The theme of Cohort 1 was Land Crafted which focused on land and marine-based products.
Nunavut
Nooks (Keenan) Lindell
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Nooks Lindell is an Inuk artist from Arviat, Nunavut. He works in various mediums including digital design, textile and clothing, jewellery, and traditional knifemaking. He also has experience in film and television production through the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation. By day, Nooks is the Regional Wildlife Technician for the Government of Nunavut. At all other times, he pursues his art and craft through Hinaani Design, a company he co-founded with Paula Ikuutaq Rumbolt and Emma Kreuger. Nooks is the creative lead for Hinaani, designing clothing, textiles, logos, jewellery, knives, and more for the online store and special orders. Nooks is actively regaining fluency of his first language, Inuktitut, through his family, friends, and art. Nooks was an Artist in Residence on the 2017 Students on Ice Arctic Expedition. In spring 2018, he designed a collection of clothing fusing traditional and modern Inuit designs that was featured in a runway showcase at the inaugural Indigenous Fashion Week in Toronto.
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Emma Kreuger
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Emma Kreuger grew up in Baker Lake, the geographical centre of Canada and Nunavut’s only inland community. After studying in Victoria, Montreal, and Iqaluit, she returned to the Kivalliq. She now calls Arviat, Nunavut, home. Emma is a co-founder of Hinaani Design, alongside Nooks Lindell and Paula Ikuutaq Rumbolt. Drawing on sewing skills she learned as a child from her mother and digital design techniques she learned from Nooks, Emma creates patterns for textiles that can be sewn into garments. In addition to her design work, Emma performs administrative and customer support duties for Hinaani.
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Hinaani Design was founded by three friends/artists/designers/creators from the Kivalliq region of Nunavut and is proudly majority Inuit owned. The Hinaani team includes: Nooks (Keenan) Lindell, creative lead and head graphic/fashion designer; Paula Ikuutaq Rumbolt, assistant designer and head of Inuktut and Inuit values promotion/inclusion; and Emma Kreuger, assistant designer and administration/customer support. Based in Arviat, the southernmost community in mainland Nunavut, Hinaani Design produces clothing and accessories that reflect the Arctic landscape and Inuit culture, and promote Inuit culture, language, and lifestyle in order to foster self-esteem and pride among Inuit. Some Hinaani products feature original designs on manufactured clothing; others are created from hand, often using locally sourced materials such as antler, ivory, baleen, and sealskin. Hinaani strives to prioritize Canadian and ethical suppliers, minimize negative environmental impacts, and raise awareness about positive initiatives from fellow Inuit and Northerners. Hinaani's products can be found at www.hinaani.ca.
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Bernice Clarke
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Born and raised in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Bernice Kootoo Clarke has raised four beautiful children in her home community, surrounded by family and friends. Bernice has worked with Nunavut Tunngavik, Inc. for the past 12 years. She also works on a casual basis with Canadian North and is a certified Marykay Consultant. Bernice Clarke started UasaU Soap in her kitchen in 2013. Bernice has a Certificate in Office Administration and a Diploma in Inuit Studies from Nunavut Arctic College, and a Certificate in Advanced Management from Saint Mary’s University. In her spare time, Bernice has a passion for learning how to sew as her grandmother did, as well as learning about her culture and preserving the knowledge she draws from friends, family, and Elders in Nunavut.
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UasaU Soap is “Nunavut in a bar.” All of the products feature natural ingredients, like bowhead whale oil, seal oil, and tundra flora, that reflect Nunavummiut landscapes, culture, and know-how. UasaU Soap is guided by Inuit values and is committed to revitalizing and promoting Inuit culture through the creation of bath products. The inclusion of whale oil, for instance, reflects a belief that Inuit can reclaim the practice of hunting bowheads that was so important to Inuit culture and diet before colonization. In 2016, the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce recognized UasaU Soap as the Top Aboriginal Business of the Year for Nunavut for providing high quality soaps that are produced locally and feature northern ingredients. A growing demand for UasaU soaps and butters has inspired an expanded product line that includes shampoo, conditioner, lip balm, and Kamiik grease. UasaU Soap is available at shops in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet, Nunavut; Kuujjuaq, Quebec; Winnipeg, Manitoba; and Perth, Ontario. It is also available online at www.uasausoap.com.
