New Indigenous art store in Charlottetown opens doors to 'all the conversations'

Customers who walk into a new Indigenous art store in Charlottetown are often curious about the items for sale. Who made it, how was it created, what is the cultural significance?

That usually leads to questions aboutreconciliation, said general manager Yvette McKenna.

"Individuals that come in, they really want to understand. They ask the questions and I think that's where the conversation starts. That's where we open the doors to all the conversations."

The importance of the store, called Indigenous P.E.I., was further reaffirmed when McKenna had a conversation about pricing with one of the artisans.

"They were crying because they said, 'Nobody has ever told me that my work is valued,'" McKenna said.

"So that's the emotion I am able to come into my work every day and say, 'This is why we're doing what we're doing.' Because we need them to feel valued and we need them to understand that without them, we couldn't have this part of our journey."

The works are made by artisans from Lennox Island and Abegweit First Nations. The store is run with support from organizations including Indigenous Tourism of P.E.I. and Mi'kmaqPrinting & Design.

The store purchases the works directly from the artisans and resells them.

Erin Suliak, a tourist from Yellowknife, said she was excited to visit the store Monday when she saw words in anIndigenous language on the window.

"I had an open mind when I stepped through the door and I was just curious to see what was being celebrated and uplifted," she said.

The store also has a space for small events and demonstrations, to let elders or artisans interact with the customers.

"Can you imagine coming in and doing a beading work or basket weaving and hearing the stories that go behind it?" saidMcKenna.

"To be able to share thathavepoetry read or some of our books that we have on display that are done by Indigenous writers, and for them to stand there and share their thoughts and 'how this came about' I think that's part of what we hope to highlight in the very near future."