Shkitam

I started this business nearly ten years ago, knowing that ecommerce would be part of my business model. For that whole decade, I have actively resisted starting a blog. It's not that I don't want to write. I love writing and I'm fairly good at it. It's just that running a business is so time consuming. Calls and emails come in, orders need sent out, powwows must be prepared for, inventory needs processed, bills need paid, state and tribal governments must have their sales taxes filed on time, and then before I know it, it's the end of the year and I have to work on taxes.

In that way, the years have flown by. Seriously. Flown. In that time Bead & Powwow Supply has grown in a way I wasn't sure it would. We now have a full-time employee who takes care of that day-to-day function. This leaves me time to do other things (in theory, at least). I'm also a quicker and more efficient writer than I used to be (graduate school will do that to you). So, I'm going to start trying to post.

This blog will be a lot of things. Witty, entertaining, informative on beadwork, Indigenous art, business, Anishinaabe culture. There is one thing it definitely won't be: regular. While I have more help now, I also have more responsibilities. While I love being a business owner, my community responsibilities take precedence over my profession. When there is a community event, when I'm asked to help with Anishinaabemowin or dance for someone, when there's berries to harvest, corn to plant, I will go do that. When there are deaths and the family needs help mourning, I will go support them before I sit down to write. We may go weeks, months, maybe a year without posting. It'll be okay. We'll still get your beads out.

Keeping that in mind, I think this will be a fun and exciting new facet of Bead & Powwow Supply.

Mii'wi
Ellie Mitchell (Saginaw Ojibwe; Eagle Clan)
Owner of Bead & Powwow Supply