Honouring traditions through art By Andrea Bodie

Being an artist is in Nabess’s blood,he comes from a family of artists and musicians. When his grandmother babysat him, she would sew. He paid attention. Over time, he started sewing and eventually began working with other mediums, slowly honing his craft over two decades.

Nabess was working at the Wellness Centre in Nelson House when he went to a sweat lodge. After four days and nights of fasting, he returned to his family. His mother told him about a dream she had where they would open a shop together called Whitefeather Creations.

“I got goosebumps,” says Nabess, artist for Whitefeather Creations. “Nobody knew my Indian name – Whitefeather – yet except me, God and the Elder who was in the sweat lodge. I knew that was what I had to do.”

While Nabess finished off his contract in Nelson House, in 2001 his mother opened the store in The Pas and worked for the first six months until he was able to join her. His watercolour, acrylic, and oil paintings are displayed, along with his clay sculptures and carvings of bone, antler, soapstone and ivory. He also designs and sews leather clothing, moccasins, mukluks, mitts, and powwow and hoop dancer regalia.

After he opened the store, Nabess worked with Aboriginal Business Canada and Community Futures Cedar Lake Region under the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program to create a business plan and secure funding for a new sewing machine and cash register.

The twenty-nine year old belongs to the Pukatawagan band and embraces his culture’s traditions. “That’s mostly why I do it,” he says. “Long ago people made their own drums, peace pipes and rattles. Now not everybody knows how, not everybody has the time but my people still need the stuff.”

Along with selling art to regulars in The Pas, Nabess has created traditional Aboriginal art for organizations and conferences as corporate gifts. Word of mouth is how he promotes his business, along with his website: www.whitefeather.piczo.com .

He says his two and a half year old daughter, Veda Margaret Neveah, is his inspiration. “I can be having a bad day but when she walks into the store,” he says with a smile, “it’s all forgotten about.”

Taking a leap pays off

“I always wanted to do something with gravel and machines,” says Cory Chammartin. There are gravel pits in the Ste Anne area where he lives, but the gravel usually goes to the city for concrete.

Starting his own business was something he has been thinking about for a couple of years while he rolled down the highway as a long haul truck driver. Fear kept Chammartin from taking the leap, at first. You’re risking everything,” he says. “Until you make the move and do it, the work doesn’t come. You’ve got to stick your neck out.”

When he found out about Community Futures Triple R, he went there to see about getting a loan. In May 2007, Chammartin started his own business: Cory’s Soil and Gravel. Community Futures Triple R, Income Assistance in Steinbach, Manitoba Family Services and Housing’s Vocational Rehabilitation Program and the Young Entrepreneurs Program helped him realize this goal. Triple R also helped him develop a business plan that included monthly goals for earning.

Chammartin makes his own soil and also sells topsoil and gravel. He mainly does landscaping and finishing work using his Bobcat, which also helps clear the snow in parking lots over the winter. “Say there’s potholes in your yard and you want a couple loads of soil to spread it out,” he explains. “It’s landscaping but on a bigger scale.” His tandem dump truck helps him deliver materials for some of the bigger companies. It also comes in handy for snow removal.

Word of mouth about his services and distributing flyers throughout the area helped Chammartin grow his customer base. His main business comes from St Genevieve, Ross and Richter. He has also worked in Ostenfeld and La Broquerie.

At twenty-four, he doesn’t have a family of his own and currently lives with his parents. Their moral support has been helpful to him as he gets his business started.

Chammartin’s first goal is to pay his Bobcat off by the end of 2008. His second goal is to pay back the loan to Triple R in five years instead of seven. He says, “I want to keep the business coming in regularly.”

Rajan Sharma, Barrister, Solicitor & Notary Public

My name is Rajan Sharma. I am in my late 40’s and was born in India and immigrated to Canada in 1999. I live with my wife my two children. I have completed my Bachelor of Law and my Master Degree as well as a computer technology course. I am licensed to practice in Manitoba as Barrister, Solicitor & Notary Public.

When I was three and a half years old, I contracted polio during an epidemic in India. Complications from a post-polio operation resulted in my disability in 2002. One of my legs is shorter and weaker than the other leg; the leg has very little blood flow. I currently use a full leg brace to assist my mobility. I have severe pain in my leg during the winter resulting from a lack of blood flow. Since moving to Canada, I have worked in a number of different jobs, including: a local convenience store as a customer service representative, security for a trucking company and customer service at a photo finishing company. None of these positions offered me satisfaction nor did they offer me the ability to use my skills in law practice.

After complications resulting from my surgery in 2002, the doctor said that I would be unable to work for five or six years. I was referred to several agencies and community organizations including Society for Manitobans with Disabilities (SMD) and Independent Living Resource Centre (ILRC). I made the decision to upgrade my law degree so I could practice law in Manitoba. With the assistance of SMD, I began my university courses in 2005 and completed them in 2007.
I began to explore the idea of self-employment, of establishing my own law firm that would cater to the diverse needs of a very specific community. SMD referred me to the Urban Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program (UEDP) at Independent Living Resource Centre. ILRC welcomed me and advised me on several different loan options. The UEDP program offered me a complete review and assistance on my business plan. They were very supportive of my education and emotional well-being, recognizing the necessary supports I would need in starting my own law firm. Upon completion of my business plan, I was able to receive a loan from the UEDP program. I am very satisfied with UEDP and found it extremely valuable. Access to a variety of programs and supports through ILRC have been very important for me and have played a part in my successful integration into the Canadian work force.
I am now working with a law group in Manitoba, following my Call to Bar in June 2008. The pursuit of entrepreneurship is a difficult challenge but it is one that I encourage anyone to try.