Vendor Expo at Timmins Native Friendship Centre brings community closer to Indigenous roots
A vendor expo at the Timmins Native Friendship Centre on Sunday, gave people in the community an opportunity to buy authentic Indigenous handcrafted items such as moccasins, beaded jewellery and a variety of artwork.
Annie Weesk, originally from Fort Albany, has lived in Timmins most of her life and for the past forty or fifty years she said, she's been handcrafting moccasins and knitted socks. She said her late mother-in-law, Laura, taught her.
"A day a pair to make yeah, same with these (knitted socks) I make two socks a week," she said.
The Timmins Native Friendship Centre organized the one-day event to give artisans a place to sell their goods.
Various types of beaded jewellery was available from a number of vendors, all showing different styles. Dec.5/21 (Lydia Chubak/CTV News Northern Ontario)Various types of beaded jewellery was available from a number of vendors, all showing different styles. Dec.5/21 (Lydia Chubak/CTV News Northern Ontario)
“The beading; the painting; the sewing; and all of that. That’s all stuff that we learned from our grandparents and unfortunately I never picked up on any of that good stuff," said Caitlyn Kaltwasser, a youth employment worker at the Timmins Native Friendship Centre.
"I’m happy to bring the people that do together so people like me can purchase beautiful things as well.”
Feather Metatawabin is selling prints of her late father's original artwork. She said he was sick and died while waiting in a hospital emergency room. Twelve years later she said she's ready to work at keeping his art and memory alive.
“Now that I’m growing older and I’m realizing the truth more. I’m in university. I’m learning a lot about colonization and Canada’s dark history and it just made me appreciate and be proud that I’m native. I understand my father now," she said.
Officials said items purchased here not only serve practical purposes, but are infused with knowledge and spirit from the Hudson and James Bay Coasts.
"They put their heart and soul into this work," said Kaltwasser.
David Laneville of Timmins said he comes regularly to support the artisans at these vendor expos.
“I have mitts that are well over 40 years old and so they last for a long time. They’re warm as all get out. Again just quality stuff from the artisans that are here."
Shopping and chatting can work up an appetite and 'Indian tacos' were served for lunch--deep fried bannock is used instead of a tortilla shell.
This vendor expo is celebrating its eighth anniversary after taking a two year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States, injuring at least three people.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.