Moving traditions forward

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This article was published 19/03/2018 (2865 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When Métis entrepreneur Sean McCormick got into business with Manitobah Mukluks (100-90 Sutherland Ave.) in 1993, he wanted to make an impact in his community, and 25 years later his company has done more than that.

On March 9, The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce announced Manitobah Mukluks as the recipient of the 2018 Spirit of Winnipeg Trade Award.

McCormick created a business that helps and empowers the Indigenous communities in the province and honours the beauty of his culture. Manitobah Mukluks is more than just a place that makes moccasins and mukluks with real fur.

Their mandate is to ignite and inspire the next generation of Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs.

“We hope to inspire Canadians to come together, share their stories and celebrate our rich and beautiful culture. Our story is one that resonates with people from all walks of life, and it represents hope, resiliency and an example of what’s possible to achieve for our youth today,” McCormick said.

A few years ago, the Manitobah Mukluks CEO founded the Manitobah Storyboot School where participants learn to craft their own pair of mukluks or moccasins from a qualified Indigenous instructor. The educational program advances education and facilitates craftsmanship, creativity, and achievement, all rooted in cultural tradition, said vice-president of marketing Tara Barnes.

“In addition to the Storyboot initiatives, Manitobah Mukluks is a strong advocate for capacity building within the community through education, professional development, and business building.”

Besides, every year Manitobah Mukluks partners with the Centre for Aboriginal Human Resources and Development to offer three annual bursaries to graduates enrolled in post-secondary. They have an Indigenous hiring policy in place, and 40 per cent of Indigenous staff in administrative, accounting, warehousing, e-commerce and management roles.  

What sets Manitobah Mukluks apart is the use of modern tools and technology to create a functional, durable product that moves traditions forward. It was inevitable that the company became internationally known.

In 2004, supermodel Kate Moss was photographed wearing the company’s mukluks. That was when the brand took off. In 2008, after bringing in new investors and partners, they shifted their focus niche from giftware to the footwear market.

“When I walk down the streets of Winnipeg in the winter, I see mukluks. It’s common to see people wearing our mukluks in the prairies. Now I see Manitobah Mukluks on people walking in Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Chicago, Tokyo, and Paris. Whether they realize it or not, each one of those people contributed to Indigenous resilience,” McCormick said.

“Manitobah Mukluks owes its very existence to the generations of Indigenous women whose skills, techniques and talents are rapidly fading away — continuously challenged by the circumstances of a very different world.”

Manitobah Mukluks is focused on economics and the capacity-building. McCormick said he’d love to continue to attract Indigenous talent from around the world and work with equally community-driven partners in the future.