About me:

I’m Vanessa—a proud Cree woman raised by my grandparents on a small reserve in Northern Alberta called Duncan’s First Nation. Our Nation carries the name of my great-great-great-grandfather, Duncan Testawich, who signed Treaty 8 as headman of the Crees at Peace River Crossing. That name carries weight, history, and responsibility—and it’s something I hold close to my heart.

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Our community was small, about 120 people when I was growing up. It was a mix of band and non-band members, Indigenous and non-Indigenous families. At one point, there were just a few big families living on the reserve, and mine—the Testawich family—was one of them. But when the Indian Act changed and people were able to reclaim their status, the Nation started to shift. More people joined, and over time, housing, jobs, and leadership roles became harder to access. Families like mine slowly got pushed to the side.

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From a young age, I was told I was part of our Nation’s future. My mother encouraged me to use my voice and to keep learning. By 16, I already knew I wanted to step into leadership—not for power, but because I believed in our people. I wanted to challenge the stereotypes about what it means to be a woman on the rez. I wanted to show that we could lead with truth, strength, and love. I started doing the work: standing up to injustice, pushing back on silence, and building bridges between our Nation and the communities around us. This was my vision and dream. 

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I went on to earn a Business Certificate because I believed education could help me bring real, lasting change. In 2013, I ran for Chief and Council, hoping to bring more transparency and accountability to the table.

But being honest—especially about the hard things like violence, abuse, and inequality—came at a cost. My connection to past leadership and my refusal to stay quiet made me a target. I went through years of exclusion, personal attacks, and pressure to walk away.

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After some of the hardest losses in my life, I did walk away—but not in defeat. My husband and I packed a small U-Haul with our two sons, our two cats, and our pug, and we left the only home we’d ever known. We drove 16 hours south to the Lower Mainland with nothing lined up—no home, no plan—just sacred trust, love, and the Creator guiding us. And somehow, it all came together.

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Now, I’m working toward my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. My oldest son is about to graduate, and my youngest is thriving—surrounded by friendship, sports, and a community that lifts him up.

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Rez Woman is my truth in motion.

This blog is where I share my lived experiences—my healing, my culture, and the fight that never leaves me. It’s how I honour the matriarchs who raised me, the Nation that shaped me, and the generations I’m walking beside.

Through these stories, I’m reclaiming what colonization tried to take—and creating space for others to do the same.