped them. Katy reflects on her experience of embracing her Métis heritage and the importance of asking questions, learning from mistakes, and honouring the evolving path of cult...

In this episode of Culture is Healing, host George Harris Jr. is joined by Aaron Moore who is a dedicated social worker with familial connections to Cowichan Tribes, Stz'uminus First Nation, & Penelakut Tribes. Together, they reflect on the role of culture in healing—not just as a concept, but as a lived practice. Aaron shares stories from his work supporting Indigenous families and reflects o...

This week, we’re joined by friend of the podcast Kim Trottier, who reflects on the teachings she’s gathered as a settler living and working in First Nations community spaces. Together, Kim and George explore the deep meaning that comes from understanding one’s ancestry, the central role children play in community life, and the healing power of language and relationships. They speak to the ripple e...

What does it take to pass culture down across generations? In this episode, George Harris Jr. and Daniella Harris-David share personal stories about family, resilience, and the role of community in shaping identity. From the power of language to the challenges of staying connected, they offer wisdom on keeping traditions strong and guiding youth toward a future rooted in culture. Tune into this we...

How does culture shape our mental health and sense of belonging?  George Harris Jr. and Collin Reid share personal stories about reconnecting with cultural practices and how they helped them through challenges caused by colonization. They share how traditions, elder teachings, and collective support create a foundation for both personal and community healing.  This episode is a powerful reminder t...

In this first episode of the Culture is Healing podcast, hosts George Harris Jr. and Sean Burke open up about their personal healing paths and the deep impact culture had on their transformations. The conversation dives into the role of community support, the opportunities that come with choosing sobriety, and the importance of deep listening in cultural spaces. This episode sets the stage for a p...