Category: Blog

Modern Indigenous economies are revitalizing traditional practices, developing new skills, and helping share knowledge between communities. And there’s no better place to look to see examples of this than the Indigenous Business Award (IBA) program, now in its 12^th year of honouring and recognizing business excellence.  

Indigenous businesses like those recognized through the IBA program, provide goods and services to their local communities, create employment opportunities for Indigenous people and serve as leaders, mentors and trailblazers for others seeking to create their own business. 

Indigenous businesses are leading the way in building a stronger economy in Canada and BC. A pre-COVID report from RBC this spring found that the number of Indigenous business owners was growing at five times the rate of self-employed Canadians. And Indigenous women were becoming entrepreneurs at twice the rate of non-Indigenous women. Indigenous businesses are expected to grow exponentially and continue to be a powerful force in the provincial economy.  

The Indigenous Business Awardees announced this week serve as examples of resilience and innovation during this tumultuous year. With their tenacity and hard work, Indigenous businesses will continue to be a driving force in British Columbia. 

BC Achievement applauds these exceptional businesses and the people who share in their success. Congratulations to the 2020 Indigenous Business Awardees! 

Longhouse Media serves local, national and international clients. Longhouse provides customers with synergistic digital solutions that add value to businesses and personal brands.  Awarded Young Entrepreneur of the Year. 

Raven Reads is designed as a safe space to learn about other cultures, about history and to discover beautifully crafted products made by Indigenous entrepreneurs from around the globe through the use of Subscription Boxes.  Awarded Business of the Year – one-to-two person enterprise. 

Sḵwálwen is an Indigenous business creating botanical skin care products based on Indigenous Plant Science and honouring traditional plant knowledge.  Awarded Business of the Year – three-to-ten person enterprise.  

OneFeather Technologies  is an Indigenous technology company  that offers digital services for modern nation-building including election and voting services, data sovereignty, community engagement, and now a full suite of banking solutions for the individual.  Awarded Business of the Year – 11+ person enterprise. 

Alkali Resource Management (ARM) is an integrated forest management company that was established in 2001 to manage the forest licenses, woodlot and community forest on behalf of Esk’etemc (Alkali Lake).  Awarded Community-Owned Business of the Year – one entity. 

 Lil’wat Holdings Limited Partnership is the holding company for all the economic development companies of  Lil’wat Nation (known as Lil’wat Business Group).  Awarded Community-Owned Business of the Year – two or more entities. 

Nupqu is a full-service resource consulting company owned by the communities of the Ktunaxa Nation.  Awarded Business Partnership of the Year. 

Outstanding Business Achievement is awarded to Top of the Line Catering, for their traditional First Nations catering business in Burns Lake.  

The IBA program was launched in 2008 to honour and celebrate business excellence and has recognized over 200 remarkable businesses within its alumni.  

Why an Orange Shirt? Former residential school student Phyllis (Jack) Webstad has shared her story of her first day at residential school when her new orange shirt, bought by her grandmother, was taken from her as a six-year old girl. This act left Phyllis feeling invisible and worthless and affected the way she lived for much of her life. 

September 30th is annually recognized as Orange Shirt Day, highlighting the damage the residential school system did to the well-being of Indigenous children. Equally, it serves as a healing journey for the survivors and a commitment by all who wear an orange shirt, that every child matters. 

Chief Fred Robbins, a former student of the St. Joseph Mission Residential School in Williams Lake, BC started Orange Shirt Day to ensure that residential school survivors are not forgotten. Through his vision, Chief Robbins brought together First Nations, Tribal Councils, local government leaders, school districts, and former students to remember, recover and reconcile. Chief Robbins was recognized as a BC Achievement Community Awardee in 2017, for giving voice and hope to reconciliation in BC.  

