Culture is Healing

Nothing About Us Without Us with Katie Marren

Season 3 of Culture is Healing is closing out with this powerful finale!
George Harris Jr. sits down with Katie Marren—a Cree-Métis, English, and Irish educator, mother, and District Principal of Indigenous Education—to explore how culture and education can create healing for Indigenous young ones and communities as a whole.
Katie opens up about her personal story and shares how important Indigenous voices, language revitalization, and cultural ceremonies are in creating trust and reconciliation. 
We are taking a break for the holidays and will be back with more conversations and teachings on January 6th, 2026. 

#31 - Healing Across Generations with Waubgeshig Rice

This week’s guest is Waubgeshig Rice! 
George and Waub share teachings about how healing moves between generations. 
The episode shares guidance on participating in cultural renewal without appropriation and speaks to the responsibility that comes with engaging with culture respectfully.

#30 - Guidance for Moving Through Trauma with Nola Jeffrey

George Harris Jr. and Nola Jeffrey reflect on the healing ceremonies, cleansing practices, and community teachings that have supported their experiences with trauma. 
They emphasize the importance of daily self-care—especially for those in helping roles—and offer simple cultural practices anyone can use to release the heaviness felt inside and find grounding. 
This conversation also shares the work happening at Tsow-Tun Le Lum, where cultural teachings and community support people through recovery in meaningful, accessible ways.

#29 - How Youth Thrive Through Cultural Connection with Kelsey Crawford

 In this week’s conversation, George Harris Jr. and educator Kelsey Crawford explore how cultural healing, community support, and everyday acts of presence can transform the lives of Indigenous youth.
Together, they reflect on the power of elders, regalia, music, and seasonal teachings in helping young people build identity, confidence, and connection.
Their discussion offers practical insights for educators and community members committed to creating safe, culturally grounded spaces where youth can truly thrive.

#28 - Wisdom From The Fire with Rachael Hunt

In this episode of Culture Is Healing, Rachael Hunt and George Harris Jr. talk about what it means to return home — to culture, ceremony, and community. 
Rachael shares ancestral wisdom and teachings from the Eighth Fire.
The conversation is a call to remember that culture isn’t something we practice once in a while — it’s something we live. 
Whether through prayer, gratitude, or presence, every moment can become ceremony.

#27 - What Our Ancestors Teach Us About Resilience with Jenn Smith

In this episode of Culture is Healing, George Harris Jr. sits down with Jenn Smith of the Tlowitsis Nation, a leader in Indigenous Cultural Safety and reconciliation work. 
Together, they speak about how self-love can be an act of reclamation and how personal journeys of cultural connection are vital for identity and healing. 
Jenn shares how ancestral teachings, truth-telling, and community care help repair what colonialism tried to take — reminding us that healing deepens when culture is at the centre of our lives.
 

#26 - Bringing Culture and Language into the Classroom with Colleen Mullin

Education can be a place of deep healing when guided by culture, story, and community.
George and his friend Colleen Mullin share a conversation about bringing Indigenous language, teachings, and community connection into education in meaningful ways. 
George reflects on moments of racism and insensitivity he faced as a student, and how those experiences shaped his commitment to creating safer, more understanding learning spaces.
 They speak on the progress that has been made, the care it takes to do this work well, and how storytelling continues to open doors for healing and understanding.

#25 - Lessons from the Canoe with Gabriel George Sr.

Gabriel George Sr. speaks to canoeing as a teacher — one that carries lessons of discipline, unity, and spirit.
 
He reflects on how revitalizing language has restored strength and pride to his community. 
 
He points to the guidance of elders, who remind us that healing also means breaking harmful cycles and choosing a different way forward.
 
At the heart of it all, Gabe emphasizes that love and connection to culture are what make reconciliation possible.

#24 - Using Creativity to Move Through Trauma and Recovery with Benjamin Lewis

“Art and music helped me survive.”
This week, George shares a raw conversation with Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw’s Benjamin Lewis.
Ben opens up about his recovery from addiction, sharing the story that led him to hosting his own 12-step meetings. He also talks about how turning back to culture and creativity became his way through.
For Ben, art and music aren’t just passions — they’re lifelines.
In this episode, he shares some of his songs — honest, heavy pieces that speak to the realities of residential schools, abuse, and what it means to live through it.

#23 - Why Patience is the Heart of Storytelling with Tchadas Leo

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.