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Northwest Territories
Brenda Dragon
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Brenda Dragon is a lifelong Northerner, born and raised in a large family in Fort Smith, NWT. Her parents were hunters and trappers; it was this connection to the land that spawned the idea for creating a business using northern furs. Brenda has two children, Chloe (28) and Joel (25), and has lived most of her life in Yellowknife. An avid volunteer, Brenda has taken on leadership roles in a number of education, sport, and music organizations. She has long been a strong advocate for Indigenous culture in the education system. In her early career, Brenda was an Eye Technician for Stanton Yellowknife Hospital. In that capacity, she travelled throughout the North delivering primary eye care. Later in life, she went to university, launching a career in Indigenous tourism development and work with the Government of the Northwest Territories. Brenda is the President/Founder of Aurora Heat, Inc., a small business based in Fort Smith that specializes in designing and manufacturing fur products, specifically for warmth. Aurora Heat products, which are natural, sustainable, and renewable, align with Brenda’s passion for and interest in harmony with nature.
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Joel Dragon Smith
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Joel Dragon Smith is a member of the North Slave Métis Alliance. Born and raised in Yellowknife, Joel has pride in and an appreciation for the North and enjoys hunting and harvesting from the land. He graduated from high school in 2011. In 2016, Joel completed the Environment and Natural Resources Technology Program at Aurora College in Fort Smith. Joel is an excellent athlete with a particular gift for snowboarding; he has been recognized and awarded for his athletic accomplishments. Over the past year, Joel has been working alongside his mother at Aurora Heat. He plays an integral role in the development of new products, staff training, and the forward growth of the company.
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Aurora Heat, Inc. is a small fur-based business located in Fort Smith, NWT. Owner Brenda Dragon has been designing and creating original hand and foot warmers since 2015, with the guidance and support of her mother, Chipewyan Elder Jane Dragon. Exceptionally warm and luxurious, sheared beaver warmers are natural, durable, and reusable, an excellent alternative to chemical warmers. Using northern furs, the Aurora Heat team, which also includes Brenda’s son, Joel Dragon Smith, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes hand, foot, and body warmers to retailers and online customers across the North and Canada. Through the creation of warming products, Aurora Heat promotes the use and wearing of fur and supports local harvesters, which enables the continuation of the vibrant tradition of northern trapping. Visit Aurora Heat online at www.auroraheat.ca.
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Misty Ireland
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Misty Ireland was born in the NWT. She is a member of the Jean Marie River First Nation, Dehcho Region. In the mid-1970s, Misty’s parents, Margaret (Norwegian) Ireland and the late Leonard Ireland, operated a ranch in the Horn River area. They later managed a farm in the Northern Alberta Peace Country. Misty returned to the NWT as a young adult. She has spent many years administering different services and programs in tourism, municipal government, territorial government, and Indigenous government. Misty has also worked with a variety of regional and territorial boards. For most of her life, Misty has had a keen interest in learning traditional uses for products harvested from the land. Fifteen years ago, this interest expanded to include essential oils. When family members were unable to use traditional smoke smudges, Misty developed an essential oil spray for smudging purposes, and Dene Roots was born. Misty likes being able to create more environmentally friendly options for products like bug spray.
