Ziigwan Spring Market aims to support local Indigenous artists

The Ziigwan Spring Market featured more than 50 local Indigenous vendors as part of its event on April 20, 2024. (Zachary Kitchen/CTV News)

More than 50 Indigenous vendors took part in a spring market at Winnipeg’s Maples Collegiate Saturday, to promote and support local artists and their work.

The market was called “Ziigwan,” which means spring in Ojibwe. The event was put on by the school alongside Prairie Tipi Indigenous Home & Gift.

“We have a wide variety of Indigenous artisans and small businesses here,” said Renata Meconse, one of the co-organizers. “We're really trying to make an event that encourages entrepreneurship and also to be able to support local and Indigenous.”

Visitors could purchase handmade ribbon skirts, jewelry, as well as printed and painted art work.

Meconse said events like the Ziigwan market are important to Indigenous and non-Indigenous curators and community members.

“Coming to local markets, you can really look at purchasing things that are going to benefit local people, local families, and they're made by local people and local families,” she said.

Meconse added that the market also aims to give back, by benefiting Indigenous graduates at Maples Collegiate.

“We’re really happy to develop that relationship with the school and very, very glad that they reached out to us and wanted to look at ways of how they can reach different communities,” Meconse said.