Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Grizzlypaws.
Hi Laura, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Having INTERNAL ASSUREDNESS AND SELF AWARENESS
My strengths are rooted in my history. My history has shaped me into who I am today and how I accept my own unique personality, motivation, gifts and confidence. I understand my values and belief systems.
“I have a purpose in my life; and I am integrating my beliefs and values into ACTION. This integration helps me to focus my energy and activity. I remind myself that as a leader, stepping forward with an ‘I can, and I will’ mindset impacts situations and systems for the greater good.”
It was not an easy journey. It was a journey of build strength in my own resiliency. Learning about who it is that I am as a St’at’imc Woman, as ucwalmicw (people of the land). As a survivor, a descendent of my mother who attended the Kamloops Indian Residential School (IRS), I have been surviving since I was born. I am a warrior. Being raised by a single parent that did not pass on the traditional teachings and cultural values of who we are as ucwalmicw, I had to learn, relearn and ground myself based on the core principles of my ancestors. The IRS silenced the voice of my mother, and she did the absolute best she could with what she had.
I struggled with my identity, as a result I struggled with education, I struggled within my own social life, and I struggled with understanding boundaries which eventually placed me behind prison doors and concrete walls. Over the period and time during my prison year and extensive counseling sessions, including Elders and mentors, I had learnt that I did not fail, as a student, as a St’at’imc learner, nor as a community member. Rather it was the colonial system and structures that failed to provide me the support, knowledge tools I needed to succeed. As a result, finding my voice and strengthening my resilience gave me a voice to advocate for myself.
I no longer felt inferior, I no longer felt the desire or the need to people please, but to ground myself through my own health and wellness. Building resiliency through my cultural identity gave me the strength to succeed in education. The balance of Indigenous values and the cultural protocols and teachings of my culture along with the concepts of western colonial structures, provided me the skills of “walking in two worlds with one spirit.”
I was born and raised in Lillooet, British Columbia. My background consists of a Master of Education, Bachelor’s degree Linguistics & First Nation Studies; Bachelor of Education; Professional Development; Language Proficiency; and a Counselling & Wellness Certificate; She was also recognized as a BC Salishian Language Hero. Followed by her academic credentials, Grizzlypaws received an Indigenous Music Award for “Best Hand Drum” for her album “Come Home” 2018. My latest album “Muzmit.stumc” (2019); was dedicated to language revitalization; and lastly, I was inducted into the Wall of Fame at the University of Saskatchewan Alumini (2020) for MY athletic achievements and the recognition of the Indigenous work I offer globally. I recently competed at the World Beauty Fashion and Fitness Competition in Calgary Alberta bringing home two gold medal for “Best of the Best” and placing 2nd and 3rd. Lastly, I recently just published my first paperback children’s book titled “Sulyálesta” in August 2022 and currently studying at Simon Fraser University in the Doctor of Education Leadership Program.
I currently work at the Thompson Rivers University as the Educational Developer, Indigenous Teaching and Learning Focus. My primary role is to support the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action:10 (2) Improving education attainment levels and success rates. 10 (3) Developing Culturally appropriate curricula. Provide support and facilitate change and growth in teaching and learning environments, developing and maintaining positive relationships with Indigenous communities and demonstrating active engagement in personal and professional growth through work.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The pathway leading to my position was not always easy. It does come with challenges. Challenges and or even barriers come in waves and sometimes all at once. So, remembering and practicing self-care, removing false principles and or statements is an ongoing practice and skill. Most importantly, believing in yourself and your role.
