Beatrice Twance-Hynes is from the Bear Clan (maternal), Deer Clan (paternal) from Biigtigong First Nation. She has lived in Thunder Bay since 1988 with her husband Gerry. She is a mother of two, and a grandmother two.
She is the founding member of the Medicine Wheel Spirit Singers, Hand-Drum Group (April 2006) who recorded a cd back in 2009. She recorded her own cd called Indian Chief’s Daughter (White Horse Spirit Woman) in November 2017.
Beatrice is a traditional women’s dancer who makes her own regalia. She is a grandmother pipe carrier, a sacred circle facilitator, songwriter, singer, and drummer. She shares numerous teachings that she has learned from elders and mentors and other knowledge holders.
She was a Cultural Manager at Dilico since December 2012 and retired in December 2024.
From learning about rites of passage, she started her 1-year berry fast on her birthday at the age of 62 and completed it on May 31, 2019 at age 63. She organized rites of passage berry fast gatherings and supported women and girls, who were on their 1-year berry fast or by getting artists together to teach the women crafts.
She was a member of the Elders Advisory Council, Aboriginal Liaison with the City of Thunder Bay (December 2013-2018), and was a member of the Elder’s Council with the Association of Native Child and Family Services from 2018-2024. She is a member of the Elders Council at Lakehead University since April 2015 to current. She is also an Elders-in-Residence at the university.