A Message from Seeds of Wisdom
Embark on a journey of cultural appreciation and sustainable gifting with our Holiday Gift Guide showcasing the talents of Indigenous artists, authors, and creators. Delve into the rich tapestry of Indigenous craftsmanship across various categories, such as books, clothing, jewelry, food, health & beauty, and more. Each item in this collection is a testament to the vibrant stories, traditions, and artistic expressions that span generations. By choosing gifts crafted by Indigenous artisans, you’re not only acquiring one-of-a-kind treasures but also investing in a sustainable future. Your support directly contributes to the economic empowerment of these communities, fostering a sense of pride and continuity for years to come.
Beyond the cultural enrichment, your purchase carries environmental significance. Indigenous artisans often incorporate eco-friendly practices into their creations, promoting a harmonious relationship with the Earth. As you explore this holiday guide, envision the positive ripple effect your choices can have on both the livelihoods of Indigenous creators and the well-being of our planet. This season, let your gifts tell a story of cultural richness, sustainability, and a shared commitment to a better future.
Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World
by Tyson Tunkaporta
A paradigm-shifting book in the vein of Sapiens that brings a crucial Indigenous perspective to historical and cultural issues of history, education, money, power, and sustainability – and offers a new template for living.
As an indigenous person, Tyson Yunkaporta looks at global systems from a unique perspective, one tied to the natural and spiritual world. In considering how contemporary life diverges from the pattern of creation, he raises important questions. How does this affect us? How can we do things differently?
Sacred Instructions: Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit-Based Change
by Sherri Mitchell
Drawing from ancestral knowledge, as well as her experience as an attorney and activist, Sherri Mitchell addresses some of the most crucial issues of our day—including Indigenous land rights, environmental justice, and our collective human survival. Sharing the gifts she has received from the Elders of her tribe, the Penobscot Nation, she asks us to look deeply into the illusions we have labeled as truth and which separate us from our higher mind and from one another.
Sacred Instructions explains how our traditional stories set the framework for our belief systems and urges us to decolonize our language and our stories. It reveals how the removal of women from our stories has impacted our thinking and disrupted the natural balance within our communities.
Braiding Sweetgrass:
Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Drawing on her life as an Indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings – asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass – offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices. In reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world.
Indigenomics: Taking A Seat At the Economic Table
by Carole Anne Hilton, MBA
It is time. It is time to increase the visibility, role, and responsibility of the emerging modern Indigenous economy and the people involved. This is the foundation for economic reconciliation. This is Indigenomics.
Indigenomics lays out the tenets of the emerging Indigenous economy, built around relationships, multigenerational stewardship of resources, and care for all.
The Winona LaDuke Chronicles: Stories from the Front Lines in the Battle for Environmental Justice
by Winona LaDuke
Chronicles is a major work, a collection of current, pressing and inspirational stories of Indigenous communities from the Canadian subarctic to the heart of Dine Bii Kaya, Navajo Nation. Chronicles is a book literally risen from the ashes—beginning in 2008 after her home burned to the ground—and collectively is an accounting of Winona’s personal path of recovery, finding strength and resilience in the writing itself as well as in her work. Long awaited, Chronicles is a labour of love, a tribute to those who have passed on and those yet to arrive.
Deer & Thunder: Indigenous Ways of Restoring the World
by Arkan Lushwala
In Deer & Thunder, Arkan Lushwala continues with the work begun in his first book, The Time of the Black Jaguar. He invites us to delve deeper into becoming wise inhabitants of this precious Earth. Deer & Thunder is a book of teachings rooted in the ancient times. Arkan, an Andean ceremonial leader and a devoted servant of the Earth, powerfully presents us with the wisdom of his ancestors to address the compelling questions of our times. He shares profound Indigenous wisdom, and offers us a way to stop the destruction of our planet, making emphasis on the healing of its waters. What can we do to repair the damage we have done to Mother Earth? Arkan is clear. There is a more powerful question: What can we be? Deer & Thunder shows us the way to remember what it is to be a real human being. It shows us the way to return to our true home, our true nature, the place where we are one with the Earth and capable of nourishing all that lives. According to Arkan, technological changes toward cleaner forms of energy production are important, but not enough. Humanity must undergo a shift in consciousness. In order to continue living on this beautiful planet, our modern cultures need to cultivate a mind and a heart that make the protection of life an incontestable priority. Indigenous cultures offer clear references for this urgent work.
