Ohpahow – Taking Flight!

Artisans on the Big River First Nations Reserve in northern Saskatchewan are using traditional Cree skills passed down through generations to paint, sew, and carve their way to cultural revitalization and stable incomes.

The Ohpahow Wawesecikiwak Arts Marketing Co-operative grew out of a community strategy to achieve self-reliance. Drawing on time-honoured skills and traditions, the artisans are preserving and promoting language and culture as well as bringing economic development to the region. Learning to market their art collectively, the artisans have gained knowledge about technology, customer service, networking, marketing, and the co-operative business model, which has increased their capacity to achieve their goals.