Lana Manyfingers
Artist finds a unique way to showcase her creativity and Indigenous culture
An office manager by day, Lana Manyfingers is a proud Blackfoot Cree woman who explores her artistic side in her free time — and, in a unique collaboration, is currently displaying it for the hundreds of visitors walking through a local big-box store.
Manyfingers has experience in sewing, crafting, beadwork, jewelry making, sketching and painting, while also being very much influenced of the teachings of the medicine wheel and nature and the land. She says her connections to her community led to her most recent and fascinating project designing an Indigenous-inspired room at, of all places, IKEA.
For Manyfingers, this supports her approach to reconciliation from an educational and creative perspective. “When I think of (reconciliation), for me oftentimes it’s just about teaching people about my culture and about Mohkinsstsis, and if I could teach someone something about this area or something about my culture, then I feel like I’m doing my part in towards moving towards reconciliation,” she says.
“So the showcase at IKEA, every time I go there and I sit in the room and I always say ‘This is my home!’ … It is really truly based on my home and the things that I implemented into my home. One of the main things that I wanted to share was that I’m very much connected to my culture, and so being raised Indigenous, doing the ceremony of smudging myself and cleansing myself as I start my day, that’s one of the things that I really wanted to share with people so I do have a dedicated space in my home just for my morning prayers and for my morning smudge.”
Tune in to this week’s Storytelling Podcast to hear more about how Lana Manyfingers came to work with IKEA, her creative influences, and her love of sharing her culture and creativity.
About The Storytelling Podcast
Sharing diverse stories of creativity in our city, The Storytelling Podcast shines a spotlight on artists and projects that connect Calgarians to the arts. Part of The Storytelling Project, this series raises awareness about Calgarians who, by living creative lives, are making Calgary a better city, affecting positive change and enriching others’ lives.
Have a story to share? Email us at submissions@calgaryartsdevelopment.com.
