4KINSHIP IN SANTA FE- AN INDIGENOUS AND NATIVE-OWNED BUSINESS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT.
Every November, we celebrate Native American Heritage Month, also known as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month… but I could not wait until November to share this gem! In October though we do recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day and I believe we all should support Native Designers and Artists.
Aside from learning about the rich culture, traditions and history of Native and Indigenous peoples, you can support their communities by purchasing items from Native and Indigenous-owned companies. And being in Santa Fe, I think that is really really important!
By buying Native, we can celebrate Native and Indigenous peoples' heritage through products that are as varied as the cultures they come from. And if you're looking for a gift that's truly unique, all of 4kinship ‘s offerings will fit the bill. 4kinship is a very unique Indigenous-owned clothing brand founded by Amy Leung of Navajo heritage, she chose to create this “sustainable artwear brand” after a career in fast fashion. 4kinship is a Diné (Navajo) owned sustainable artwear brand dedicated to producing handmade, one of a kind, restored, repurposed and lovingly upcycled, artisanal and small batch products.
The designs you’ll find at 4kinship are truly stunning. Amy draws inspiration from the natural elements in New Mexico. In addition, 4kinship has partnered with various community efforts like providing mutual aid during covid to the Navajo Nation, supporting domestic abuse shelters, and fundraising for the Dine Skate Garden Project which I will tell you more about in a bit.
4kinship has been on my list since for a few months now and we visited this past weekend and were just blown away with all the beautiful accessories and apparel! We very much enjoyed talking with Thomas too who works at the store. He was so helpful and just so easy to talk to…like a friend you have known for years really.
Sustainable brands have never been more popular than they are today, especially in the fashion and wellness space. However, it’s important to acknowledge that producing things in a sustainable way is not a new concept. Indigenous people have always prioritized sustainability. Be it through Indigenous weaving and dyeing methods, using plant based and ethically sourced materials, and producing handmade items in a way that isn’t harmful to the environment.
4kinship introduced us to Thundervoice Hat Co.! They are a Native-owned and operated business founded by Thundervoice Eagle. They are most known for their beautiful, high-quality upcycled hats but also produce sustainable blankets, t-shirts, scarves, bags, footwear and art prints. They use a variety of upcycled and reclaimed materials that they source themselves. The Iconic Navajo Brim hat has spanned through the ages, as a reminder of generations past. Each hat is vintage hand-sourced, steamed and shaped, creatively visioned, and lovingly made. Each hat holds stories and purpose.
We purchased 4 of the Iron Ridge Serape Blankets from Thundervoice Hat Co. at 4kinship . Iron Ridge is their sixth design of recycled fiber, modern-day, Serape. The TVHC family teamed up with a family of wood pedal loom weavers in Tlaxcala Mexico near the region their father who is of Totonac descent. Their Totonac and Diné lineage meet together in this design to bring you the modern-day Iron Ridge Serape. The mustard, charcoal, and beige is just so wonderful together! And we are excited to snuggle up with these in our backyard by the fire this autumn. These will be so nice to offer to guests too that visit so they can bundle up by the fire too and we can eagerly share these stories of why supporting Native owned businesses is important to us!
Storytelling is how we further educate ourselves and others and this is how we all grow .
4kinship also introduced us to Incausa. Incausa is a Social Entrepreneurship that operates as a non-profit patron and distributor for indigenous-made heritage artisanship. Incausa is a study to find meaningfulness in profit; for mindful growth: personal, community and society. Beginning by creating a product line for ritual and meditation practice that touches on the ancient traditions, that are pure in essence, materials and simplicity. And with a design that speaks of a sustainable distancing from automation to up-value the human hand touch.
With the profits of the "incausa-line" and logistics network, they are able to act as a pro bono mediator for the Indigenous productions, connecting their trade to the international market without profit share. Their study is to help support indigenous heritage and sovereignty. Building a sustainable opportunity pathway to the artisans and also the final retailers.
We purchased the SAMPLER INCENSE BUNDLE. (makes such a great gift)
The Sampler includes:
Pure Breu x2
Breu + Palo Santo x2
Breu + White Sage x2
Breu + Chacrona & Jagube x2
Pure Palo Santo hand-pressed bricks x2
A few things I made notes for to add to my special gifting occasion and Christmas lists are these things!! (Hopefully Rodge and friends read this….LOL)
I have my eye on the Body Soap Starter Kit from KIYANI BOTANICS at 4kinship. This biodegradable, vegan formula provides a burst of fresh scents with subtle, floral undertones and creates a gentle, cleansing lather that helps the body maintain its natural moisture. And my body needs some moisture in this dry desert! (so different from the Oklahoma humidity)
Founded by Miranda Mullett, a Native American entrepreneur from Wide Ruins, Arizona. Kiyani body care products are formulated with the earth in mind. Growing up with a traditional Navajo upbringing, the lessons and wisdom from her grandmothers’ has deeply influenced her decisions in life and as an entrepreneur.
As a Navajo woman her responsibility is first to the earth. To create solutions that protect water and land through sustainable business choices. With this in mind, Kiyani products are formulated to be quickly biodegradable, plant-based, non-toxic, low waste, and almost free of single-use plastics.
Another product that caught my eye was the SHIMA’ Navajo Tea. They are a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization and Native - Indigenous to the Four Corners region of the Southwest. They are a "values-based" social business, that means they adhere to principles of social justice and environmental sustainability. The way they farm, gather, create, and live is to Protect the Precious: to protect their children, their water, their land, and their sacred way of life. They are Navajo farmers, soap makers, herb gatherers, medicine men and women; they take the best of their ancient traditions and create hozho' (beauty and harmony) through their farm and wild-gathered products, their art form of home, body and wellness products.
