Neechie Gear wins The Centre’s “Saskatoon’s Finest Entrepreneur” Award
Latest award provides Kendal Netmaker’s Neechie Gear Apparel with a new opportunity in Saskatoon
By Armand LaPlante for the Indigenous Times Newspaper

Kendal Netmaker is humble about his many accomplishments and awards his clothing line, Neechie Gear, has received, most recently: The Centre’s Saskatoon’s Finest Entrepreneur 2012. Kendal Netmaker is a 25 year old entrepreneur from the Sweetgrass First Nation but his last name, as well as many of his relatives, is from the Whitefish First Nation.

In its one year of existence, Neechie Gear Apparel has accomplished more than many companies do in five years.  Neechie Gear has won 1st place in SIFE’s Aboriginal Youth Idea Challenge, ACE 2011 Saskatchewan Student Entrepreneur Provincial Champion, and 2011 CANDO Economic Developer of the Year Award to name a few. But winning Saskatoon’s Finest Entrepreneur of 2012 gave him a new opportunity; he was awarded with three months rent free at a kiosk at the popular Saskatoon mall The Centre at Circle and 8th.

“I was on Facebook one day, and my buddy said ‘you should apply for the competition at the [Centre] mall,’ and I said ‘What are you talking about?’ Then he forwarded me a link and I checked it out and thought ‘oh cool, I will give it a shot’ and I put in an application, next month I got a call saying I won the competition.”

Neechie Gear was officially established in April of 2011 and was started through business plan competitions. The term Neechie means “my friend” in Cree slang. I got in touch with Neal McLeod, an Aboriginal author who is very well known in Saskatchewan and Canada. I told him on Facebook I was starting a clothing line and he said ‘Why don’t you call it Neechie Gear?’ We thought it might work but it might not.” What was once called Moose Meat Apparel in 2010, the name change to Neechie Gear was, according to Kendal, “the best change I ever made.”

So far, Neechie Gear’s growth has been phenomenal and is due largely to the social media infrastructure – facebook and twitter more specifically. “Facebook is huge for our market; it is the biggest network that we use. We are targeting our niche to the First Nations people. Once you capture your niche you can expand, and we’re proving that here in the mall with several non-First Nations customers buying our products; it’s really exhilarating” states Kendal. “We literally grew, in two weeks, by 1500 [facaebook] fans from one online contest.”

What Neechie Gear represents is what motivates Kendal as a hardworking entrepreneur. “[Neechie Gear] is not just a clothing line, we’re helping youth through our brand. We have our own sports teams, Neechie Gear under 18 Boys & Girls Volleyball Clubs that compete in mainstream tournaments throughout the year. We’re in charge of a lot more than just our clothing brand, it’s a social brand -- the people own the brand. The fact that I created it from nothing and where it has come is what drives me to keep working harder.”

Neechie Gear can be found at the Centre Mall in Saskatoon in front of the Huskie store or online at www.neechiegear.com. You can also find Neechie Gear on Facebook and Twitter. •

Update: On July 1st Neechie Gear will be having their Grand Opening at their new inline store at the Centre Mall at 11am.

Exclusive Interview: Chelsa Reil, coordinator of National Aboriginal Fashion Week

Aboriginal Fashion Week to bring Aboriginal Fashion to a New Level 
Chelsa Reil of the Nekaneet First Nation discusses her hopes and plans
by Timothy Lewis for the Indigenous Times Newspaper

National Aboriginal Fashion Week (NAFW) will deliver a diverse experience that blends fashion and music by artists and designers from across Canada. The production includes street wear, eco-friendly fashions and Aboriginal designs.  NAFW aims to be a global platform for new designers and emerging artists in North America.  NAFW will recognize the rich culture and Canadian history by showcasing distinct Canadian heritage through contemporary fashion.

NAFW will feature 12 established and emerging designers; as well as live performances by Saskatchewan recording artists accompanied by international recording artists.  A national presence through worldwide media coverage will provide unrivalled exposure for designers, models, musicians and sponsors. NAFW is a unique opportunity unlike any other in Canada.

All are invited to attend the summer 2012 National Aboriginal Fashion Week taking place June 21st to June 23rd 2012 at the Turvey Centre (Armour Road HWY 6 North), Regina, Saskatchewan.

IT sat down with Chelsa Reil, the director and producer of NAFW.

Q: Tell us about yourself.

CR. I am a 31 year old woman from the Nekaneet First Nation and a proud mother of 2 beautiful children that I love taking care of and watching grow, learn and develop.  By doing a project of this calibre, I hope inspire to help others.  It takes a lot of talent, the right mentors, drive, dedication and great personal sacrifice to do what I’ve been doing.  I’ve been into fashion my whole life and am a leading figure in the fashion scene in Saskatchewan. I love to travel and shop and compare the differences in fashion in communities around the world.  I often find myself getting looks, with people asking “what are you wearing?” to find that brand or item is popular a year later.

Q: What inspired you to put on a fashion week?

CR:  I’ve been directing/producing fashion shows for five years in places like New Mexico, to the 2010 Olympics in downtown Vancouver.  In Saskatchewan, I feel that there are a lot of designers and not enough outlets for showcasing their creativity.  I’ve organized shows with two or three Aboriginal designers at a time and I’ve met quite a few along the way.  It’s in this context that the idea came to me, why don’t I organize a large fashion collective and make it 100% Aboriginal designers?  It evolved to incorporate models, performers, entertainers and volunteers, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal.

Q: I hear a Western Canada Fashion Week (WCFW) representative will be at the event. Can you tell us more about how NAFW will benefit from that partnership?

