Vendors and Partners
At Nawapo, our vendors are the heart and soul of our mission to celebrate Native American craftsmanship and culture. Each vendor we collaborate with brings a unique story and set of skills to our diverse collection of handcrafted items. We take immense pride in partnering with talented artisans from indigenous communities, supporting their livelihoods, and promoting their traditional artistry.
By choosing Nawapo, you not only get access to a wide range of authentic and culturally significant products but also contribute to the preservation of Native American heritage. Our vendors’ dedication and craftsmanship shine through in every item they create, making each purchase a meaningful and impactful experience.
We invite you to explore the profiles of our vendors, learn about their artistic journey, and understand the cultural significance behind the products they offer. Join us in our commitment to supporting these talented artisans and celebrating the richness of Native American traditions. Together, we can make a positive difference in the lives of our vendors and contribute to the preservation of their timeless craftsmanship.
Founded in 2022 by the creative minds of Ben, Tami, and Ross Olson, Olson’s Corner Keepsakes has quickly gained recognition as a go-to destination for beautifully crafted candles, decor, jewelry, clothing, and more. With a deep appreciation for their Minnesota roots, the Olson’s have carefully curated a selection of products that reflect the heart and soul of the Brainerd Lakes Area.
While originally operating from a brick-and-mortar store in Downtown Brainerd, Olson’s Keepsake Corner has now expanded its reach through our Nawapo platform. This exciting partnership allows customers from near and far to discover and enjoy the unique offerings of this remarkable family-run business.
Ben and Tami, with their four kids, two dogs, and a cat in tow, have poured their love and dedication into creating a business that offers high-quality, handmade goods. From their signature candles that fill any space with delightful aromas to their captivating jewelry and clothing selections, each item showcases the Olson’s’ passion for craftsmanship and attention to detail.
With their deep ties to the Brainerd community, the Olson’s are proud to support local artisans and craftspeople. By featuring their products on Nawapo, they extend their commitment to showcasing the talents and artistry of the region, enabling customers to experience the rich creativity that resides within the Brainerd Lakes Area.
Beyond their work at Olson’s Keepsake Corner, the Olson’s lead busy lives filled with various endeavors. Ben, in addition to his role as a business manager at Mills GM in Baxter, dedicates himself to ensuring the success of their business venture. Tami, a multitasking force, not only works at Sage on Laurel but also co-owns Butterfly Events and Wedding Planning. Together, they manage a bustling schedule with unwavering enthusiasm for their craft.
As a family, the Olson’s find joy and inspiration in outdoor activities such as hiking and boating. They are avid supporters of their beloved Twins baseball team and frequently attend concerts to immerse themselves in the magic of live performances. These experiences, along with their deep connection to nature, have shaped the essence of their creations and infuse their products with a genuine sense of adventure and appreciation for life’s moments.
Now, with Olson’s Keepsake Corner available on Nawapo, you can easily explore and acquire their handcrafted treasures from the comfort of your own home. By supporting this exceptional family business, you not only bring a touch of Brainerd’s charm into your life but also contribute to the growth and sustainability of local artisans and craftspeople.
Native American Tea Company is a brand of teas. Its line of products includes sleep tea, wellness tea, caffeinated tea, caffeine-free tea, etc. Offers products in a variety of flavors such as strawberry, blackberry, spearmint, eucalyptus, etc. Claims that its products are gluten-free and GMO-free. Sells its products via its online store & through offline retail stores across the world.
KC’s Best Wild Rice is one of Nawapo’s original vendors. While the Wild Rice sold at KC’s is not grown on Native Nation land, they are owned by Red Lake, Incorporated, a Red Lake Nation company.
In 1994, KC’s Best Wild Rice was founded by the Bahr family as an alternative fundraising product to the often sold chocolate bar. Over the next 2 decades, their Wild Rice business grew past being a fundraiser as people appreciated the businesses honest and fair price as a wholesaler. Eventually, KC’s Best Wild Rice would end up in grocery stores, gift shops and in big stores like Walmart, Super One Foods, Lueken’s and Costco!
In the summer of 2021, Kent and his wife, Joy, decided to retire. After listing their business, they met Red Lake, Incorporated. Kent has always been fascinated with the history of wild rice and how the Ojibwe harvested Wild Rice in our region (Northern Minnesota) and to have a company wholly owned by a federally recognized Tribe purchase a Wild Rice business made sense.
Today, KC’s Best Wild Rice is managed by Eric Johannsen and his wife Sarah. They are wonderful people and if you ever need to call in, you will get the pleasure of speaking with one of them! Red Lake, Inc. oversees the business as a whole and is working on some exciting ventures as we expand into other countries and work on some rebranding and updated, eco-friendly packaging!
We are the ONLY American Indian tribe in the U.S. that grows & harvests our own wild rice (MN Cultivated) on local lands. From our reservation in northern Minnesota, we pack, label & ship our wild rice to many countries. We expanded our natural foods line with unique hand harvested wild fruit jellies, jams & syrups, handcrafted gift items, all natural batter mixes, popcorn & herbal tea. We are pleased to share the bounty of the harvests, as well as other natural food products, all produced by American Indians.
Red Lake Nation Foods is a member of the Intertribal Agriculture Council, and bear the “Made/Produced by American Indians” trademark on our products.
Sakari Farms is a Native Owned (Inupiaq) tribal farm and educational business. We operate on intertribal lands that belong to our Indigenous Ancestors, we honor the opportunity to facilitate being the “Original Land Stewards” here on Turtle Island. The farm functions by growing regional traditional foods using ancestral tribal seed, native fruits, vegetables, herbs and specialty plant medicine. Our farm also hosts a variety of services for tribal members; Technical Assistance, On-Farm Tribal Cooking Classes, Tribal Food Events, Tribal Enterprise development, Seed Saving Classes and of course our PNW Intertribal Seed Bank.