Orange Shirt Day can be hard for those who survived residential  schools and their families. Over 150,000 Indigenous children attended residential schools in Canada from the late 1800’s until the last one closed in the 1990’s and of those attending, it’s estimated that over 5,000 died while under residential school care. Many survivors are still dealing with the trauma of abuse experienced at these schools, and the impact it’s had not just on them, but on their families as well.  

Now is the time to listen to the stories of survivors and their families and learn from them, so that these mistakes are not repeated. It is a time for conversations about understanding the survivors’ truths and beginning the journey toward reconciliation. Now is the time for an exploration of opportunities to do better for generations of children to come.  

Join the movement and remember to wear your orange shirt tomorrow. 

For more information go to OrangeShirtDay.org  

Participate virtually, post pictures, share your story #OrangeShirtDay #EveryChildMatters 

Here at BC Achievement we deliver award programs recognizing the spirit of excellence demonstrated by the people of this province. Since our inception in 2003, hundreds of worthy artists, designers, entrepreneurs, volunteers, leaders and innovators have been elevated and celebrated for their achievements. All in keeping with our mission to honour excellence and inspire achievement throughout British Columbia.

Within and amongst these amazing individuals, there are those who are singled out for their exceptional contributions during a lifetime of achievement, these fine folks are recognized as Award of Distinction laureates.

Gordon Hutchens, ceramist, was awarded this designation for the 2019 Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design, and he is, by definition, a perfect exemplar of this award. Gordon is an accomplished artist with a comprehensive body of work, an established career and an international reputation. Gordon’s outstanding work has helped bring recognition to both his craft and the province.

Renowned for the depth and diversity of his glazes and refined forms, Gordon has inspired a generation of ceramists. To quote from the website Fired Up: Contemporary Works in Clay, the website for a select group of BC ceramic artists begun by Robin Hopper: “Gordon’s work shows a long developing exploration of form, texture and colour. He mixes together natural minerals and chemical elements and through the art of complex firings, where subtle nuances in the character of the flame can make a dramatic difference, he brings these glazes to life. Here is an expression of balance, not just physical, but the balance between control and spontaneity, traditional and contemporary, technique and creative thought.”

Living on Denman Island surrounded by the natural landscape, Gordon finds beauty all around him. “I get sustenance from the natural world; it helps feed my work and is part of my inspiration. The ocean, the rocks along the shoreline, the changing weather, the forest, the moss growing on the trees, lichens growing on the rocks” – all are unique components of his muse.

As well as working as a potter, Gordon finds ways to mentor others and share his talent and passion for the craft. Gordon teaches ceramics at North Island College in Courtenay, BC and is a regular instructor at Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts. He’s also exhibited his work across Canada, the US and in Japan. And he’s often at Circle Craft market in Vancouver, selling his pieces or demonstrating his skill at the pottery wheel.

BC Achievement: Elevate Excellence. Share Success. Inspire Change.

Receiving the honour in 2017, Danika Naccarella was the inaugural recipient of the Crabtree McLennan Emerging Artist Award in the Fulmer Award in First Nations Art program. The Award is presented to an emerging artist in honour of Emily Carr University Director, Aboriginal Programs, Brenda Crabtree and the late Bill McLennan, UBC Museum of Anthropology’s Curator Emeritus. Danika was recognized for artistic excellence in melding of classic northern Northwest Coast design with Nuxalk style, in particular for her work in traditional hand-poke tattooing and skin-stitch techniques. 

We recently reached out to Danika to see what she’s up to now. Not one to stand still, this talented First Nations artist continues to work hard and extend her artistic ability with new art forms. 

Following her studies at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, Danika now assists  with art instruction to Kindergarten to Grade 12 Nuxalk Nation youth at Acwsalcta School in Bella Coola from where she also graduated.  

When she’s not teaching, Danika is hard at work creating art in various forms including acrylic painting, digital art, jewellery, hand poke tattooing, regalia making, and carving – sometimes. Born and raised in Bella Coola, Danika and her fiancé recently purchased their first home off reserve in Hagensborg, BC where they work and live out of their cabin that serves as a studio space for Danika’s tattooing and a small carving shop for her fiancé. 

