Bannock to beads, ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl: Come Toward the Fire features a range of vendors, September 14

Also appearing at the Indigenous-led festival are makers of everything from clothing to cookies

By Gail Johnson

Sweetgrass Soap.

Up the River Baking.

Chan Centre for the Performing Arts and Musqueam present ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl: Come Toward the Fire on September 14 from 12 pm to 7 pm

CELEIGH CARDINAL, DIGAWOLF, and Hayley Wallis are just some of the artists performing at ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl: Come Toward the Fire, a free, family-friendly Indigenous-led festival taking place on September 14 at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts on xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) territory. There’s also a long list of vendors who will be on-site with everything from bannock to beads.

Consider Up the River Baking, an Indigenous woman-owned business of self-taught cookie artists. They make sugar cookies in all kinds of shapes and styles, each one decorated in detail. Among the varieties that will be available at ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl: Come Toward the Fire are those with orange icing and the phrase “Every child matters”. Proceeds will be going to the All Nations Outreach Society, a nonprofit group that provides support to people living in the Downtown Eastside through a weekly lunch program.

Then there’s Golden Bannock, which makes the famous fry bread and serves burgers and Indian tacos atop thick slices of it.

Other food vendors include Mahshiko, which serves up healthy Korean food; Juicy Green Express Inc., which carries drinks like lemonade and bubble tea; and Shameless Buns, which specializes in Filipino cuisine.

Amanda Ruth Beads.

Then there are vendors selling other, nonedible goods, such as Native by Nature, a clothing brand that fuses urban hip-hop style and Indigenous heritage; Sweetgrass Soap, a skin-care line that includes body butter and sugar scrubs; and Amanda Ruth Beads, a collection of beaded earrings and other jewellery. Beadwork is also the basis of little Métis things, which sells earrings, medallions, and lanyards.

Ryan Hughes is the Snuneymuxw First Nation artist behind Ryan Salish Art; look for so many carvings on materials like yellow- and red-cedar discs. Love the Land Apparel is a sister company of Talaysay Tours; owned by Candace Campo, it features hoodies, shirts, sweatpants, hats, tuques, and more.

Two Indigenous-owned booksellers will be at the festival: Iron Dog Books and Massy Books.  

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