Indigenous online content creation has exploded in recent years, and many have taken to social platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Instagram and Facebook to grow their audiences and engage with new people.
Earlier in the year, I had the pleasure of bringing you some of the influencers, artists and more to showcase some amazing Indigenous content which you can find here.
In this second part of my series on Indigenous content creators from all across Turtle Island, I’d like to share some faces that I am sure will be new to you. Hopefully they will populate your social media feeds from today and beyond the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30.
Blake Angeconeb is a multimedia and acrylic painting artist who is a proud member of the Lac Seul First Nation. He is a self-taught artist whose style has evolved into mixing the school of woodlands art with pop culture, primarily on canvas. Some of the pieces that are featured on his Instagram are from properties like Nintendo’s Mario brothers, with characters like Bowser and Toad. His work is vibrant, exciting and engaging and touches that pop culture live wire that connects with so many, from the young to the old.
He has been commissioned to complete several large pieces of art in the form of murals or large collections of canvases. Most famously, he has a collection that is being displayed in Union Station in collaboration with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. You can find his official website at blakeangeconeb.com, and his Instagram can be found at www.instagram.com/blakeangeconeb/.
For a full interview and insight into Blake, you can go here: www.aptnnews.ca/facetoface/painting-almost-like-medicine-for-up-and-coming-artist-blake-angeconeb/?fbclid=IwAR0M5SBNlA0TRM4GISKN3MXNhIJgmSJojb7UA9UaeOfCjbwSz_ggp4mu_8k.
Sherry McKay was born and raised in Winnipeg, but is a band member of the Fort Alexander Sagkeeng First Nation, specifically the Sandy Bay area. She is a standup comedian, content creator, influencer and TEDx talk speaker (www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiitYo5GV4I). She has been coined the Queen of Native TikTok, as a trailblazer and inspiration for fellow Indigenous content creators on various social media platforms. Her official website can be found at sherrymckay.com.
She was also recently a guest star on the Crave TV miniseries “Little Bird.” This show chronicles the atrocities of one family’s experiences living through the ’60s Scoop in the Canadian prairies. You can find the show here, at www.crave.ca/en/tv-shows/little-bird — just be prepared, as it can be a very emotional watch at times and as a ’60s Scoop survivor, it does hit very hard at times and can be difficult to watch.
Tia Wood is a young Indigenous R&B singer who lives in Los Angeles. She grew up touring the Powwow circuit with her family, some of whom are members of the Grammy Award-winning group Northern Cree. Her sister is also Juno Award-winning artist Fawn Wood. She is a content creator primarily on TikTok (www.tiktok.com/@tiamiscihk) and strives to Indigenize social media more, through the use of educational and funny videos that she creates. Over 3 million people follow her and are eager to hear when her first album will be released. She is Plains Cree/Coast Salish from Saddle Lake First Nation, and has been a jingle dance dancer (www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8yNvFkysv8) since she was very young and still dances today (www.tiktok.com/@tiamiscihk/video/7215711254998994218?lang=en). Her father is the “Hockey Night in Canada” announcer in Cree. She is currently on tour and has a date scheduled at the Highlands Musical festival at the end of the month (highlandsmusicfestival.ca/lineup-and-schedule and even played the hillside music festival in Guelph this year. Her official website can found at www.tiawood.ca.
I hope that more people consider following Indigenous content creators from artists, comedians and educators. Social media is a great way to introduce someone to Indigenous culture and bring it to life in new, exciting and fun ways.
As you prepare to acknowledge the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30, please consider checking out some of these creators — hopefully they will become a part of your daily social media routine.
I look forward to sharing more of Indigenous creator culture — ’til then, I’ll see you around the web!
Mike “O’dah ziibing / Heart of the river” Ashkewe is from Neyaashiinigmiing, Ont. Mike is a disability and Indigenous activist in the city of Guelph. Mike has had a career in the media since 2007 in a variety of different roles, such as commentator, reporter and podcaster.
