ABOUT US
Sapling & Flint, in the Ohswekén:'a Creation Story tradition, were twin boys born to Skywoman's daughter and instrumental in the creation of the physical universe as we know it today.
Wa'tkwanonhwerátonh tahnon skennenakénhak. We are Teyotsihstokwáthe Dakota Brant & Yonenyà:kenht Jesse Brant. We are proud Mohawk Turtle clan women born & raised in Six Nations of the Grand River Territory.
As we became mothers and began raising families, it became apparent to us how strongly we value immersing our children in their culture. Raising Kanyen'kéha speaking children at home we realized how much work needs to be done in our modern 21st century society to create space for Indigenous youth to have a positive upbringing, that has accurate and positive reflections of themselves in their daily lives. We began our lifestyle brand to meet this challenge. Seeking to create modern fashion that our Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people can relate to, and to inform the mainstream about our vibrant culture through ancestral designs, we founded Sapling & Flint™. We are proud to keep our business Indigenous and local, partnering with Indigenous and Canadian business in our manufacturing processes. Our jewellery is handmade, cut from authentic Wampum, Silver and Sterling Silver, the tools of the trade of our wampum & silversmithing ancestors in the colonial and pre-contact periods of our People.
Sapling & Flint™ began in 2014 under the name "Twindian Designs". We rebranded our company in April 2017, during the launch of our gallery in Ohsweken, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. Since 2014, we have grown to a full-service secure online store, a storefront business, and a wholesale service with 6 retail locations across Ontario, Quebec & New York state carrying our brand. Since our inception, an annual portion of our profits have gone to cultural revitalization projects in the Six Nations community, including Haudenosaunee language immersion programs, longhouse building projects, and supporting youth to attend world class Lacrosse tournaments, the North American Indigenous Games, and cultural programs. In 2019 we will be launching into a full service wholesale catalogue (so please sign up for our newsletter if you are a retail business owner!) and the launch of our official social venture program that provides a portion of our net profits to Haudenosaunee language revitalization in Ohswé:ken.
"My culture has saved my life; its been a beacon in dark places and a reminder that my ancestors fought, struggled & died so that despite uphill challenges I might hold my head high and say 'I am a Mohawk woman'."
-Teyotsihstokwáthe
Teyotsihstokwáthe ("A Shining Constellation") is a regalia maker, artist, performer, and travels frequently as an international speaker on Indigenous issues. She is noted for being awarded the title of Miss Indian World at the Gathering of Nations powwow in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is a recipient of the Indspire Foundation's Indspire Youth Award, regarded as the most prestigious award given by the Indigenous community to Indigenous people in Canada. She holds a Master's of Community Planning from the University of British Columbia and is a proud volunteer firefighter with the Six Nations Fire & Emergency Services .
Yonenyà:kenht ("transparent stone" referring to the Herkimer diamonds that grow in the Mohawk Valley) is a Silversmith who specializes in Herkimer diamond and wampum jewelry. She has a Diploma in Jewelery Methodology from George Brown College, and learned traditional wampum cutting techniques from knowledgeable local cutters throughout her youth. A graduate of the Primary Care Paramedic Program at the Ontario College of Health & Technology, she is now a Captain of the Six Nations Fire & Emergency Services, and was awarded the distinction of "Most Outstanding Firefighter" by the Ontario Native Firefighters Association.