Raptors X Ocean Kiana

 

 

“Anangokaa in the 6ix”

Anangokaa translates in Ojibway to there are many stars.

I wanted to make a piece that represented my people, specifically the Ojibway, Nishinaabe. Our tribes and cultures are so distinct and unique between each nations. Nishinaabe tell our stories from the sky. I incorporated the six boroughs in this the strap of the bag, and they’re represented as star constellations.

 

 

Raptors Logo Split Toe Mocs in the processes of making. The beads used for the logo contain charlotte cut and 24K gold beads. 

Her two worlds meet. 

I wanted to represent our people in the best way. I love basketball. It’s always been a sport that I connected with and it’s absolutely one of my favourite sports to play. Throughout my journey with connecting with who I am, I found a lot of who I was while playing basketball. She’s wearing her bandolier bag, with cuffs, beaded earrings, back feather and her split toes, this is a spiritual visual interpretation of the power and connection I felt to my own Anishinaabe identity while playing basketball. It felt like the world came full circle when I was able to create these pieces for the raptors and tell the story of the Nishinaabeg and our connection with sports, but specifically basketball. 

In her tattoos say words in Nishinaabemowin, Mino Bimaadiziwin, Netmizaagamig, Biigtigong,
Nishinaabeg, Giinawind, Memegwaan, and Ojibway.. to represent my two communities, the north, and my nishinaabe name.