For Violet, family is the most important thing in life. “Culture is a way of living, and our way of living was communal and all about family,” says Violet. “Our mother taught us to respect and take care of one another.”
Violet George belongs to the Tzeachten First Nation but has lived on the Skwah First Nation since 1972. Her parents were Francis and Nelly Roberts and she was one of 13 children. Violet has two daughters with her late husband Gerald who she was married to for 52 years. She also has, one granddaughter and numerous nieces and nephews.
Violet grew up with her grandmother who spoke to her in Halq’emeylem, then her aunt after her grandmother passed. That was how she learned how to cook, eventually becoming a certified chef. She still enjoys cooking, especially canning and making jams.
Even though Violet grew up with family and was fortunate to not be taken away to residential schools, she considers herself and her family survivors because both her parents were forced to attend the schools. She says residential schools made her father very strict and that her mother “could never be who she was meant to be.”
For Violet, Church was an important part of her life growing up and still is. “That’s how we survived, through our faith. I know a lot of people don’t want to have anything to do with the Church, but I believe in the power of prayer, and am strong in our faith, even after everything,” says Violet.
She has been with the Xyólheméylh since the beginning, first as a board member and now as an Elder for the last 14 years. “I was very honoured to become an Elder with Xyólheméylh,” says Violet. She enjoys the company of the other Elders on the Advisory Group and looks forward to hearing their stories. She also enjoys being able to provide direction to the social workers. “The families are still struggling,” says Violet. “We’re there to support them.”
Violet’s advice to staff is that they should try to understand the culture, to find out where the families are coming from and appreciate the way of rich life that Indigenous people had prior to colonization.