Nov 29, 2013 - Buy Native on Cyber Monday, By renee holt

Happy post turkey eating day! I hope this post finds each of you well and in good spirits, wherever you may be. With family members traveling throughout Indian country, I’d like to include special thoughts and prayers to families who may have a loved one that was not present at their family dinner table this year during holiday. Family is such a special part of who we are as Indigenous nations. When we think about what it means to be a family, sometimes our friends become family.

I thought it prudent regarding the post I submitted earlier this week on Boycotting Black Friday in the name of Indigenous pride to include a special reminder to support our community members who are artists, entrepreneurs, and Native businesses.

After all that is said and done, the boycotting of Black Friday is rooted in supporting local and Native owned businesses. When we think of family, as thankful and grateful as we are, I believe we ought to also look at the members of our community who are on that hustle as business owners, or maybe in the struggle just to live in this society. They are, after all, someone’s family.

As Indigenous nations, we have a value system that is deeply woven in with kinship. It’s next to impossible to forget. In addition to the Thankfulness and gratitude we have in our hearts, as Indigenous communities, we are thriving nations who are embarking on a new journey as modern communities with traditional values.

We endeavor to persevere by maintaining our cultural traditions that some people carry on through art, language revitalization, education, medicine, social justice, law, public health, wellness, and other areas of advancement that our ancestors could only imagine.

Today, while we are in a Thankful and Grateful state, and Black Friday sales have commenced, this is also a call to action. I believe as members of the Indigenous communities we come from, we also have an inherent right to help support our communities and people on Cyber Monday. While some people may have gone out for Black Friday sales this morning, it’s important to remember, we also have an opportunity to help members of the Indigenous community at-large online.

Supporting Native owned businesses and Native artisians means helping to keep a Native family fed, clothed, housed, and operating. In the time of Walmart, who doesn’t provide benefits to its employees, this is a reminder that we have Indigenous people who are working hard to build their own small businesses.

Although the following list is not exhaustive, it’s a start of a list that we will continue to add to. If you know of a Native owned business or artisan who can be featured please let Lastrealindians know and we will continually highlight Native owned businesses.

Indigenous apparel, accessories, stickers, and skating gear: http://nsrgnts.com/

A primary mission of the Beyond Buckskin Boutique is to create a substantial movement of Native American representation in the fashion industry and to bring greater recognition to Native-made fashion. They are creating a much-needed platform where emerging and established artists can bring their work to new audiences: http://shop.beyondbuckskin.com/

Ta ton ka’ Clothing is for the people. It is clothing of resistance. Designs are created with certain educational, inspirational, and motivational motives in mind: http://www.tatankaclothing.com/

Patricia Michaels is a traditional native woman who is a style-maker at the forefront of modern fashion design and aesthetics. She creates boldly hip designs with a quality of timeless elegance: http://www.patriciamichaelsfashion.com/

Offers all kinds of products with a Native Flare featuring….clothing, blankets, and other accessories related to our Native heritage. Then it expanded into us featuring other artists and their beautiful talent and putting it on our website. Kevin is an enrolled member of the Menominee Tribe from Keshena, Wisconsin and Natalie is an enrolled member of the Navajo Tribe (Dine’ Nation) from Albuquerque, New Mexico: http://nativegenesapparel.com/

Supernova American Indian artist Virgil Ortiz moves into a new era combining art, décor, fashion, video and film. Beyond the notoriety of his artistic talent, Ortiz’s professional agenda centers on a lifelong dream to create opportunities for children in his tribal community that reflect the legacy of his ancestors: http://www.virgilortiz.com/shop/

Rez Hoofz is an independently owned business, specializing in painted contemporary and custom made Native American design work: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Rezhoofz

At Lakota Heart Candles they pride themselves in providing one-of-a-kind candles, bead work, and many other craft items. Each item is created with detail that you won’t find anywhere else. They have something for everyone: http://www.lakotahearttrading.com/

Louie Gong (Nooksack) is a Native artist, activist and educator who is widely known for merging traditional Coast Salish art with influences from urban environment to create custom shoes that make strong statements about identity: http://eighthgeneration.com/

Original and unique Native American artwork is stylish, thought provoking, and blends traditional elements with contemporary styling. Their company continually strives to create artworks that will elicit thoughts and feelings in the viewer. They pride themselves on creating one of a kind pieces of the highest quality, and only believe in using the greatest of techniques from the best available materials. Both artists are accepting commission work: http://www.mamooktumtum.com/

Culturally and historically relevant Native American Clothing: http://n8vcouture.com/

Native American beaded hoop earrings: http://eleumne.com/

The art of Steven Judd, Kiowa/Choctaw: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheArtofStevenJudd

Sister Sky products are inspired by nature and the wisdom of Native American heritage. They create exceptional products to nourish your body and inspire the spirit.  Products are gentle and natural.  Free of petro-chemicals and parabens. Never animal tested. Earth friendly packaging and USA Made: http://www.sistersky.com/

Features a number of natural foods and products, from the White Earth Land Recovery Project:  who works to continue, revive, and protect our native seeds, heritage crops, naturally grown fruits, animals, wild plants, traditions and knowledge of indigenous and land-based communities; for the purpose of maintaining and continuing our culture and resisting the global, industrialized food system that can corrupt our health, freedom, and culture through inappropriate food production and genetic engineering: http://nativeharvest.com/

Native American Beadwork: https://www.facebook.com/native.beadwork

As one of Indian Country’s only Native-owned and operated clothing companies, Native Threads has been planting seeds and building a loyal family of customers throughout North America since 1990. Designs are contemporary, yet the messages are very traditional, cultural, and conscious of the current social, political and economic trends that affect Native peoples: http://store.nativethreads.com/

AllNative.com sells traditional Native American goods and Native-themed products. By supporting AllNative.com, you are not only helping to provide jobs for our employees, but for Native American artisans across the country. AllNative.com includes a Native American e-commerce site and local retail store. AllNative.com is a subsidiary of Ho-Chunk, Incorporated (HCI), the economic development corporation owned by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska: http://www.allnative.com/

From Oglala Lakotas on the Pine Ridge Reservation, SD with a deep commitment to helping the People, the Buffalo and Mother Earth. Foods are sustainably grown by Native American producers, minimally processed with care and respect, to help you feed mind, body and spirit. To “Be Tanka” means to live your best life: in harmony with your spirit and with the earth. We created Tanka products to help you do just that: http://www.tankabar.com/

Native Wisdom is a 100% Native American owned company. Their products are made from the highest quality ingredients utilizing Native American Herbalogy passed down from our family elders.  The co-owners of the company are three sisters. Products are formulated with the finest natural ingredients.  They’ve combined traditional indigenous herbalogy with the latest in break-through technology to create sumptuous products gentle enough for a baby, but healing and soothing enough for the most irritated skin: http://native-wisdom.com/

Shiprock Santa Fe gallery, located on the historic Santa Fe Plaza, is rooted in the rich artistry, cultures and traditions of the Navajo and other Native American tribes of the Southwest. Features a specialty collection of historic and contemporary textiles, jewelry, pottery, sculpture, basketry, folk art and fine art by leading Native American artists: http://www.shiprocksantafe.com/beta/

First Nations artist of Nuu-Chah-Nulth/Kwakwaka’wakw Nations. Creating customized native designs on modern clothing, shoes, and accessories. To place orders please email: order@artdesignsalicia.com: https://www.facebook.com/theinkofalicia