SEASON THREE GUESTS

Yo! ’Nugwa’a̱m ƛ̓alittli'lakʷ. He’ma̱n dłig̱a̱mi  Brandi Lancaster. Gayutła̱n lax̱a Musgamakw, ‘Namgis, Mamalilikala, Lekwungen, Skxwu'7mesh, Leeq'sun. Gayutła̱n lax̱ Haxwa’mis, Ya’lis, Mimkwamlis. He’ma̱n g̱ig̱ag̱asi Doreen Lancaster (nee Shaughnessy) witłe dłu Joyce Moody-Thomas witłe. He’ma̱n g̱ig̱ag̱a̱mpi  Herbert Lancaster dłu Clifford Thomas witłe. He’ma̱n umpi John Lancaster.  He’ma̱n a̱ba̱mpi Bambi Lancaster (nee Thomas). He’ma̱n tsa’ya ?ic’samgillakw, Jenna.  

Yo, my name is Brandi Lancaster, my everyday name isƛ̓alittli'lakʷ, and I’ve been told it roughly translates to “One who has a gift of calling people together/ to gather”. I come from the Shaughnessy- Seaweed Family and we have deep roots within the villages of Haxwa’mis (Wakeman Sound) mainly. We are connected to the villages of Ya’lis (Alert Bay), and Mimkwamlis ( Village Island). On my mother side we are connected to the peopke of the Lekwungen (Victoria), Skxwu'7mesh (North Vancouver area) and Leeq'sun (Valdez Island) people. My paternal grandparents are the late Doreen Lancaster (nee Shaughnessy) and Herbert Lancaster. My father is John Lancaster and my mother is Bambi Lancaster (nee Thomas). My maternal grandparents are the late Joyce Moody-Thomas of Skwxwu7’mesh (North Vancouver) and Lekwungen from the Albany family (Victoria) and the late Clifford Thomas of the Thomas family in Leeq’sun Nation (Valdez Island).

Born and raised in Vancouver BC. My parents are Patrick Kelly who is from Leq'a:mel First Nation and Darlene Kelly who is Tahltan, and Carrier but was a part of the 60's scoop. I have 3 sisters and 2 brothers and now 4 nieces and nephews. And my 11 year old daughter of course!

I grew up mainly in the city but close to Leq'a:mel. My mother grew up in the city also having not known where her family comes from.

During the young adolescent ages between 18 - 24, I worked as a hairstylist which then brought me to NYC. I did not know anyone in NYC but my heart told me to go there so I did. I was there for a great 10 years, I was a nightlife person working as a bartender, dj, and took many dance classes and was even part of a dance group at Broadway Dance Centre. I was also a hairstylist during this whole time as well.

I then got pregnant with my daughter and moved back home to Vancouver when I was 5 months pregnant. I had my daughter here and have moved back forth between Vancouver and Deroche a few times.

I currently work for a non-profit on a project called Connected North where we help remote Indigenous communities with education through technology. I also work on another project called The Future Pathways Fireside Chat where I interview Indigenous role models to help youth in the northern communities figure out which path they may like to take.

That is me in a nutshell!