About
Discover the Maamawi: Tattoo Gathering, an extraordinary celebration of Indigenous art and culture. On October 20th at Hart House, immerse yourself in a day of creativity and community.
Join us for a day of art, culture, and community. Maamawi: Tattoo Gathering is where tradition meets modernity, where creativity flourishes, and where Indigenous voices and visions take center stage. Be a part of this extraordinary event and celebrate the richness of Indigenous art and heritage.
This event is open to everyone, with a special focus on Indigenous youth empowerment through tattoo artistry. It's a day of creativity, culture, and connection that promises to leave a lasting impression.
Key Highlights
Experience the art of tattooing with sessions that are entirely free of cost. Please note that due to popularity, tattoo registration is now closed. We encourage everyone to come through and join the fesitivities on the day.
- Culinary Delights: Savor a culinary journey featuring game meats and delightful dishes, served for free. Explore the fusion of traditional and urban flavors.
- Live DJ: Groove to the beats of a live DJ, Classic Roots, adding a rhythmic vibe to the event's atmosphere. Dance, connect, and celebrate together.
- Indigenous Makers Market: Shop at the Indigenous makers market, offering a diverse array of goods crafted with passion and artistry. Support local artisans and take-home unique treasures.
- Urban Indigenous Culture: Maamawi brings Indigenous culture to urban spaces. Join us around the sacred fire, guided by respected elders, in a traditional opening circle. It's a day of connecting, honoring, and sharing.
Meet the Tattoo Artists
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Crystal Kimewon
Crystal Kimewon is Ojibwe Anishnaabe kwe from Wiikwemkoong, living in Toronto. Crysta'ls passion has always been in helping people heal - through the arts. As a certified tattoo artist, Crystal's focus is in heping people reclaim their culture and heritage through traditional tattooing.
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Saga Kwandibenz
Indigenous tattoo artist
Saga is an indigenous tattoo artist. She is ojicree from Constance lake and Whitesand territories. Saga has been tattooing for 6 years and has had the privilege of mentoring new artists. She specializes in many different tattoo styles but her favourite style ofcomes from her indigenous heritage; Generational florals, Syllabics & other sacred markings to turtle islands many nations.
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Nolan Malbeuf
Nolan Malbeuf is a Mētis artist from Sīpīsihk (Beauval, Saskatchewan). He currently live in Regina Saskatchewan and has been tattooing for 12 years. Nolan recently retired from a 15 year teaching career to pursue art full-time. His work is large scale, bright, bold, colour with heavy line work. His tattoo influences are neo traditional, traditional, and neo-Japanese.
Noal is largely inspired by traditional Mētis beadwork, family, culture, nature, traditional medicines, and the cycles of life. His goal is to use art as a platform to create conversations regarding reclamation, resilience, reconciliation, and identity.
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Geanna Dunbar
From Treaty 4, Geanna Dunbar is a Cree-Métis spoken word, visual artist and entrepreneur from Regina, Saskatchewan. She works in mixed media collage, sculpture, acrylic, street art, chalkboard and window painting, and large-scale murals as well as Branding Scarification, Body Piercing, Machine Tattooing, Skin-stitch and hand poked tattooing. With a special interest in sustainable art and interdisciplinary community collaboration, Geanna often sets personal challenges that help her grow and deepen her relationship with her environment and with others.
Her most recent work is the 300 Square foot path mural "The Path of Reconciliation" located on Scarth Street Walk Way in Regina, Saskatchewan. NATION: Metis Nation Saskatchewan.
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Gillian Prince
Nation: Anishinaabe / Ojibway. Community: Mattagami First Nation
Gillian Prince (They/She), also known as Waubanungohnse (Morningstar) is an Indigiqueer Traditional Hand Poke Tattoo Practitioner. Specializing in Hand Poke Tattooing techniques and traditional designs with a modernized mix. They have been practicing their technique for nearly 5 years, and learning the cultural significance surrounding traditional markings for Indigenous peoples.
Gillian’s goal with offering Traditional Markings/Tattoos is to assist Indigenous peoples in feeling confident and comfortable in their identity. To encourage Traditional Marking revival, in being proud of who we are and show that we are still here - and that our traditional practices cannot and will not be erased. As well as a priority to hold safe and secure space for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, and/or anyone who needs supports.
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Elyse Martin
Elyse is a queer, métis & french canadian artist that makes psychedelic blackwork tattoos depicting various strange creatures and curiosities. High contrast and dripping with charm, they love making designs to celebrate all things odd.
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Anne Spice
Anne Spice is a Tlingit hand-poked tattoo artist. She specializes in line and pattern work, including earth lines around the wrist or forearm, chin and temple lines, and markings on hands and fingers. She is inspired by the pattern work in Tlingit basketry and the revival and reclamation of our ancestral markings. Anne tattooed in her traditional territory in the Yukon as a Shakaat artist-in-residence in the summers of 2021 and 2022, and has participated in Indigenous tattoo gatherings in Tyendinaga and Kanesatake over the past few years.
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Mercedes Terrance
Mercedes Terrance is a Traveling Mohawk Tattoo Artist from Akwesasne New York, and have been tattooing using themethods of Hand Poke and Machine work for over five years. He specializes with linework, black work, American traditional, Floral/Botanical and Haudenosaunee Art.
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Wenzdae Brewster
Wenzdae Anaïs is a full time artist, rootworker and CEO of Culture Coven. She is an Afro-Indigenous registered and claimed member of the Georgian Bay Métis Community, and a direct descendant of the Clermont-Dusome, Trudeau-Papanaathyhianencoe and Beausoliel- Giroux family lines. She is an experienced beadworker with original pieces on television, the red carpet, film and print. While being a self-taught tattoo artist of three years Wenzdae has completed 3 certifications in the art of cosmetic facial tattooing and has completed training in both proper sanitation and bloodborne pathogens. Wenzdae’s artwork is heavily inspired by her Metis upbringing and occult spiritualism.
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Annie Courchene
Anishinaabe Cree visual artist
Annie Courchene is an Anishinaabe Cree visual artist from Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba. Annie’s passion for the arts was nurtured and cultivated by her family and community. Her art’s practice is both dynamic and well rooted in her Indigenous heritage; ranging from painting and drawing to sewing and beadwork.
Annie is new to her tattoo journey, starting in May 2023, where she did most of her first tattoos at the Indigenous Tattoo Gathering in Tyendinaga. She specializes in the method of hand poke, often incorporating woodland inspired art styles and florals rooted in beadwork.
Meet the Art Market Vendors
A list of artists will be available soon.
Event Priority Statement
The Maamawi: Tattoo Gathering welcomes everyone to celebrate Indigenous art and culture. Priority for tattooing sessions is reserved for Indigenous youth aged 18-29, fostering cultural pride and intergenerational connection. We appreciate your understanding in supporting this inclusive approach.
Event Substance Use Policy
During the event, the space is a sacred ceremony area. To honor its sanctity, individuals under the influence of substances will be denied entry or asked to leave. Your respect for this policy is essential in preserving the sanctity, safety, and reverence of this space at the Maamawi: Tattoo Gathering.
Partners