CR: WCFW will send a rep to come to NAFW, he or she will then choose one designer, who will be sponsored by WCFW, for a free showcase in the next WCFW in September, occuring in Edmonton, Alberta.

Q: What makes your fashion week different from others?

CR: Aboriginals are looked at as a minority in this world and I want to show the world that we are just as good as anyone one else.  A lot of the designs are crafted by hand, whether through sewing, beading or painting.  So it’s real couture fashion.  All the designers have unique looks and they are all very beautiful creations.  A few of the Aboriginal celebrities confirmed for the event include Linsay from Canada’s Next Top Model, The Baker Twins, and Lisa Muswagon from Winnipeg. The fashion week will be a place for Aboriginals to express themselves freely and positively.

Q: What else will be happening at the fashion week?


CR:   Doors will open at 10am for trade show booths and mini fashion shows throughout the day (a sneak-peek at what will be showcased the night of) and then at 7PM the fashion show will start, including live Entertainment.  Female hoops dancer, flute player, as well as part of the cast of BLACKSTONE will be featured.  Keep an eye on www.nafw.ca for more updates as it gets closer to the date.

Q: Are you still looking for sponsors for your Fashion Week, and if so, how can they be part of it?

CR: Yes. If someone is interested in becoming a sponsor, they can email me at chelas@nafw.ca and request a sponsorship package.

Thank you Chelsa for taking time to speak to us, and we look forward to seeing the creative Aboriginal designs at the NAFW.

Contact Information:
Website: http://www.nafw.ca
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NationalAboriginalFashionWeek
Phone: (306) 201-6110
Email: chelas@nafw.ca

Spotlight on Success in Indian Country: Travis Lovett

by Lindsay Sutherland

for the Indigenous Times Newspaper

From Georgia to the plains of Saskatchewan, Travis Lovett, better known as “Thunder” across the Pow Wow circuit, has swept many championship titles in the Men’s Fancy category.  Travis Lovett started dancing late at the age of 17, but did not waste any time in becoming world known.  Just a year after starting to dance and his very first pow wow competing in the men’s division, Travis placed second at the Gathering of Nations.  As if that wasn’t enough, Travis two years later won his title as “World Champion” by clenching first place at the Schemitzun World Championship Pow Wow and has remained a top competitor traveling across Indian Country ever since.  However, Travis’ accomplishments extend far and beyond the dance arena.

Out of high school, Travis received a full-ride wrestling and academic scholarship to the University of the Cumberlands where he went on to compete at the National Wrestling tournament and became an Academic All-American wrestler.  Aside from dominating the wrestling mat, Travis was also placed on the Dean’s list every semester and graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Biology.

Now, Travis is currently attending Law School at Arizona State University.  ASU Law has a strong reputation for holding the best Indian Legal Program in the world.  Travis said, “ASU Law is great at offering opportunities and placing Natives in positions that allow them to achieve whatever goals they desire.”  Travis went on to explain that the faculty and students are exceptionally great and that he felt as if they were his family away from home.  Travis entered ASU Law on a Dean’s Recruitment Scholarship and since, has been awarded the Kevin Kane Memorial Book Scholarship and the Arizona Native American Bar Association Scholarship.  Also, Travis is active in the Native American Law School Association by serving as liaison to the Arizona Native American Bar Association.

Recently, Travis was awarded the Native American Udall Internship, which only selects 12 highly achieved Native Americans and First Nations to work in a congressional agency for ten weeks in Washington D.C.  Travis has been selected to work for the Senate Committee of Indian Affairs where his daily duties will likely entail attending meetings and writing memorandums on the Nation’s top issues that are affecting Indian Country today.  Travis commented, “I am really honored to receive such an opportunity and I am eager to meet other Natives that share my passion for Native advocacy.”  This highly sought after position is determined by a selection committee that is composed of Native tribal leaders and educators.  The committee selects their interns based upon each applicant’s academic credentials, writing capability, and their interest in learning how the Federal Government operates.  When describing the application process, Travis explained that all applicants are to write an essay on a legislative act or tribal public policy and relate that issue to their own career goals or personal life.  Travis commented, “I wrote about the Indian Child Welfare Act because it is vital that Indian children grow up learning their heritage and culture; for this is the only way to truly keep the Native race alive and growing.”  The Indian Child Welfare Act was enacted in 1978 to combat children being removed from their Indian communities and placed in non-Indian homes.

Overall, Travis is extremely excited to learn what steps the Federal Government is taking to improve Indian Country and what avenues he can take to achieve his career goals.  After law school Travis plans to start his own Native American consulting project to help tribe’s in improving their communities through economic development, education, and healthcare. Travis believes proper management over these areas is essential to a tribe’s prosperity and growth.  For many reservations, there has been an unfortunate snowball effect of unemployment and poor education that leads to increased crime and poverty.  Travis said, “Healthcare, education, and economic development strongly intertwine and improvements in one area will likely facilitate the improvement in another and combat this unfortunate snowball effect.”  Traivs is also knowledgeable of issues that are affecting the First Nations of Canada.  Travis stated, “Right now in Canada tribes are faced with a very important decision, SELF – GOVERNMENT.” Travis went on to explain, “This decision will be different for every tribe and it is critical that they have assistance from someone that understands native communities and how this transition can affect their community.”  Travis says, “This is where I hope to come in and hopefully before it is too late.  I hope to build a consulting team with Native lawyers who have experience and understand the needs for Indian communities.”  Travis clarified, that his job will not be to tell tribes what to do.  Instead, Travis will educate tribal communities and offer guidance to ensure that they really know what self-government entails.  As with every decision, there are pros and cons and it is no secret that every Reserve is now facing this critical and life-changing decision. •