When asked what inspires her artistry, Danika reflects on her peoples’ history, “My ancestors and those who came before me have inspired me to dedicate myself to the art form. Studying the old masterpieces has set a high standard for my own practice, the pieces we see in the museum collections really are masterpieces as the ones who created those pieces had the privilege of refining their skills that were passed down for many generations. My generation has to relearn everything that was taken away from us – we are reviving what was almost wiped out.” 

Danika is hoping that her art work will inspire other young Northwest Coast artists to continue this art form and bring it even farther than where it is now, while staying true to the traditional form and learning the foundations that define the art form. “There are so many mediums of art that I want to be able to pass on to the generations after me. Not only is passing on knowledge important, it is also important to bring light to our small community, to let others know we are still here and thriving.” 

During these challenging times as COVID-19 continues to  impact our lives, Danika shares that her personal art practice did suffer a major setback. “During the beginning of the pandemic I was unable to practice hand poke tattooing – which is a major part of my practice as an artist. Commissions and larger pieces weren’t feasible to clients either due to costs – so I migrated my energy to small affordable handmade earrings. Now that our world is a lot different, many people are choosing to support locals, which is a beautiful thing. I always give back and support other artists and businesses as that helps our local economies and families.” 

Since receiving the Crabtree McLennan award in 2017, Danika is excited to share that that her practice has flourished. “I am so honoured to be awarded this title, as a young female artist in a male dominated market, it has solidified my confidence in my art practice. Being the inaugural recipient of this title was unbelievable. To have both Bill McLennan & Brenda Crabtree there was such an honour.” 

If you’re interested in Danika Naccarella’s art practice, you can reach her at her Facebook and Instagram pages and be sure to watch the film made to honour this young artist at bcachievement.com. 

One of the organizations that is powering BC’s growing Indigenous economy and cultivating innovation is Indigenous Tourism BC. As a non-profit, Stakeholder-based organization, Indigenous Tourism BC is committed to growing and promoting a sustainable, culturally rich Indigenous tourism industry. Through training, information resources, networking opportunities and marketing programs, Indigenous Tourism BC is an important resource for Indigenous entrepreneurs and communities in British Columbia who are operating or looking to start a tourism business. 

As of last fall, it boasted over 200 Indigenous tourism businesses and a growth of 85% over the past 20 years. At that point it was “one of the fastest growing industries in BC, with Indigenous tourism businesses contributing $705 million each year to the provincial economy” according to Brenda Baptiste, Chair of Indigenous Tourism BC. “We are so proud of our communities and stakeholders who have dedicated their time to bringing Indigenous cultural experiences to life for visitors” she shared. 

Due to COVID-19, Indigenous tourism has felt the impact of reduced travel and many Indigenous businesses are deciding how and when to re-open to visitors. With responsible tourism now the expectation, Indigenous tourism is once again poised to reinvent itself, grow, and support BC’s economy by creating more jobs for Indigenous people and other BC residents through their activities. 

At the 2019 Indigenous Business Award Gala, Indigenous Tourism BC was featured in IBA’s inaugural ‘Spotlight Series’ developed to honour and celebrate those organizations who play a vital role in cultivating innovation and powering BC’s growing Indigenous economy. 

By 2029, there are expected to be up to 861,000 job openings in BC — more than 77% of these jobs require technical or trades training. The Industry Training Authority (ITA) provides early trades training for youth, helping them secure the skills they need to find a job even before they graduate.

Given that Indigenous youth is the fastest growing demographic in the country – according to Stats Canada – we know there is a young and growing Indigenous population in BC which is an “untapped” resource to drive the future of the economy.   

The ITA helps bring trades training to youth and by doing so, they are also helping the Indigenous economy by supporting this growing Indigenous youth segment. Through its many programs the ITA works with employers, apprentices, industry, labour, training providers and government to issue credentials, support apprenticeships, fund programs, set program standards and increase opportunities in the trades. 

