Indigenous market promotes cultural exchanges

The second annual Indigenous Winter Market welcomed throngs of visitors this past weekend to Oka Park’s Littoral Visitors Centre, bordering the snowy beach.

“Our market is a little bit more than a market, it’s almost a festival,” said Véronique Vincent, tourism project manager for Kanehsatà:ke Tourism, the organization behind the event.

“I think the mission is really about being independent, regaining our right to exist, and reconnecting,” she said. “Between different Indigenous communities we used to trade all the time. Why not bring that back to life?”

After kicking off the event with an opening ceremony on Friday night, visitors enjoyed a broad range of experiences all weekend.

Not only were there more than 40 vendors, but everything from music, singing, and dance demonstrations to tattooing and free workshops.

“The more you have diversity, the more you know people, the more you are rich as a person,” said Vincent. “Our mission is not only about bringing Kanesatake to light, it’s also about bringing people together.”

An exciting addition this year came from Café Masko, serving hot meals on both days. Jacques Watso, owner of the cafe and also an elected councillor of the Abenaki Council of Odanak, said that 800 dishes were sold during the weekend.

The menu featured Watso family recipes, with food like bannock, rabbit stew with dumplings, game meat stew, cedar and berry tea, along with sagamité, a traditional soup.

“We’re practically neighbours, the Abenakis and the Mohawks, even if we’re divided by the Richelieu River. On our side there is good food, and on this side too. It’s nice to do these exchanges,” said Watso.

While Café Masko is located in Odanak, Watso also caters events, including in neighbouring communities.

“Masko is the name of my daughter, I do this for her,” Watso said. “It’s a meeting place, a place of cultural exchange.”

Market-goer Jean Brunet visited the Indigenous Winter Market for the second year to try Café Masko’s food and to stock up on Little Tree Farms’ delicacies, like cinnamon honey and ginger honey.

“We really came for the honey, we’re honey afficionados,” said Brunet.

Among returning vendors was Kanehsata’kehró:non Kaysun Oke.

“I like to try and make a diversity for people. I have some wood burnings that are a little bit traditional, and I have some that are more focused towards nature,” she said. “I have some earrings, I’ve got a little bit of leather work. I have a little bit of everything for everybody.”

On Sunday, she also led the woodburning workshop, which she did last year as well.

Across from Oke’s table, market-goers sampled 392 Pepper Company’s products.

“We make hot sauce, corn chips, salsa, sunflower seeds, all homegrown peppers turned into a juggernaut of hot things,” said Kahnawake owner Jonn Mayo.

“It all started with family, just getting together in the garden, and an overabundance of peppers one year, and what are we going to do with them?” he said.

It’s a family business; Mayo’s kids do the labelling on the bottles, and even the graphic design is done in house.

On Saturday and Sunday, Reviving Kanehsatà:ke Radio 101.7 FM broadcasted live from the market and conducted interviews.

“I think it’s important for the radio station to be involved in community events, and this event was very important for getting us known. Getting other communities and other cultures to know what our culture is about,” said Karahkóhare Syd Gaspé, president of the nonprofit Mohawk Multimedia, which oversees the station.

“We’re also about promoting our culture through language, because language is the essence of our being,” Gaspé added.

He said Kanienʼkéha speakers present at the event spoke on the broadcast on Saturday, and they were hoping to run into others on Sunday.

“If they’re willing to speak on the radio, they can say some words in Kanienʼkéha so our audience can know what our language sounds like,” he said.

Vincent is hoping that next year the event grows and expands beyond the building into the outdoor space.

“Eventually let’s extend, go outside, bigger, brighter,” Vincent said.

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