Indigenous women showcase art at National Arts Centre market

The eighth annual Indigenous Women’s Art Market showcased work from talented Métis, Inuit, and First Nations makers in Ottawa. CTV’s Camille Wilson reports.

Ottawans had the chance to experience Indigenous art and culture at the Indigenous Women’s Art Market at the National Arts Centre on Sunday.

The market showcased work from talented Métis, Inuit and First Nations women artists and artisans. The event featured more than 50 local vendors offering jewelry, beadwork, paintings, sculptures, mittens, moccasins, crafts and much more.

“I carve antler makeup brushes as well as jewelry, different styles of earrings,” says Saelym Degrand, owner of Taqqiq.

“I source my antlers from Indigenous hunters across Canada and I take the deer antler and cut it down from the whole rack. In our culture, we use all parts of the animals.”

This is Degrand’s third year at art market, and she says it’s one of her favourite events to attend. Degrand says she loves buying beaded earrings and supporting other vendors at the market, and appreciates the event’s inclusive atmosphere.

Jennilee Nottaway makes beaded earrings, and her brand is called Wapigoni which means flower in Algonquin. Nottaway says she picked up beading at a young age.

“My materials that I use - it’s moosehide. It’s part of our culture to harvest as much as we can from the animal,” Nottaway says.

This is Nottaway’s second year at the market, and she says growing up and being involved in the traditions meant a lot to her. It’s something Nottaway teaches her daughter as well, and she says being a part of the art market is a great experience for her and her fellow Indigenous artists.

Marie Claire Wawatie from Algonquin Lake she makes ribbon skirts, moccasins, mitts. vests, baby shoes and more. She says she thinks its important to pass on family traditions.

“I started learning at a very young age from my grandmother. I started off with beads and then I went on to more difficult things, like the moccasins and mittens. I learned a lot from my mom and my aunt and all the women in my community,” Wawatie said.

Wawatie says the event is empowering and gives Indigenous women a chance to show off their creations.

The event is part of the NAC’s Indigenous theatre programing.

“It’s really important for us to be able to engage with the community to support artists, local artists and indigenous women specifically. It’s an awesome opportunity to see what people are creating in the community,” says Mairi Brascoupe, cultural advocate of education and community programing at the National Arts Centre. “This community aspect is just as important as the stuff that is on our stages.”

Art market visitor Dhivya Kamalakannan says she appreciated the creativity on display.

“There’s a lot of beauty and creativity with these people,” Kamalakannansaid. “I want to support the local economy and I think these people here have really worked hard.”

The event ran from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

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