Thanks to the efforts of ITA and its community engagement last year over 3,000 Indigenous apprenticeships were underway in our province. 

Andrew George, who served ITA as an Apprenticeship Advisor from 2014 until 2019 when he left to begin an Indigenous culinary program outline at NVIT, – is extremely proud of ITA’s accomplishments, citing that when he began at ITA there were 50 Indigenous apprenticeships. By the end of 2019, it had surpassed 3000! 

At the 2019 Indigenous Business Award (IBA) Gala, ITA was featured in IBA’s inaugural ‘Spotlight Series’ developed to honour and celebrate those organizations who play a vital role in cultivating innovation and powering BC’s growing Indigenous economy. 

ITA works with a community-based network of Indigenous community training and employment service agencies across the province and with trades jobs opening up over the next decade, never has there been a better time for Indigenous people to enter skilled trades. 

Capital Corporations are key and essential players within the Indigenous business economy whose contributions help generate and cultivate innovation.

As most people know, a dynamic small business sector with strong entrepreneurship is critical to economic development. But what is the greatest barrier for Indigenous entrepreneurs to meet with success? Access to capital. More than half of Indigenous entrepreneurs rely on personal savings for business start-ups. And that’s where Aboriginal Financial Institutions come in.

In BC, the engines which are providing access to funding are the province’s Aboriginal Capital Corporations. Cliff Fregin, past CEO of New Relationship Trust and current COO of Indspire, an organization committed to investing in the education of Indigenous people, said it best, “the Aboriginal Capital Corporations are the unsung heroes of Indigenous entrepreneurship in this province.”

The National Indigenous Economic Development Board’s June 2019 Progress Report states that Indigenous businesses are increasingly becoming important and innovative contributors to the Canadian economy.

Carol Anne Hilton, 2013 Alumni of the Indigenous Business Award (IBA) program, and founder of the Indigenomics Institute, comments that the impact of these Capital Corporations is “improving lives, fueling economic growth, furthering reconciliation, and providing a growing young workforce with opportunity. Success breeds success and recognizing Indigenous organizations builds awareness of Indigenous leadership, models a path for others, and inspires further success. This is Indigenomics in action.”

New Relationship Trust (NRT) provides funding to various Capital Corporations and has been a strong and stalwart partner of the Indigenous Business Award (IBA) since its inception twelve years ago.

The IBA program is grateful to NRT for their financial support, as well as for the past and current support of Capital Corporations, such as ANTCO, NEDC, TACC and Sto:lo Community Futures who have nominated strong businesses, many of whom have become awardees and serve as models for business success. In the words of Carol Anne Hilton, “this leadership contributes to the possibility that a 100 billion-dollar Indigenous annual economy can happen in the near future.”

It takes a community to raise a business to its feet. One such example is Paul Nattrall, owner and operator of Mr Bannock Indigenous Cuisine and recipient of the 2019 Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Indigenous Business Award (IBA). 

At the 2019 IBA presentation, Paul expressed his gratitude to the community that helped his business get to the point it is at today including his partner Kelly and the Squamish Nation. He acknowledged the start-up support received from Squamish Nation Trust “for guiding and helping me start the vision of showcasing Indigenous cuisine to the world.” He also thanked Small Business BC for “helping me plan and execute to get Mr. Bannock, Vancouver’s first Indigenous food truck.” Paul also gave a shout out to the media who helped him share his story and Vancity for providing social media and business strategy support. 

Mr. Bannock creates Indigenous fusion food that focuses on Indigenous ingredients and traditional cooking methods and blends them with modern cuisine. For Paul, it’s about getting back to the roots that First Nations originally used. “I can share this food and create dishes that showcase traditional ingredients and cooking methods while showing my communities that this is our food, and this is what we can do with it.” 

