LITTLE CURRENT—Models took to the catwalk at the Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre to present the designs of four talented Indigenous fashionistas, three of whom have deep connections to Manitoulin.
Taanakamik, a fashion collective created by Wiikwemkoong designers Little Feather (Tashina Odjig) and Minwaate (Jocelyn Kagige), hosted the Great Spirit Fashion Show, which also featured Neechi by Nature (Shane Kelsey) and Wiikwemkoong’s Roberta Oshkawebisens.
A couple of years ago, Ms. Odjig and her friend and fellow fashion designer Ms. Kagige decided to form Taanakamik as a non-profit when they began receiving requests to host fashion shows in various communities around the Island. “We decided on the name Taanakamik, which means ‘wow’ or ‘amazing’ in our language.”
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“The idea for the fashion show at the hotel actually came from one of my models, Aaron Bowerman (of Sheguiandah First Nation),” said Ms. Little Feather. “He suggested we should do a fundraiser for the models.”
The show was narrated by Master of Ceremonies AJ and opened with a prayer and words of welcome by Ms. Oshkawebisens, who is also a respected Wiikwemkoong elder.
During a dinner featuring Indigenous cuisine (bison steak), singer songwriter Faith entertained the crowd with a selection of songs, including an uplifting cover of the Andra Day anthem ‘Rise Up.’ Although Faith is a multi-genre artist, the music she performed was perfectly matched to the enjoyable dinner.
Following the dinner, attendees were wowed by the procession of fashions on display.
Little Feather and Minwaate both noted the remarkable poise of many of the models, some of whom were experiencing their first trek down the catwalk.
Each of the models completed their walks with the poise and dignity for which Anishinaabekwe are well-famed and did their respective creators proud.
Among the more amusing of the turns was by the inimitable Gordie Odjig, Little Feather’s father, who modeled a stunning coat while miming a hitchhiker’s pose. Mr. Odjig quickly turned serious, however, as he completed his catwalk run in more professional model poise.
Among the door prizes at the show was a coat fashioned from a Pendleton blanket, valued at over $2,000. That prize was won by Crystal Flamand.
“I was really happy that she won the coat,” said Ms. Little Feather, who noted that Pendleton Blankets are often used in Indigenous communities to honour elders or during ceremonies. “Over the eight years since I moved to Toronto to pursue my career, she has always supported any of the raffles I have done to raise money.”
There was no mistaking the excitement of Ms. Flamand as she modeled her prize on the catwalk.
Little Feather is fresh off attending, and showing, at the New York City Fashion Week, chronicled in a previous edition of The Expositor, and that show has opened even more doors for her.
“Some buyers saw my work and were impressed, so they inboxed me on Instagram and invited me to a show in Los Angeles,” she said. The designer intends to bring some of the Indigenous models with her to that show—including her father.
Ms. Little Feather said that she and Ms. Kagige put on the show this past weekend with “absolutely no money.”
The show was made possible through the sponsorship of individuals and organizations across Manitoulin and even extending to the far North.
Among those sponsors was her uncle Joey Migwans, who sponsored the banners, the Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation, Aundeck Omni Kaning, which paid for the rooms for the guests of the show, Waubetek, which sponsored the designer fees, and especially the Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre.
“They were amazing,” she said. The hotel not only sponsored the venue, they also moved heaven and earth to ensure everything was in place for the show. “I had thought I had to get there early to put up the banners,” she said, “but when I got there they had already put them up. They were so professional.”
The Expositor makes no claim of rising to fashion magazine-ability critique of the fashions that were on display, but we know what we like—and the show was, in the words of attendee, Dawn Madahbee Leach, “awesome.”
This paper will let readers decide for themselves through the accompanying photographs from the show.
