Shawish Market: Empowering Authentic Indigenous Businesses

Shawish Market – a Indegenize custom built platform similar to Etsy – helps to empower indigenous entrepreneurs by ensuring they don’t pay any vendor fees. This initiative is part of their overall mission to remove economic barriers and foster sustainable growth within Indigenous communities. 

Shawish Market stands out for its fee-free model and for carefully verifying vendors, ensuring that all products sold are authentic and support Indigenous communities directly. Though based in Canada, it includes vendors from both Canada and the United States.

Amanda Bernard, a proud member of the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation, founded Shawish Market. Her family’s original last name was Shawish, but settlers forced her ancestors to change it to Bernard after their favourite priest. Amanda named the marketplace Shawish to honour her family’s ancestral heritage.

Shawish Market helps solve the social and economic challenges Indigenous artists face by offering an equitable, community-focused online marketplace. Indigenous communities have long been marginalized, facing significant barriers to economic participation and cultural expression. Shawish Market offers a platform that respects and promotes Indigenous sovereignty and entrepreneurship without the usual financial pressures of mainstream e-commerce platforms.

1. Economic Empowerment: Shawish Market reduces financial barriers for Indigenous artists by removing vendor fees, enabling them to keep more of their earnings. This is particularly vital given the economic disparities many Indigenous communities face. The platform promotes the sustainable growth of Indigenous businesses by offering direct access to a broad audience. It also supports the mental well-being of artists by allowing them to take necessary breaks without the pressure to produce in order to cover platform fees or other expenses.
2. Cultural Preservation and Promotion: Each product on Shawish carries the stories, traditions, and artistry of Indigenous cultures, serving as a way to educate others and preserve cultural heritage. This is especially important in a global marketplace where Indigenous arts are often appropriated or misrepresented. By verifying that all vendors are Indigenous, Shawish ensures the authenticity of the cultural goods, helping to accurately represent and honour Indigenous heritage.
3. Community Building and Collaboration: Shawish builds a strong sense of community among Indigenous entrepreneurs. It offers a space not only for commerce but for sharing knowledge, cultural practices, and innovations. This strengthens communal ties and empowers individual artists, encouraging collaboration as opposed to competition.

By addressing these social and organizational needs, Shawish Market is more than just a commercial platform – it becomes a transformative space for Indigenous empowerment and cultural celebration. 

Shawish Market works similarly to Etsy, where vendors can create their own shops and list their unique items. This setup allows each vendor to manage their inventory and shipping, providing a personalized approach to online sales.

The platform is custom-built to adapt and evolve, based on the needs and requests of the vendors. Thanks to Shawish Market’s collaboration with an offshore development team, changes can be implemented quickly. This flexibility ensures the platform remains responsive to the unique requirements of Indigenous vendors and their crafts.

In alignment with traditional practices, a trading system has been incorporated after consultation with Indigenous elders. This system allows both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to engage in trade, reflecting the historical trade practices of Indigenous ancestors. It not only honours traditional methods but also introduces them to a modern digital environment.

The website attracts an average of 100 visitors per day, indicating a growing interest and engagement from both the community and beyond. This traffic reflects the platform’s reach and the interest in authentic Indigenous products.

Shawish Market is more than just a commercial platform – it is a culturally enriched space that blends traditional practices with modern e-commerce technologies. By focusing on customization, cultural integrity, and vendor empowerment, Shawish Market creates a decolonized, supportive environment where Indigenous artists can thrive both economically and culturally.

Shawish Market was successfully launched in August 2022 with the aim of empowering Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs. It was built to eliminate economic barriers and provide a space for cultural expression. The development strategy focused on understanding and addressing the needs of Indigenous vendors, resulting in features like a trading system inspired by traditional practices.

Since its inception, Shawish has seen significant growth. Over 160 Indigenous vendors have been onboarded, offering more than 700 authentic products. Its social media presence has expanded, with over 13,000 Instagram followers, boosting visibility and engagement. Shawish has also begun to dismantle colonial market borders by welcoming vendors from the United States and is on track to reach its goal of 300 vendors by 2025.

The platform’s innovative approach has received widespread recognition. In 2023, Shawish was honored as a MIT Solve fellow and in 2024, Amanda Bernard, one of its representatives, was named one of The Peak’s Emerging Leaders. Shawish has been featured on APTN and in various public media outlets, highlighting its growing influence and importance. It has also secured multiple grants from prestigious organizations such as the Toronto Arts Council, Indigenous Youth Roots, Ontario Heritage, Donna Cona, and the Ontario Indigenous Youth Partnership Program. These endorsements and financial support reflect the trust and belief in Shawish’s mission and operational model.

The true social impact of Shawish Market lies in its support for Indigenous economic empowerment and cultural preservation. By providing a platform where artists retain more of their earnings and can authentically share their cultural heritage, Shawish has strengthened individual livelihoods and community well-being.