Margaret George, of the TsleilWaututh Nation, is part of a new elders-in-residence program at SFU. She comes to the Burnaby campus once every two weeks to talk with students.
The elders work with staff and students, providing mentorship and cultural guidance and help with traditional ceremonies. The program draws on the First Nations belief in the leadership power of elders.
Burnaby NOW: Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
Margaret George: That's a big question. (laughter) I've lived in North Van since '61. I'm one of the only elders in the community with a degree. I've worked pretty well all my life, contract work in the Downtown Eastside, with various organizations, working with mainly First Nations people, single moms, single dads - developing programs so that they can get a better education, better jobs - and pretty well raising my four kids on my own.
BN: How does the elders program work?
MG: We're sort of like grandmothers and mothers and aunts to the students, and we do a lot of encouraging and talking about just things that might be a concern to students, especially the ones that are far away from home.
BN: Is it mostly aboriginal students you help or is it for everyone?
MG: I help a lot of international students as well. For them, because they are far away from home, it becomes very emotional.
BN: Can you tell me about a typical day in this program? How does it unfold?
MG: Usually students come through the door, and they serve bannock and tea and coffee when I am here. And we sit and chat, with some of them. We talk about their assignments, or maybe there's a birthday coming up and they don't have lots of money for a party for their kids, and how can they deal with that, or just stories of what they've been going through, especially the first-year students.
BN: It sounds like you are a counsellor of sorts. What do you bring to this that a counsellor wouldn't?
MG: Probably more listening than telling students what to do. I don't tell students what to do when they are confused about something. I just encourage them to work out their problems. Everything is confidential.
BN: Part of the role is sharing elders' expertise, life experience and cultural wisdom. How do you tie that into the support you give students?
MG: It depends what the students need. We don't push culture or anything on them, but if they ask, then we tell them.
BN: What's the traditional definition of aboriginal elder?
MG: It's a very difficult one to answer because, being an elder, I've had to do a lot of research on a lot of cultures. I had to understand the difference between the cultures, the language and the geographical areas where people come from and not say to a student or an individual, well, your culture is the same as mine, which it's not.
All our cultures and the way we're brought up as individuals to become elders is totally different from some people. Say for instance, someone thinks they are an elder just because they have grey hair, it doesn't work that way. (Laughter) They've got to really understand it's a lot of listening to people, not giving advice or telling some people to do what I did.
BN: It seems we live in a society where, in some cases, elders can be estranged from their families and communities, or seniors can be living in isolation. I'm curious what your thoughts on that are.
MG: In the greater part of Vancouver there are a number of native elders living in different apartments, separated from their home reserves. It's difficult for them to go back home.
I find with some of my white friend elders, they are totally isolated from their children. They are totally isolated from their grand kids. ... They feel they are going to be a burden on the family, so they live in isolation in different homes in different areas, whereas in the native community, in my house I have three grand kids living with me. And I don't think I would like to see them out of the house.
BN: Why is this program important?
MG: First Nations students need to understand they are going to be leaders in the future, and they need to understand that they need to be strong emotionally, mentally physically and spiritually. (The program) helps them do that by seeing us as leaders and always coming back and maybe asking a questions:
Am I doing the right thing, what is the protocol for this if I'm in this territory. Just little things; not how to solve the problems of the world, but how to cope with everyday activities.
BN: Is there anything First Nations' students struggle with in particular?
MG: (Finances) is the big one, and being away from their home territory is another. And then learning how to (handle the education system). My parents didn't go to school, and neither did my grandparents, so for me to get through university was very difficult. I had no leaders in the educational field, but I had my grandmother who was a leader in the community and taught me a lot of skills I needed to survive, but not the educational part.
BN: How has the program been going so far?
MG: Good, (but there's) not enough time. A lot of students, but not enough time; 10, 12, 15 in two hours. - I would like to see it expanded. I would like to see probably two or three more elders involved.
BN: Is there any thing else you would like to say about the program?
MG: I think it's a great program, it should have happened from Day 1 when this campus opened.
