Every Link Matters
Every link is integral to the strength of the whole. Each person, business, or offering plays a critical role in the creation of the ecosystem. From sourcing ideas and innovative strategies from the grassroots level to delivering opportunities at the last mile, each connection builds strength, flexibility and adaptability. When one link of the supply chain faces disruption, the others step in to stabilize and support, demonstrating the knowledge and ways of being we uphold in our communities. We already knew that strength lies in collaboration and this trip was a reminder of just that.
Last week, I had the opportunity with the Canadian Federal Trade Commissioner Service and the Canadian Embassy to fly to Brazil and meet with Indigenous leaders and entrepreneurs, government leaders, and other champions of trade. It was a whirlwind adventure for me because somehow through all of my personal growth, I still cannot fathom that I receive opportunities like this. Like, how does a little girl from a northern Alberta reservation grow into an entrepreneur navigating complex systems to drive the growth of the Indigenous economy - building international partnerships with the potential to transform the future of Indigenous business?
I flew the red eye into São Paulo directly from Toronto and little did I know (because I seldom watch the news), that there was a hurricane approaching the Florida coast and as a result the skies over the Atlantic were bumpy that night. When I landed, it was a two hour drive from the airport to my hotel with only minutes to spare before my first engagement.
This first event was meeting with local Indigenous entrepreneurs, artisans and leaders to discuss their strategies for selling their products. I learned of the many barriers they face in getting their products to market including high cost of shipping, market valuation, export barriers and access to resources. Their stories spoke to the harms of colonization and how they have been systematically excluded from participating in the economy. On top of that, they were doing their best to maintain their languages, ceremonies and traditional ways of knowing and being while living in this new world. Sounds familiar eh?
Looking back on the trip it made sense that I was welcomed to the territory by the original peoples of the land; diverse peoples who shared their stories with me. I learned of the Fulni-ô people, who are one of the few Indigenous groups in Northeastern Brazil that still maintain their language, known as Yaathe. They are located primarily in the state of Pernambuco. Before our visit, one of my hosts mentioned that they are people known for their resilience and I thought about this in great depth. Unfortunately, as an Indigenous woman I know that being known for resilience can be a two headed spear; it implies enduring hardship as a constant state, as if struggle is an expectation rather than a temporary challenge. The idea of being known for resilience, like our communities, risks normalizing the burdens Indigenous peoples have faced for generations, shifting the focus from the systemic barriers that need dismantling to the ability to endure them.
Resilience, while admirable, should not be mistaken for acceptance of suffering. Indigenous communities deserve to be known for their innovation, prosperity, and thriving cultures and not just for our ability to survive adversity. But through resilience there is hope and inspiration from those who came before us.
Around the table sat individuals from the Pankararé nation, originating from the northeastern region of Brazil, primarily in the state of Bahia. Also present were relatives from the Terra Indígena Bananal territory in São Paulo, a shared home for several Indigenous groups. Representatives from Terra Indígena Jaraguá, also in São Paulo, joined as well; this territory is primarily inhabited by the Guarani Mbya people and is one of the smallest yet most urban Indigenous reserves in Brazil.
Our session also included members of Aldeia Multiétnica de Guarulhos, a unique community located in the metropolitan area of São Paulo that brings together Indigenous peoples from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Despite their cultural differences, they found unity in their shared commitment to protecting the land and fostering collaboration for the well-being of their communities. Remember what I said about collaboration?
I took the opportunity to share about where I come from and my vision to create opportunities for future generations and even though the language barriers were present, we found a common understanding. Somehow the idea of walking in two worlds was a familiar challenge.
The following days were filled with meetings. I would go from speaking to the Canadian- Brazil trade team about Indigenous Box and our challenges in export to sitting down with University professors discussing Indigenous peoples belonging in educational institutions to traveling across the city to hear from the women leaders at the Rede Mulher Empreendedora office. The passion these leaders have for the future is electric and I was so honored to experience it first hand. Our afternoon ended with a meeting at the Instituto AYA where I sat down with Jennyffer Bekoy Tupinambá and other community leaders. What was meant to be a short meeting turned into a few hours of visiting and what felt like we were relatives from long ago. We shared stories and hopes for the future.
