People of Georgian: Family鈥檚 key to 鈥榯he good life鈥 for events co-ordinator
June 25, 2021
June is National Indigenous History Month. As part of our celebration, we鈥檙e featuring the perspectives of 51视频students and employees of Indigenous ancestry all month long.
What鈥檚 your story?
The 51视频community is full of unique, inspiring perspectives 鈥攁nd we鈥檙e sharing them as part of an ongoing series.
People of Georgian: Meet Beedahsiga Elliott
On Friday nights, my dad would make a pot of chili. That was his favourite thing to do.
This morning 鈥 even though it was hot out 鈥 I had thoughts of my family, so I decided, 鈥淵ou know what? I鈥檓 going to make a pot of chili.鈥
Family is very important to me.
Your family is what makes you who you are, so to have that family structure, to have that family around you to love you, support you, take care of you, to always have your back, that鈥檚 such a big deal for Indigenous folks.
For the Anishnawbe particularly, knowing who you are and having family around you 鈥 it鈥檚 so important.
Thinking back to the past year and a half, being separated from our families鈥 It鈥檚 been hard, it鈥檚 been really hard for people who depend on family.
I鈥檓 the oldest in a family with four siblings. We鈥檙e pretty tight.
We still communicate with one another and send each other texts and memes and have chats, but that doesn鈥檛 beat sitting together and laughing and carrying on.
Stuff gets lost in translation when you can鈥檛 speak at the same time.
I was just talking to my sister about it. We were thinking of having a big celebration this summer if we can.
Family is one of the things that are an important staple to having a good life, what we call Mino Bimaadiziwin. The good life.
鈥楾his is your clan, this is where you鈥檙e from, and this is who you are鈥
I know a few Anishnawbe words, a few phrases, but the important thing I know is how to introduce myself.
I would say: Beedahsiga Elliott indizhnikaaz. Neyaashiinigmiing ndoonjibaa. Mooze Doodem. Anishnawbe ndow.
What I said is, 鈥淢y name is Beedahsiga. I come from Cape Croker First Nation (a.k.a. The Land of the Handsome), my clan is Moose, and my nation is Anishnawbe (The Good People).鈥
What that tells other people is I know where I鈥檓 from, I know my family or my clan, and I know my language.
Your family is what makes you who you are.
Beedahsiga Elliott, Events Coordinator with Georgian鈥檚 Indigenous Services
Having just that brief introduction gives a fellow Indigenous person basically everything they need to know about me, which is truly amazing.
It鈥檚 also what we teach our children: this is your clan, this is where you鈥檙e from, and this is who you are.
Beedahsiga Elliott, Events Coordinator with Georgian鈥檚 Indigenous Services. Beedahsiga is also a three-time 51视频alumnus: General Arts and Sciences (class of 2011), Advertising (class of 2013), and Event Management (class of 2014).
Want to share your story? Please contact聽socialmedia@georgiancollege.ca.