Rooted in the Old Ways: Language, Lineage, and Love with Dr. Evelyn Voyageur

In this rich and heartfelt episode of The Next Ancestors Podcast, host Erin Brillon sits down with Dr. Evelyn Voyageur, a respected Kwakwaka’wakw matriarch, nurse, and cultural knowledge keeper, to share reflections from a life deeply rooted in traditional teachings and Kwakwala language.

Raised in the Big House traditions, Dr. Voyageur speaks about the early cultural influences in her life, the importance of Kwakwala as her first language, and the deep teachings she learned through observation and community living. She shares how her family's dedication to tradition led to the revival of the coming-of-age ceremony, reintroduced through her granddaughter’s research and celebrated through her great-granddaughter’s rite of passage.

The episode also explores the sacred role of matriarchs and what it means to lead with love, patience, generosity, and humility, rooted in strong family lineage. Dr. Voyageur offers a powerful reminder of the aspects of culture that must remain true to the old ways, especially in a time when cultural appropriation and dilution are ever-present risks.

Her words offer both a gentle call to responsibility and an uplifting vision of cultural continuity, guided by the strength and grace of Indigenous women.

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