* Lack of understanding and appreciation of Indigenous teaching and learning
* Systemic racism
* Colonial policy of laws and policy
* Lack of community leadership support
* Cyberbullying, hate crimes, lateral violence
* Neocolonialism
* Unhealed trauma resurfacing
* Lack of resources
* Not all people will believe in you or will support you
* Generational gap of language and culture
The Indian Residential School system removed and isolated the children from their homes, cultures, traditions, and beliefs. The damaging consequences of the system continue to have lasting effects on residential school survivors and their descendants, including the loss of language.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My attitude, my style, my character and my experiences. I believe that I am unique and authentic in my own way. There is no other person that has endured, lived and or experienced my journey of life. I had built strengths in my character through cultural competency as well as education leadership skills. I can cover a variety of topics of workshops, facilitation and delivery, drawing from various skill sets from Interactive Song & Dance, Oral Traditions, Grizzly Bears Protected Species, In Language Holds Life, In Language Holds Death, Indigenous Language Teaching and Learning, St’at’imc Seven Laws of Life: Health; Happiness; Generations; Generosity; Power; Compassion; Quietness
This section focuses on the following Lessons
Singing Workshops
Resilience Topics: Overcoming Trauma; Sexual Abuse, Anger & Violence; Neglect; Incarceration; Education Challenges School Failures to overcoming the challenges and barriers to Education Leadership
Provide knowledge and training on Inclusive Education & Indigenous Pedagogy Teaching and Learning
b) Lifelong learning is a collective responsibility
c) Understanding Indigenous knowledge and pedagogy and the historical and contemporary
conditions of Aboriginal education in Canada
d) Education Skills & Training impacting First Nations Economy
e) Resilience in Education (Balancing Indigenous & Non-Indigenous Paradigms)
f) How to do a Land Acknowledgement
One of the greatest well-known engagements are the Grizzly Bear Performances: Song, Dance and Creation Story along with Women EmpowHERment (confidence building)
To now becoming a Children’s Paperback publisher. This is the most exciting time for me to craft in a new skill, talent and bring to life the coming together of the strengths of Indigenous Knowledge and western structures to creating something that will contribute to supporting current and future generations to: preserve St’at’imc language and culture; support language learners access to mother tongue; develop a sense of pride; integrate culturally relevant content into education programs and to educate the global world about the significance of Indigenous languages.
Lifelong learning is endless, I continue to strive to improve and strengthen my resilience in and through education. Thorough knowledge and experiences of Indigenous teaching and learning St’át’imcets language and culture balanced with Western paradigms have provided me with a solid foundation in my life mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I began my journey in the Education Leadership Doctorate Program through Simon Fraser University in September 2022. I believe that this part of my journey is important to work necessary to be able to indigenize and deconstruct colonial structures within our institutions and communities and reconstruct through the inclusion and diversity of Indigenous Knowledge systems within the Indigenous Global world. It compliments my unique authentic identity; it connects the values and teachings of Indigenous worldviews, and it will allow me to progress academically and proficiently to earn my placing as a faculty member in the post-secondary sectors of teaching and learning.
I firmly believe that this program will provide me with an in-depth knowledge of transferable skills: problem-solving, critical reasoning, thinking in-depth and from different angles and perspectives on Indigenous education.
As an Indigenous advocate, I am involved as an active board member of various groups such as United Nations Council of Indigenous Peoples Co-Founding Member Lead person on the Matriarch Council, Protecting, promoting, and preserving Indigenous Languages, Customs & Cultural Awareness.
Grizzly Bear Foundation Board of Directors, “Indigenous Round Table recognizes the invaluable role of Indigenous-led conservation and the core principles to the conservation of lands and waters that continue to support Indigenous people’s cultural and economic practices.
St’át’imc Language Mentor | First Nations Peoples Culture Council on Indigenous Languages Provide leadership and mentorship on language revitalization with two apprentices.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Playing sports, such as soccer was a huge takeaway for me, it provided me the foundation of the principles and importance of team building, working together, collaborating and discipline; most importantly health specific to physical, eating healthy, abstaining from drugs and alcohol and committing to team roles and responsibilities.
I also recall spending a great deal of time on the land, in the natural ecology, running through the landscapes on my communities’ traditional territories. Chasing rabbits, climbing trees, swimming in the rivers and building swings were all the great memories on the land along with witnessing my grandparents working on the land in the garden and harvesting, fishing and even my grandfather panning for gold. I can reflect on observing my mom watching her fish, cut, and pack salmon and working on the land as she provided her knowledge and skills with what she had and could. We used to live in an old log house on the highway and we had a tree swing and easy access to the creek, the higher elevations and the rivers below.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://grizzlypaws.ca/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/l_grizzlypaws/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GirlishBear/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LGrizzlypaws
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb5z9m2fJCl5o_SvSRrAmqA
- Other: https://www.amazon.ca/Suly%C3%A1lesta-Laura-Grizzlypaws/dp/0228869889
Image Credits
Canadian Physique Alliance (fitness) Palo Kovac Levi Blackwolf Gunter Lange
