Weaving Bonds, Shaping a Future
Tapiskwan x Hooké
In the fall of 2024, on the territory of the Atikamekw Nation, from Trois-Rivières to Obedjiwan by way of La Tuque, a meeting brought together Fred Campbell and Karine Awashish, co-founder of the Nitaskinan Indigenous Solidarity Cooperative, along with artisans from the Tapiskwan collective. Together, they shared their knowledge and their commitment to creating with respect and collaboration.
From this meeting merged a collaborative project carried by the Mamowinitotan - Living Together campaign of Indigenous Tourism Québec. An invitation to build lasting bridges between cultures and to give conservation a new meaning: creation in harmony with nature.
Tapiskwan: Transmission Through Creation
Tapiskwan, Art Atikamekw born from Coop Nitaskinan, is a collective that keeps Atikamekw culture alive through art and design. Its members lead workshops, craft works of art, and reinterpret traditional patterns where every detail tells the story of a connection to the land. Blue, for instance, evokes the blueberry: a nourishing fruit, a symbol of identity, a memory of the forest. Other shapes recall stories, values, and the tale of entire families. Tapiskwan’s artists, like Christiane Biroté and Jacques Newashish to name a few, embody a living memory, a culture that finds a new space for transmission in contemporary forms.
For this collaboration, that knowledge took shape through stencils inspired by ancestral techniques, which then informed the creation of unique clothing pieces. The spirit of Tapiskwan lives in a process anchored in continuity and cultural transmission. « The Coop team wants the Atikamekw, natives to be proud to wear these clothes, especially since natives associate themselves with the Hooké brand. We also want Quebecers and Canadians to be proud to wear Native art » Karine Awashish - Co-Founder of Coop Nitaskinan.
The Co-Creation Process
From the very first meeting, a dialogue began between Hooké, Nitaskinan, and Tapiskwan. The artisans crafted the stencils, while our design team worked to color, digitize, and adapt them to contemporary textiles. At every stage, the goal was the same: to preserve the soul of the patterns while anchoring them in the present. These pieces extend culture into today’s visual language, far from frozen reproductions or superficial inspiration.
A Collection Rooted in the Land
Jackets, shirts, t-shirts: everyday clothing designed to be worn anywhere, yet carrying a deeper story. They bear the heritage of the land and the trace of a sincere dialogue between cultures. To embody this project, the campaign visuals were shot in the heart of Atikamekw territory, in locations chosen for their cultural significance. The models, all members of the Nation, stand with quiet pride, reflecting a culture that is lived, valued, and carried forward..
Living Together, Differently
In September 2025, this collection will come to life. It represents a true and lasting connection between real individuals, reminding us that conservation can also mean creation, that different kinds of knowledge can be united to build a shared future.
Every encounter carries the potential to spark something meaningful. The one that took place in 2023 lit a flame that today illuminates pieces woven with stories, memory, and the promise of a common horizon.