For thousands of years, our people have lived in the oak forests, rolling hills and grasslands of Northern California’s Capay Valley, tending the natural resources and the land that is home to our culture, history, and traditions. Our Tribe is known as the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, meaning “Home by the Spring Water,” in our native Patwin language. We are proud to share the bounty of the Capay Valley through our estate extra virgin olive oils and other specialty foods. Our Séka Hills products have been named in our Patwin language for the rolling blue hills of our homeland.
Our story begins as busy moms and wives, loving the process of being creative and natural in managing our homes.
We enjoyed gardening, raising honey bees and chickens, and creating chemical-free products for our families. Through this process, we began to discover the wonderful benefits of beeswax for the skin and lips.
Soon, we created our very first tube of lip balm and Sister Bees has continued to grow from there. It started simply, with clean ingredients and hard work. We now have the opportunity to create products from our hive to homes everywhere.
Our faith is foremost, our family is dear, and creating products for you and others is “bee-autiful!”
From our hive to your home,
Kimberly and Kelly
We offer Specialty Grade 100% Arabica coffees, grown in the high mountains of Central and South America at the altitudes of 4,000 ft. and above. These elevations create the highly sought after SHB (Strictly Hard Bean ) coffees – slower growth development, creating a nutrient dense coffee packed with flavor.
Thunder Island Coffee Roasters is a Native American owned & operated coffee roasting company, located on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation, Long Island, New York.
We take pride in retaining the ‘old fashioned’ One Pound and Five Pound bag sizes, forgoing our customers the typical ambiguous packaging volume choices, in turn providing you a clear and informed path to great value and great coffee.
Before there was a WoodenKnife Company there was the WoodenKnife Cafe in Interior, which has a view of the Badlands of South Dakota. At the cafe their specialty is authentic Indian tacos made from a special fry bread recipe. After sampling the delicious fry bread, tourist and locals alike encouraged Ansel WoodenKnife to market the Indian Fry Bread Mix. Ansel took their advice and started the WoodenKnife manufacturing plant, located behind the café.
When my husband, infant daughter and I moved onto our northern Minnesota farm in 1972, we didn’t know much about organic farming or gardening, but we were determined to live off the land. I planted a garden, which was immediately ravaged by a woodchuck. We bought a cow, and after she gave birth to twins, we milked her by hand. We survived a winter.
Each year we made progress. My garden grew larger and more productive. I taught myself to preserve its bounty. Once I learned the basics of dehydrating, I created soup mixes that I could toss into a slow cooker before I set off on my morning school bus route.
Some mixes were so tasty, I sent them as holiday gifts for relatives, then decided to market them. My husband built a starter commercial kitchen that we still call ‘the soup building.’
Next, I tackled pancakes and quick breads. Too many store mixes have dough conditioners and chemical additives—and lack nutrient density. I wanted quick convenience without sacrificing homemade wholesomeness.
Breads need spreads, so I planted raspberries, strawberries and blueberries in my garden and made small batches of jam. I found a recipe for pumpkin butter in an old church cookbook My husband gathered native chokecherries and wild plums. After reading about hors d’oeuvre jams in a New York Times clipping sent by my mom, I added chopped jalapeño peppers to the fruit jams. Wonderful!
Everything I make has to be wholesome. No artificial ingredients or preservatives, no MSG or aspartame. I don’t want my kids and grandkids eating that stuff–and I don’t want yours to, either.
My mission is to make delicious, nutritious, value-conscious mixes that you’ll enjoy preparing, and your family (and friends) will enjoy eating.
My name is Jerald Roberts. I am a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians. I started Narrows Crafts at our home in Rockford Minnesota. I began very simple with just cross cuts of antler from a pair of antlers I had from a successful hunt. From the first few cuts I was immediately intrigued about what this could become.
I began trying different styles and shapes such as hoops and tips. I get very excited when I come across an exotic shape of antler, or dream up a new design. It is such a rewarding feeling seeing my friends, family and customers from all over the country enjoying my creations and wearing them regularly. Thanks for checking out my work! I look forward to creating more pieces for the world to see and wear proudly.
Miigwech.
Introducing hand painted Charcuterie boards by Mary Bedeau!
We’ve partnered with Leech Lake local artist Mary Bedeau to bring you these beautiful charcuterie boards!
Available in three sizes, each board is uniquely adorned with custom-painted Ojibwe florals using acrylics and sealed with durable polyurethane. **Polyurethane is resistant to mineral and vegetable oils, and aromatic hydrocarbons, making it a perfect choice for food grade applications.**
A little about the artist: Mary was raised in Onigum, MN on the Leech Lake reservation. Mary is well known for her painting, murals and tattoos and started her business so she could be more available for her 2 children. Taking inspiration from her culture, she found more appreciation for her surroundings and herself when she sees everything around as spiritual beings. “I love creating custom items that incorporate meaningfulness to the buyer.” She calls herself a normal “rez kid,” and hopes that her journey inspires others to dream big. When she’s not doing her art, she enjoys visiting state parks and science museums with her children.
Miigwech Mary for lending your artistry to Nawapo and we’re so excited to have partnered with you!
We’re expanding our collection of handcrafted gifts for you!
Today, we’re introducing Cassandra Medina’s Daisy Chain earrings, offering them in two distinct color combinations: orange & blue and turquoise and brown. Crafted with a sense of nostalgia inspired by the cherished memories of watching her sister and mom bead at the dining room table, these 6-inch earrings delicately graze your shoulders, suitable for both everyday wear and special occasions.