As a young entrepreneur, Paul set a goal to start his business and it took four years to get it all up and running. With the support of his family, his Nation, and business and financial organizations, he fulfilled his dream. 

 “If I can do it, then anyone else can!” 

Today, Mr Bannock Indigenous Cuisine partners with local and Indigenous businesses, Spirit Bear Coffee,  One Arrow Meats, to bring more fresh and local options to its customers, proving that it really does take a community to build a business! 

The Indigenous Business Award is an annual program run by the BC Achievement Foundation to give voice to Indigenous entrepreneurship while modelling success. The program is currently in deliberations to select the recipients of the 2020 IBA program. Watch for an announcement of the awardees, coming this Fall. 

The Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design is named, in part, after artist, leader and educator, Sam Carter. Synonymous with applied art and design in BC and throughout the world, Sam has the gained international respect and admiration of artists, students and art educators. In 2017, he was recognized as the Award of Distinction Laureate of the Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design.  

Over the past 50 years, Sam has dedicated himself to the collecting, curating, and designing of exhibitions that reflect and showcase design, craft, and applied arts within Canada.  

Emigrating from California in 1965, Sam began his Canadian career working at the Ontario Science Centre where, as a senior designer, he helped create interactive exhibits, many of which focused on Canadian contributions to science. 

Sam continued his contributions to Canadian art and design, through his work with the Ontario College of Art organizing “culture probes” that engaged students, faculty, corporations, government, and communities in various creative projects. 

Once he settled in British Columbia, Sam taught at the Vancouver School of Art (now Emily Carr University of Art and Design). Here he contributed (and still contributes as a Professor Emeritus) to the documentation and elevation of Canadian design and applied arts, through online history and theory courses, events, and exhibitions. As well, through his mentorship of students, Sam developed life-long friendships with artists now recognized in BC and beyond for their unique and beautiful design creations. 

Throughout all his work, Sam’s exhibitions and events have shone a light on works by Canadian designers, craftspeople, and applied artists from all regions of this country. He has enabled people from all walks of life to enjoy the diverse elegance of Canadian design, craft, and applied arts and, in doing so, has brought international attention to Canadian talent, for which he has an enduring and dedicated passion. 

As the curator for all fifteen annual exhibitions which have celebrated the awardees of the Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design program, Sam Carter continues to be a leading advocate and champion for applied art and design in BC. His efforts have advanced and elevated the collective conversation around Canada’s functional art and design successes while creating a legacy to inspire future generations. 

Dr. Yosef Wosk delivered a thoughtful and empowering speech to the awardees, their colleagues, friends and families at the 2019 Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design presentation ceremony. 

He spoke of the age-old debate between art versus design, what distinguishes art from design, and how this award unites them both. 

“The artist, the fine artist, the free artist, the pure artist operates more perhaps as a shaman, as a revolutionary as a transformer and as a lover. Whereas the applied artists’ work is more often thought of as domesticated, as tamed, as practical, as ritualized. Perhaps the greatest champion and master of applied art and design was Willam Morris, the author, the designer, the printer and the seller of this book from the Kelmscott Press 130 years ago. 

One of his most famous statements, ‘If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it, have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful’.  

There are two different things he’s brought together as we have brought together tonight art and design. ‘Know’ means to understand; it’s a rational idea, it’s logic, it’s most often related to practical design. And ‘believe’ is more transcendent, intuitive, the pure art.  

Those who we celebrate this evening are among the few, the rare, the best who are both artists and designers, mystics and manufacturers. You are the hybrid few who bridge both worlds and allow the rest of us to cross between otherwise unreachable dimensions.” 

To those applied artists who are recognized by the Carter Wosk Award program, we salute you for making the practical, more beautiful. And we invite those of you who are artists and designers to nominate now for the 2020 Carter Wosk Award in Applied Art + Design.  

Online nomination forms are at bcachievement.com until August 9^th. 

#nominatenowbc