Powwow Day
by Traci Sorell and Madelyn Goodnight
In this uplifting picture book, River is recovering from illness and can’t dance at the powwow this year. Will she ever dance again?
River wants so badly to dance at powwow day as she does every year. In this uplifting and contemporary picture book perfect for beginning readers, follow River’s journey from feeling isolated after an illness to learning the healing power of community.
How the Stars Fell into the Sky: A Navajo Legend
by Jerrie Oughton and Lisa Desimini
This retelling of a Navajo folktale explains how First Woman tried to write the laws of the land using stars in the sky, only to be thwarted by the trickster Coyote.
We Are Water Protectors
by Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade
Winner of the 2021 Caldecott Medal
#1 New York Times Bestseller
Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption―a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade.
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story
by Kevin Noble Maillard and Juana Martinez-Neal
Winner of the 2020 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
A 2020 American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book Honor Winner
Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal.
The Whale Child
by Keith Egawa, Chenoa Egawa, and Jessica Hernandez
An inspiring middle-grade chapter book that introduces young readers to the environmental challenges facing the planet through the eyes of Coast Salish characters and authors.
“You have family on land as you do in the sea. . . being a caretaker of the Earth begins with taking care of the water that all life depends on.”
Shiny is a whale child. One day his mother teaches him about the harm facing the world’s oceans because of human carelessness. Shiny agrees to be turned into a boy by the ocean’s water spirit so he can visit the land and alert people to these dangers. He meets Alex, a young Coast Salish girl who learns from Shiny that the living spirit of water exists in everything–glaciers, rivers, oceans, rain, plants, and all living creatures. Together the two travel the Earth, confronting the realities of a planet threatened by an uncertain future. Inspired by Shiny’s hope, humor, and wisdom, Alex makes the promise to become a teacher for future generations. She realizes that the timeless Indigenous value of environmental stewardship is needed now more than ever and that we must all stand up on behalf of Mother Earth.
Sala: Mountain Warrior
by Wakanyi Hoffman and Onyinye Iwu
Sala has a real mountain to climb in this authentic story set among the Samburu people of Kenya. There’s a school trip to climb the mountain near Sala’s home and she’s excited – but nervous too, because she’s the only girl to take the challenge….
But Grandmother shows the way, inspiring Sala with her mountain lore, her special beads and her storytelling. Can Sala climb to the top of the mountain and be the first warrior girl of her clan?
The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen
by Sean Sherman and Beth Dooley
2018 James Beard Award Winner: Best American Cookbook
Named one of the Best Cookbooks of 2017 by NPR, The Village Voice, Smithsonian Magazine, UPROXX, New York Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Mpls. St. Paul Magazine and others.
Here is real food—our Indigenous American fruits and vegetables, the wild and foraged ingredients, game and fish. Locally sourced, seasonal, “clean” ingredients and nose-to-tail cooking are nothing new to Sean Sherman, the Oglala Lakota chef and founder of The Sioux Chef.
tawâw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine
by Shane M. Chartrand and Jennifer Cockrall-King
Acclaimed chef Shane M. Chartrand’s debut cookbook explores the reawakening of Indigenous cuisine and what it means to cook, eat, and share food in our homes and communities.
Containing over seventy-five recipes – including Chartrand’s award-winning dish “War Paint” – along with personal stories, culinary influences, and interviews with family members, tawâw is part cookbook, part exploration of ingredients and techniques, and part chef’s personal journal.
Seka Hills is located in the Capay Valley of Northern California. Run by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, they have grown from just 20 acres of olive groves in 2012 to more than 25,000 total acres today. Their product line has expanded from olives and olive oils to include honey, hummus, beef and other food items, as well as a body care line. They have two tasting rooms and a third opening soon in Midtown Sacramento. In addition to their sustainable farming practices, they are committed to educating future generations about conservation and the importance of being stewards of the environment.
