Let’s talk Indigenous artisans and Indigenous joy; Stephanie Merinuk’s philosophy of ‘little acts of reconciliation’
Kate Henderson (she/they) // Crew Writer
Lauren Howard // Illustrator
On November 26, 2024, Stephanie Merinuk, Manager of Indigenous Education and Affairs at Capilano University, hosted the school’s first Indigenous Vendor Market in the Kéxwusm-áyakn Student Centre, also called the K-Centre. Invited to the market through an open call on social media, local Indigenous creators gathered with students to share their art; a space to connect and find relationships through creation. CapU has hosted a series of holiday craft fairs in this space, with a portion of these artists’ proceeds donated to United Way, an organization dedicated to developing, “community and strengthening vital connections,” as stated on their website. When Merinuk began her work at CapU five months ago, she felt a disconnect in how this event gave back to the community of the Kéxwusm-áyakn Student Centre. With that, Merinuk sang her ‘little act of reconciliation.’
Born in Manitoba, Merinuk is a member of the Berens River First Nations community and started her career with the Royal Bank of Canada. She was soon drawn to university-based work as they are some of the first institutions rooted in colonialism, power and privilege. With this in consideration, Merinuk shared that, “just because it’s rooted doesn’t mean you can’t change the soil.” She did just that, beginning her work at Simon Fraser University in the Indigenous Business Leadership Executive: Masters in Business Administration (MBA) Program, where Merinuk worked to uplift North America’s first Indigenous-led MBA program. This platform is what Merinuk shares as an act of economic reconciliation. This led to her position in Indigenous Education and Affairs, which began five months ago, and where Merinuk replants and waters the flowers of CapU’s path of reconciliation through these little, but communally strong, acts of reconciliation.
CapU’s first Indigenous Vendor Market commenced with the Kéxwusm-áyakn Student Centre decked with various creations. The Capilano Courier spoke to artist Kathleen ‘Kats’ Klein, a long-time Métis creative, student and former CapU staff. Klein expressed the warmth of being invited back to share her joy of painting and beadwork. “My partner gives me the space to use our apartment’s living and dining space as an art studio, which is so kind to my process,” Klein vocalizes. “My art is all around me, and any free moment I have, I’m looking at it, I’m touching it, thinking about it.” Klein explains that she didn’t always have this outlet in her life, but now this process brings her great meditation. She hopes to share this meditative state with the market-goers, emphasizing the practice of, “reciprocation […] what we get from the earth and from each other.”
Courier members spoke further with multi-media Cheslatta Carrier Métis artist Jessey Tustin, a regular vendor at various North Vancouver markets, who said, “I saw a call on social media, as someone who tries to vend local markets regularly, I was drawn even further knowing it was Indigenous-based.” Tustin elaborated on the peace they find in creating, while their “process is pretty chaotic, [they] also work a full-time job, whatever time [they] can find to create, even if it’s just two hours in the evening, that’s time to create.” Tustin showed their gallery of creations, ranging from seal fur earrings to colourful prints, as well as their new colouring book pages. “I love colour. We need more colour in the world,” Tustin implored, continuing to say, “Even if it’s just little bugs or watermelon, I want people to be like, ‘Aw, that’s really cool!’ I want to bring smiles to people’s faces.”
Evie Dumont is an artist celebrating the medium of beadwork, specifically in the form of cartoon characters. “It’s really fun to find different variations, the pixel-like design of the pieces,” Dumont explains. “Even though it is tedious to put together, it’s also very zen.” Dumont describes her process with a wonderfully flexible workflow, “Getting obsessed, and as soon as I feel bored with the design I just move onto the next exciting idea!” Dumont hopes customers can find this same excitement when buying her pieces as well. “It’s about finding that piece you love,” she says, “The piece that speaks to you.”
While Merinuk just began her position at CapU during the summer of 2024, she has already planted many seeds of reconciliation, nourishing and supporting the creations of the vendors of the 2024 market. In changing the soil of deeply rooted colonial practice, Merinuk has centered a path in the school by giving back to the space of the K-Centre and local creators and creating a garden of reconciliation for our community. This garden surrounded students in the Indigenous market, and it will continue to grow with ] Merinuk’s little acts of reconciliation.
“We’re still here. Let’s talk Indigenous creation, let’s talk Indigenous joy.” – Stephanie Merinuk