Following my visit with Jennifer, I had a dream. I was back at the Aya Institute, a beautiful green and growing space, and her daughter, Jennifer and myself were working on something together. In my dream we spoke our own languages but still somehow knew exactly what each other were saying. We had papers out on the expansive table and were pacing back and forth. As we worked we had visitors come to an open window, one was a muskrat and the other a large bird. They also spoke to us… my dream ended before I could understand what was being asked of me and the sky grew dark before I woke up to a bright sun.
I thought about this dream as I dove into a morning of interviews and speaking engagements. Even on stage that morning, I couldn’t help but think about the question that was being asked of me in that dream. It was almost as if it started with “Can you tell them….”
That afternoon, I went directly from the stage to the tarmac where I boarded a flight to Brasilia. When I arrived, we went straight to the private residence of the Canadian Ambassador to Brazil, Emmanuel Kamarianakis, where I engaged in a discussion about opportunity and shared understanding. My trip up to this point was impactful beyond words but I did my best to share what I learned and to learn more about the initiatives for sharing best practices between nations. I had a round of introductions and meet and greets with other leaders before traveling to the Australian embassy where a panel discussion was taking place.
The panel was hosted as a lead up to the G20 Women’s Empowerment Ministerial Meeting to discuss gender based discrimination and violence in the workplace. Panelists included Ana Carolina Querino, Interim Representative of UN Women, Stephanie Copus Cambell, Australia’s Ambassador for Gender Equality, Bárbara Lívia, Assistant Judge at the Superior Military Court, CNN Brasil journalist Luísa Roig Martins, Natalie St. Lawrence, Director General for Policy, Women, and Gender Equality Canada, Sophie Davies, Ambassador of Australia in Brazil.
Over the following two days, I met with more leaders and organizations to hear about their initiatives to support Indigenous nation to nation trade. My morning saw meetings with the Brazilian Exports Promotion Agency (APEX) and Ministry of Management to then sitting down with women leaders from the first ever in Brazil the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples. With each meeting I shared what I learned from the people I met in São Paulo and talked about shared understanding of challenges and barriers. My final meeting was a sit down with leaders at SEBRAE, a non profit organization with a mandate to promote sustainable growth and competitive development of small business. This session was inspiring and spoke to the vision I have for Indigenous Box and the growth of the Indigenous economy.
These meetings, visits and shared story led up to my final speaking engagement which was a guest lecture at the University of Brasilia. I walked into the Multicultural Center for Indigenous Peoples at the University and was welcomed by the students and staff. I had never seen a building like this before, where indoor and outdoor spaces blended seamlessly to create an inspiring learning environment. It felt as though knowledge was flowing between the land and the people, in perfect harmony and nestled under these great trees. This reminded me of the spaces our people have long created to share knowledge and how grounding it is to learn on the land. For Indigenous peoples, learning in open air is integral because it reconnects us to the environment as a living teacher. The land holds stories, wisdom, and lessons that cannot be found in books, and learning in this way reinforces the interconnectedness of people, plants, animals, and the elements. It nurtures a sense of belonging, honoring the idea that education is not confined to classrooms but is an ongoing, immersive experience with the land as both teacher and our home.
My event, my week ended with a thunderstorm and a symbol of renewal, transformation and the presence of powerful spirits. It was as if the sky itself was responding, affirming the importance of the knowledge shared and marking the closing of a meaningful exchange. Thunderstorms remind us of the sacred relationship between land, weather, and people; a reminder that we are never separate from the natural world.
The storm wasn’t just a coincidence; it was nature’s way of participating, reinforcing the connection between the knowledge we carry, the stories we tell, and the forces that guide and sustain us.