“Harvesting Maple Syrup reaches far back to our early ancestral roots. While our methods have evolved, the desire for the Passamaquoddy people to be with nature has not. We are 100% tribally owned, with a mission to provide a high-end, small batch, product that will not only sustains our tribal land, but also creates jobs for our people. We hope you enjoy Passamaquoddy Maple Syrup.”
Recovering Our Ancestors’ Gardens: Indigenous Recipes and Guide to Diet and Fitness
by Devon A. Mihesuah
Winner of the Gourmand International World Cookbook Award, Recovering Our Ancestors’ Gardens is back! Featuring an expanded array of tempting recipes of Indigenous ingredients and practical advice about health, fitness, and becoming involved in the burgeoning Indigenous food sovereignty movement, the acclaimed Choctaw author and scholar Devon A. Mihesuah draws on the rich Indigenous heritages of this continent to offer a helpful guide to a healthier life.
For three decades, paramedical aesthetician Tara Tekahentakhwa has been blending the traditions and wisdom of her Ancestors with her formal training in skin science. Like the Mohawk matriarchs who came before her, Tara believes skincare should be a sacred experience. A daily self-ceremony to reconnect with the divine within us all. But when Tara learned she had late-stage kidney cancer, self-ceremony would take on a much deeper meaning. Tara summoned a strength she never thought possible and stunned doctors with her miraculous recovery. Niawen was born out of her limitless gratitude—and created to stir this same life force within you.
The Niawen product line includes a range of skincare products, body care products, and make-up. Tara also does spa treatments, retreats, and other events at her location in Akwesasne, New York.
Frybread Cosmetics is a unique and innovative brand that is 100% Native American owned and operated by the founder, Shundine Suazo, who is from Taos Pueblo / Diné. The brand started as an idea to create an eyeshadow palette named after different items of a Frybread stand. In August 2020, the brand launched and sold its first eyeshadow palette and lip gloss. Frybread Cosmetics now offers lip gloss, lipsticks, blushes and more! The brand represents not only the creativity and innovation of its founder but also the culture and tradition of Native American people.
Teresa Ami started the MudHead Soap & SkinCare Co. line with one simple belief – to create great products that not only look, feel and smell great, but are really good for you. The “MudHead” is a spiritual kachina who has a jovial, whimsical spirit, and is also a medicinal healer. Their line includes goat milk soaps and lotions, body scrubs, soy candles, and lip balm.
Cheekbone’s aim is to make a difference in the lives of Indigenous youth through donations that support educational opportunities for them, and to create a space in the beauty industry where everyone, including Indigenous people, feel represented and seen.
The brand is known for its sustainable and high quality colour cosmetics that are clean, vegan and cruelty free. Keeping in line with her Anishinaabe roots, the first line founder Jenn Harper launched was the SUSTAIN in 2020, a low-waste line of lipsticks, made for everyone that loves our planet.
To date, Cheekbone Beauty has donated more than $250,000 to a wide variety of causes.
Eighth Generation is known for authentic Native-designed wool blankets. They were the first Native-owned company to commercially sell wool blankets in the national and global marketplace with the Thunderbird Arrives Wool Blanket designed by founder Louie Gong (Nooksack).
Today, they sell all kinds of 100% Native-designed home goods and gifts, from wool and cotton blankets to pillows, drinkware, jewelry, scarves, socks, and more. Eighth Generation is the place for authentic, Native-designed gifts for your loved ones and special treasures for yourself.
Thunder Voice Hat Co. carries on the lineage of Native Fashion that emerged from a collaboration of cultures. The Iconic Navajo Brim hat has spanned through the ages, as a reminder of generations past.
Each hat is vintage hand-sourced, steamed and shaped, creatively visioned, and lovingly made. Each hat holds stories, purpose, and the hope that you wear it with pride and meaning.
In addition to hats, Thunder Voice also has a range of clothing and accessory items, including jewelry and art prints.
