Society of Yukon Artists of Native Ancestry

Traditional Skills Meet New Markets

Community Training Funds provided the resources necessary for the Society of Yukon Artists of Native Ancestry (SYANA) to run a workshop for First Nations Women to participate in an intensive beading workshop called Innovative Product Development for the Gift Market.

SYANA provided specific training workshops that focused on product development, self- promotion and how to diversify products as required for market demand. Participants returned to their communities and identified people who were willing to learn these skills and encouraged them to produce products suitable for new markets.

As a result of the training, over half of the participants returned to their communities and successfully conducted workshops. Two individuals from the workshop are currently working towards self-employment.

Bev Morris, Programs Manager of the Teslin Tlingit Cultural Centre commented on how traditional First Nations crafts aren't always popular with tourists because they have limited space to carry home souvenirs. The training from the workshop allowed the participants to identify more suitable products:

"We as First Nations people are accustomed to making the bigger items that include: mukluks, moccasins, fur hats, gun scabbards... this workshop helped us to include smaller items that tourists have a huge interest in such as key chains, earrings, necklaces, and smaller dream catchers."

Advanced Education
Department of Education
Government of Yukon
Box 2703
Whitehorse, Yukon
Canada Y1A 2C6

Phone: (867) 667-5455
Toll free (In Yukon):
1-800-661-0408, local 5455
Fax: (867) 667-8555

david.power@gov.yk.ca