Corporate Vision offer include beaver, black beaver, seals, silver fox, and black seals. All animals have special significance for the First Nations people who used their meat for food and wore their warming fur. Atikuss also sells Mukluks, a leather boot originally worn by people native to the regions of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Siberia. All Mukluks are handmade and entirely embroidered by Indigenous women. In addition to shoes, the company crafts many diverse offerings such as Indigenous bracelets, stunning dreamcatchers, fur-lined gloves, and red raccoon jewellery. In 2023, Josée Leblanc opened Atikuss The Maskisin Economuseum, a boutique and workshop located in Uashat where visitors can watch as craftswomen practice their tradition and showcase their outstanding work. A visit to the economuseum allows visitors to discover the history of Indigenous footwear, the transmission of culture, the importance of the caribou, and much more. As well as the boutique and clothing workshop, Atikuss also boasts a small hotel and art gallery where guests can be fully immersed in the heart of the Uashat Innu community. Through her enterprise, Josée strives to provide authentic experiences, support First Nations artisans, and share knowledge of her ancestral culture. The creation of Atikuss magazine was instrumental in increasing awareness and sales during the pandemic. Through the magazine, Josée aims to bridge cultural gaps by showcasing artists from all Indigenous communities. Josée and Atikuss have earned numerous accolades, a testament to the success of the emerging company. In March 2023, Josée received the Extraordinary Female Entrepreneur Award from Indigenous Tourism Canada. She has also been honoured with the Quebec Businesswoman Award, Personality of the Year, Business of the Year, and Retail Business of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce of Sept-Iles and Uashat mak Mani Utenam. Looking to the future, Josée shares, “At Atikuss, we are currently engaged in research and development to offer our customers the warmest winter boot in Canada. We collaborate with thermal and fabric specialists to blend these elements together to create the warmest boot possible. Stay tuned to our social media channels as we will be launching it in May 2024. The first 100 pairs will be on special offer as part of a limited-edition release.” Atikuss is dedicated to sharing the talents of Indigenous women with the world through ancestral art and beadwork techniques. Every striking piece is created in the traditional way, representing the millennia-old history through values Indigenous Brand of the Year 2024 In Quebec, Indigenous art is in danger of becoming a lost practice due to the inadequate wages paid to women artisans. Atikuss strives to preserve the traditions of its own community and ten other Indigenous communities, enabling women to share the millennia-old history of their craft. The holistic business creates quality shoes that incorporate natural materials and ancestral techniques of tanning, beading, and weaving. Through its exceptional products and services, Atikuss shares knowledge of its rich history and promotes Indigenous culture. Recognised in this year’s Canadian Business Awards, Atikuss celebrates the passion and talent of Quebec’s indigenous communities with shoes and accessories adorned with local culture. Originating from Nitassinan, Innuit territory, Josée Leblanc is the Executive Director of Atikuss. Its name derives from ‘Atik’ meaning caribou and ‘Uss’ meaning young caribou, a tribute to the animal that greatly contributed to the survival of the First Nations. In Innu culture, the caribou holds spiritual significance and is considered the master of all animals. For millennia, Indigenous people lived in synergy with the natural world with a culture based on sharing and sacrifice. Atikuss was founded to preserve this rich cultural heritage and pass on the ancestral traditions of creating clothes and accessories. All products are handmade in a traditional way with reuse, non-waste, and return to communities in mind. Atikuss’s commitment to sustainability is based on Indigenous values of environmental stewardship, which strive to be respectful of Mother Earth. Atikuss uses natural materials and employs the talents of Indigenous artisans who wish to share their knowledge and skills with future generations. Core values of authenticity, respect, and quality have shaped the organisation’s development and helped the business achieve economic growth for its community. Atikuss has set up a fair trade in Indigenous footwear to ensure women can maintain their dignity and receive fair pay for their expertise. The business guarantees the authenticity and craftsmanship of all its products and is committed to sharing the ancestral art of Indigenous women with the world. Atikuss boasts an array of beautiful products including fur hats, jewellery, moccasins, mukluks, and mittens. Through its creations, the enterprise aims to preserve the memory of the First Nations and pass on their ancestral artforms. Josée Leblanc is acclaimed for created the Bottes de l’Espoir (Boots of Hope), the flagship project of the Atikuss brand. With the Hopeboots, ancestral culture is brought to life, providing warmth and comfort while maintaining a strong respect for tradition. Due to inadequate pay, ancestral art is in danger of dying out. Fair remuneration is necessary to preserve the artform and enable new generations to renew the unique crafting techniques. Hopeboots incorporate Indigenous values of conservation, using skins and furs that are ecologically sourced. Out of respect for the animal’s sacrifice, Atikuss does not tolerate waste and uses every part of the animal for food and making crafts. The boots feature embroidery from the past of the 12 nations that resided in the territory of Kepeuk (Quebec) and contain fragments of their abundant history. Atikuss offers customers the opportunity to create their own Boots of Hope by selecting their own models, leathers, furs, and embroidery to reflect their individuality. Furs on
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUyMDQwMA==