Violet Duncan Is Uplifting Indigenous Stories—and the Next Generation

When Violet Duncan speaks, you feel the energy of generations flowing through her words. A storyteller, author, dancer, and advocate, Violet is on a mission to uplift Indigenous culture through movement, literature, and language. In a recent conversation with RONN!E on Daybreak Star Radio, she opened up about her roots, her work, and the love she carries for her community.

Born in the Kehewin Cree Nation in northern Alberta, Violet is now based in Arizona, on her husband’s San Carlos Apache homelands. Her artistry is rooted in both her family and her deep cultural upbringing. “I was really fortunate to have two parents who were incredible storytellers,” she said. “They met through Indigenous theater and brought storytelling and dance to our home community during a suicide epidemic. They used their art to help heal.”

Violet grew up traveling across Canada and the U.S., absorbing creation stories and teachings from the land and elders. Her life has always been filled with story—both told and danced. “I’ve been dancing since before I could walk,” she said. “Dance is powerful. We dance for those not yet born, for those who came before us, for the animals, the plants, everything around us.”

Her children are now part of that legacy. From cradleboard to competition, they’ve grown up with movement and meaning. This deep cultural connection inspired Violet’s first book When We Dance, which has since been republished as Life is a Dance. It celebrates the spirit of dance in a way only someone living it can convey.

For Violet, storytelling is not just creative work—it’s a responsibility. “I want our young people, especially those in spaces that don’t celebrate Indigenous identity, to see themselves in a good way,” she said. “There’s so much pressure not to be proud, not to dance, not to speak our languages. I’m here to say: You have so much to be proud of.”

That same spirit led her to write Buffalo Dreams, a children’s book born out of the tragic discovery of unmarked graves at former residential school sites. “We were back on the rez during the pandemic,” Violet recalled. “When the 215 unmarked graves were found, my children asked why I was crying. We had to talk about it, and I wanted them to understand it in a way that was gentle, but truthful.”

Buffalo Dreams grew from those conversations around the kitchen table—bits of wisdom from family, aunties, uncles, and grandparents—all shared with care. “I didn’t want it to be retraumatizing. I wanted my family to read it and feel proud. I surrounded the story with love and beauty—powwows, sweetgrass, horseback rides—so the trauma didn’t stand alone.”

Violet’s approach is powerful: honor the pain, but center the people. She tells the truth in a way children—and adults—can hold.

When asked about challenges she’s faced, she credited her community. “I run everything by my family. They’re honest. If it’s not right, I’ll know,” she said. “But I’ve been lucky to be supported. Still, it was scary when the book came out. My family hadn’t read the whole thing yet, and I was biting my nails.”

As for her creative process? No blocks—just not enough time. “I’m surrounded by inspiration,” she laughed. “Powwows, music, our kids—there’s always something that moves me.”

Violet is currently working on several new children’s books, including We Are All Related and Where the Wind Blows. She’s also deep into a middle-grade survival novel about a boy lost in the Montana wilderness. “It’s been fun and tough—he got sprayed by a skunk and maybe trampled by a moose,” she joked. “But he survives by remembering the teachings of his grandfather.”

Her advice to young Indigenous artists? Don’t wait.

“Start now,” she said. “Use social media. Write. Dance. Listen to your elders. Paint even if you’ve never painted before. Try everything. Your stories matter. Your voice is needed. We need books about us—there are more stories about animals than about Indigenous people. Let’s change that.”

Whether traditionally or self-published, Violet encourages creators to get their work out. “We need to see ourselves in literature, in art, in fashion, in everything. When our kids see us represented, it literally saves lives.”

And to those who dream of being storytellers? “You already are,” she said. “Don’t wait for permission.”

Find out more about Violet Duncan and her work at www.violetduncan.com.