Healing with Grief
These audio sessions feature heartfelt interviews with respected elders from Montana’s tribal nations. Each voice carries the wisdom of lived experience, cultural teachings, and traditional ways of understanding grief and healing. Through personal stories, reflections, and Native teachings, these elders offer guidance for those walking through sorrow, as well as for those supporting others in their grief.
Healing with Grief
Vernon "Tuffy" First - Fort Peck
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Vernon "Tuffy" First is a respected elder and storyteller from the Fort Peck Reservation in northeastern Montana. Known for his gentle strength and heartfelt wisdom, Tuffy draws from the deep well of his heritage to share traditional teachings, personal experiences, and stories passed down through generations. In his reflections on grief, he offers a powerful blend of cultural knowledge and spiritual insight—guiding others to understand loss not just as sorrow, but as a sacred part of life’s circle.