A new, cutting edge Aboriginal e-Commerce website www.kitigan.com provides authentic, original, high quality Aboriginal art, gifts and crafts at competitive prices and is designed to support Aboriginal artisans, particularly those with low-income, to develop a portfolio and reach a global market.
Products include: original birch bark, wood and canvas paintings, stone and antler carvings, Iroquois pottery and raised beadwork, ash and birch bark baskets, corn husk dolls, feather boxes, hand-carved paddles, quilts and star blankets, tamarack art, flutes, quill boxes and quill barrettes, gold, silver, wampum and turquoise jewelry and apparel including moccasins, mitts, gauntlets, hats, ribbon shirts, vests, dresses, and purses.
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Kitigan has also shared their Social Enterprise story with SEontario. For a detailed look at Kitigan’s story, please visit their page. Here is an excerpt from Kitigan’s SEontario story:
Kitigan operates under the auspices of the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres (OFIFC), which represents the collective interests of 29 friendship centres across Ontario.
OFIFC’s mandate:
“To improve the quality of life for Aboriginal people living in an urban environment by supporting self-determined activities which encourage equal access to and participation in Canadian society and which respects Aboriginal cultural distinctiveness.”
Friendship Centres are not-for-profit corporations mandated to serve the needs of all Aboriginal people, regardless of legal definition. They also design and deliver local initiatives in areas such as education, economic development, child and youth programming, and cultural awareness. The Kitigan social economy initiative operates under Villages Equity Corporations (VEC), which was founded by the OFIFC in 2001. VEC is a for-profit entity operating as the economic development arm of OFIFC and its member centres. It is a one-share company owned by the member centres, with all centres contributing towards that share. Prior to Kitigan, VEC had one other initiative, a storefront at the OFIFC office in downtown Toronto selling Aboriginal art. This was closed because the location did not attract enough traffic. Kitigan is only the second social economy initiative because there were no resources available to move anything else through VEC. Kitigan was launched June 21st, 2013, National Aboriginal Day, after two years of planning. It operates in the art & culture, gallery, and retail sales business sectors. As an online social enterprise, it is run out of OFIFC’s head office in Toronto, prioritizing a social and cultural mission focused on creating revenue to support Aboriginal artists, Friendship Centres and for re-investment.
Kitigan’s mission is:
‘A social economy initiative that supports Aboriginal artisans, Friendship Centres and participating Aboriginal businesses and organizations to move toward self-sufficiency through economic development and capacity building.’
In addition to their focus on a social and cultural mission, they have five objectives:
- To provide a variety of authentic, original, quality Aboriginal art, gifts and crafts to a global market;
- To market Aboriginal artisans and provide support in developing their portfolio and entrepreneurial skills;
- To provide educational information regarding the diverse styles, cultures and regions from which Aboriginal peoples and their art come;
- To provide cultural knowledge about the meaning, purpose and methods the artisans use to produce their work and convey their message;
- To promote and support local Friendship Centres, participating Aboriginal organizations and businesses.