Mochila Bags is a family owned and operated business. This business is 100% Fair Trade, working from Bogotá and Riohacha to bring these precious pieces of Wayuu art to the World.
These Mochila Bags are solely woven by women of the Wayuu tribe in Colombia who have been taught the art of weaving at a very young age. The tradition has been passed down through many generations. Not only is the art of Wayuu weaving solely reliant on the women, Wayuu children carry their mother’s last name too. This makes women cultural and powerful leaders of the tribe.
Each Wayuu Mochila Bag is completely unique with a design that tells a story about the Wayuu culture and history. To the Wayuu people, this tradition is a symbol of wisdom, intelligence and creativity. One bag can take up to 2 months to create!
[At Good Medicine Clothing] We strive to inspire and motivate while honoring the generations who’ve come before us through art, culture and design. Our goal is to light up the darkness by igniting the fire of positive change in all of us through music and visual medicine. May we unite as human beings in peace, love, respect and honor!
The word Etkie translates to mean “impact” in Turkish. Etkie CEO Sydney Alfonso started working with a women’s cooperative in Istanbul assisting artisans in creating a profitable platform for their handmade jewelry. The intent was to elevate their profit from meager sales to a reliable living wage. Returning to New Mexico, she launched Etkie with the same passion to create an ethical for- profit company that provides Native American beaders a platform to create contemporary designs using the artistic traditions passed down from generations. The team of artists earn living wages, impacting the choices they can make for themselves and their families.
By working together, they have created a business that benefits everyone involved, and are in the process of becoming a worker-owned cooperative and registered B-Corporation. ETKIE is sold in over 90+ retailers in seven countries and has created custom collections for some of the world’s best museums.
This is jewelry that is hand made deep in the mountains. Created for anyone, Anna’s jewelry fuses old Sámi traditions with contemporary design. Its wearer proudly celebrates Nordic Indigenous handcraft, sustainable fashion, and self empowerment.
By combining the wisdom and methods of her Ancestors and Sámi heritage, with her sense of contemporary design and sustainable fashion, Simply Sámi was born in February 2016. Anna Lengstrand merges her deep passion for traditional Sámi handcraft (doudji) into each piece of jewelry that she is hand making in her rural mountainside studio in Pemberton, BC. Anna was born and raised in Sweden, but left in her mid twenties to do a ski season in Canada. The vast wilderness and the endless mountains pulled her to stay longer. Now, 10 years later, she has one foot in Sweden and one foot in Canada.
A portal dedicated to promoting the arts and the artisans of Africa, since 1996.
OMA is a social enterprise that’s mission is to protect one million acres of endangered rainforest while empowering Indigenous artisans to rise out of poverty. This is done through the sale of our fair-trade and sustainably sourced bracelets. Every bracelet sold funds the protection of an entire acre of endangered rainforest and the planting of a tree in areas that have already been impacted by deforestation.
Love and Light is the connection and bridge between Grandmother Flordemayo and The Path, the non-profit she founded. This is a one-stop destination for unique spiritual gifts, wellness offerings, and personal transformation. Offerings include webinars and training, spiritual and sacred items, as well as retreats. We will collaborate and nurture our connection with Elders, educators, wisdom keepers, and creatives, building awareness and strengthening our connection with the four sacred elements and the invisible. We intend to focus on empowering each other, with a collective manifestation that benefits all of humanity. Our work will always be mindful of the words and essence of Love and Light and Grandmother Flordemayo’s vision for humanity. We believe when you are offering someone “love and light” you are offering them the frequencies of creation and wisdom. Like a seed, we intend to grow and nurture connection and collaboration within our network of visionaries, Elders, wisdom keepers, and planetary activists. All are welcome on this path.
We believe that art is transformative, and that eyewear can be the canvas to share stories and art from around the world. AYA Eyewear was first launched in 2009 in collaboration with renowned First Nations Artist Corrine Hunt and has continued to flourish and grow every year.
We are committed to the details and realize that beautiful design takes time, precision, and attention, so we don’t cut corners. We stand by our product. We treat our artists as our partners and make sure that their stories and art are always shared in the most heartfelt authentic way.