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Dene Roots blends cultural teachings and life experiences to create handmade products and wildcrafted goods. The company’s flagship line is a series of essential oil sprays that includes “Du Sa Ne N’De” (Leave Me Alone), an all-purpose deterrent perfect for your next visit to the bush; “All Spruced Up,” a healing spray inspired by a story told by Elder Betty Hardisty; “Sweet Grass,” a spray for smudging ceremonies when burning is not permitted; and “Wild Rosa,” a purifying spray for clearing negative energy. Dene Roots is currently developing additional products including teas and salves. Misty is also working with local Elders to create Dene Zhatie names for all of the Dene Roots products so people have more opportunities to see and speak the language. Visit Dene Roots online at www.deneroots.ca.
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Tania Larsson
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Tania Larsson designs contemporary northern Indigenous adornments rooted in Gwich’in culture and created with land-based materials. Tania is innovative, driven, and dedicated to her art. Through social media, she promotes her culture, work, and passion for reclaiming Indigenous knowledge. Tania earned a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a focus in Jewellery and Digital Arts from the Institute of American Indian Arts in May 2017. She also apprenticed with renowned jeweller Keri Ataumbi for two years. Tania is one of the founding members of Dene Nahjo, a non-profit organization that focuses on innovation and cultural revitalization projects in the Canadian North. Born and raised in France, she is a Gwich’in and Swedish woman.
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Tania Larsson |
From the land to the runway, Tania Larsson’s pieces celebrate Indigenous culture and design. Tania creates one-of-a-kind adornments using land-based materials and traditional knowledge. Her studio practice requires many hours and days to process raw elements into refined jewellery. Tania’s line includes materials such as brain-tanned caribou and moose hide, bison and muskox horn, and caribou antler and hair that are paired with vintage beads, precious stones, sterling silver, gold, and diamonds. Her work is sold internationally through her online store: www.tanialarsson.com.
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Yukon
Joella Hogan
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Joella Hogan is a member of the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun in Mayo, Yukon, and of the Crow Clan. She is passionate about preserving her Northern Tutchone heritage and culture. With the guidance of Elders, Joella created Na-Cho Nyäk Dun’s Heritage and Culture Department; she has led the department for the last ten years. Joella holds a deep respect for the land. She sees herself as a steward of the land and an advocate for clean water, fair trade, and the power of plants. Joella is passionate about creating products that are natural, ethical, high quality, and authentic. She finds inspiration in the land and the wonderfully creative people with whom she surrounds herself. She strives to live a simple, self-sufficient lifestyle and support other makers of “homemade things." Joella has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Planning and a Masters of Arts in Rural and Native Development.
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The Yukon Soaps Company is a small handcrafted soap business based out of Mayo, Yukon. Owner Joella Hogan creates soaps made of local and natural ingredients that are inspired by the Yukon landscape and her travels. Joella’s soaps have been a staple in Yukon homes for twenty years and can be found in many gift shops throughout the territory. The Indigenous Artist Soap Line features the artwork of eight local Indigenous artists. The Yukon Soaps Company recently launched a very popular Zero Waste Line featuring bulk options for customers. Visit Yukon Soaps Company at www.yukonsoaps.com.
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Kym Rempel
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Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Kym Rempel travelled across the country throughout her childhood. Kym landed in the North shortly after completing high school and fell in love with the landscape and lifestyle. She has called the Yukon home since 2009. After a career in resource management and GIS mapping, Kym decided to leave government to become a full-time soap maker. In addition to making soap under the banner of Anto Yukon, Kim manages Woah Boar!, a micro-storefront in Carcross, Yukon, that features the work of Canadian artists and designers.
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Anto Yukon is a bath and body company that is passionate about the natural world. Anto draws inspiration for its products from some of Canada’s unique and breathtaking landscapes. Anto products are created in small batches in the Yukon, using 100% natural ingredients and scents. Locally collected and processed wild botanicals are incorporated whenever possible. All of the company’s packaging is reusable or recyclable. Anto wrappers feature paintings created by Meghan Hildebrand, an ex-Yukoner now based in Powell River, BC. Anto Yukon products are available at shops across Canada and the United States, including Holt Renfrew, and online at www.antoyukon.com.
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