I am also intrigued with the Espiritus Del Ande Collection Incense that I saw. These are handcrafted near Cusco, Peru on a small farm committed to community development and Quechua tradition. I would love to gift friends a variety of this hand-pressed incense featuring Palo Santo wood and wiracoya shrub this holiday season.
Now this Limited Edition Diné Skate Garden Project Skateboard Deck is sooooo rad !! Everyone who knows me well knows I spent my middle school years skateboarding!!! 100% of Proceeds from this sale go to the Diné Skate Garden Project on the Navajo Reservation. Donated by The Skate Park Project and painted by Diné artist Jay Smiley.
These adorable Navajo Made Wee Pottery Sheep Ornaments are just the cutest!
How could they not catch your eye as they are on a table right when you walk into the boutique. Navajo Made, Indigenous design. These wee rainbow sheep are adorable clay sculptures made by Diné artist Emily Jacket and are wrapped in prismatic fiber. Sized as shown these babies vary slightly piece to piece. These are also going to be sent to many of my friends this holiday season!
4kinship also introduced me to Carta. Carta takes an ecological approach to fragrance design. Their practices are rooted in sustainability, environmental stewardship, and reverence for our planet. Their parfums are inspired by the complexity of Earth’s ecosystems and the people working to protect them.
Carta was founded in 2017 by Heather D’Angelo, a San Francisco-based perfumer, musician (with the band Au Revoir Simone), and ecologist. The dream for Carta originated while she was collecting botanical samples from the Malaysian rainforest as part of her research at Columbia University. After several years of working with plant-based aromatic compounds, she developed an understanding that scent, like music, is a transportative instrument. Both have the arcane power to suspend moments and places in time. The line, named after the Italian word for map, reflects the spirit of linking scent and place.
With Carta, D’Angelo explores the artistry of perfume, influenced by her background in musical composition and scientific inquiry. Rooted in her passion for environmental conservation, D’Angelo’s romance with scents is shaped and driven by a commitment to conscious practices and a desire to share the stories behind Carta’s ingredients.
And of course I want soooooo many of the one-of-a-kind clothing pieces! I found a great jacket and a long skirt I am obsessing over. I need to stop in when I have some time to try things on.
Be sure to check out everything with the link below! I know you will love them as much as me!
Now for the Diné Skate Garden I mentioned earlier in the post…
Diné Skate Garden
The Diné Skate Garden™ is a project of love for the community of Toadlena or rather “Tóhaaliní” (Where the Water flows Out) located in the Two Grey Hills chapter of the Navajo Nation. This is a remote community nestled in the Chuska Mountains between Shiprock and Gallup, that has no outdoor sport recreational facilities.
With the communities helped they started building a skatepark in the fall of 2022 that honors and respects Diné culture, the land, and the community. In collaboration with Toadlena/Two Grey Hills Chapter Officials and community members, and guided by the expertise of Wonders around the World’s internationally renowned construction team, this skate park is now complete!
They planted seeds of the future and expanded the space with a community garden practicing traditional agriculture and harvesting which promotes food sovereignty and reintroduces ancestral crops in a healing gathering space for the community. The landscape architecture reflects the rich heritage this community has, as the most celebrated area of Navajo Weaving.
“Today is a day that every kid, parent, Auntie and Uncle, Shimá and Cheii, teacher, mentor, & tribal official can celebrate our community project that was powered by heart and the commitment to honor the land and our ancestors, by creating a transformative space for future generations to thrive in the sport of skateboarding.”
~Amy Denet Deal, founder of 4KINSHIP.
Join 4KINSHIP and Grammy Award Nominated Singer/Songwriter and activist Jewel, her Inspiring Children Foundation along with Wonders Around the World (WAW) in building a transformative space for Diné youth and their families on Navajo Nation. Our goal is to support an indigenous community, by providing a safe and inclusive public skatepark to empower strength and resilience after the hardships faced during this pandemic.
“Growing up here in the community all my life we never had something like this. This project sends the message to our youth that you are not alone. This is your home and there are people in the community and world who want to help. “
- Kerby Johnson, Two Grey Hills/ Toadlena | Chapter President
The Diné Skate Garden Project will:
Bring the positive impact of skateboarding to indigenous youth in remote communities
Create a skatepark environment that strengthens the connection between Diné youth and their commUNITY.
Promote physical health and wellness within a communal recreational space
Serve as a sustainable project that will be used by current and future generations
The Two Grey Hills Skate Park opened in Fall 2022, and we continue support Diné Youth for equal opportunities to thrive in the transformative sport of skateboarding. 4KINSHIP has set a 2023 goal to provide 2,023 youth on Navajo Nation with a skate board and helmet, so every child in the 50 mile radius of the park can participate.
History will be made on September 23, 2023 as 4KINSHIP hosts the The Modern Matriarch Skate Jam a groundbreaking event made possible by Diné Skate Garden Project. This event is the very first all-women skate competition at the Two Grey Hills Skate Park on the Navajo Nation. #ModernMatriarchSkateJam will celebrate all ages of our community. ASDZÁÁ (women 15+) & AT’ÉÉD (girls ages 14 & under) will be part of history as Indigeneous Girls, Women, Trans, Non-binary and/or Gender non-conforming skaters come together as a community to celebrate and showcase their skills, and recognize the power of matriarchs in skateboarding! Indigenous community skate advocate and pro skater Rosie Archie and #DinéSkateGardenProject skate mentors Peyton Alex and Di’Orr Greenwood will be leading the event with the amazing team and allies from GRLSWIRL, a woman founded skate collective.
SOOOO COOL!
