Shop First Nations (SFN), an Indigenous-owned digital platform enabling Reconciliation through impactful consumer purchasing, e-commerce, and education initiatives, is pleased to announce a collaboration with Glohaven Community Hub (Glohaven). These organizations are co-creating an Indigenous gift box, featuring authentic First Nations products and experiences from the Nlaka’pamux, Syilx Okanagan, and Secwepemc territories.
Through the Indigenous Globox™ Campaign, Shop First Nations and Glohaven will work with tourism partners like the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA). Together, they will develop, promote, and distribute the Indigenous Globox™ featuring local Indigenous artisans, crafters, and experience providers in the Thompson Okanagan region.
The Indigenous Globox™ contains several Indigenous products from the Thompson Okanagan region, including:
- Cover art by Syilx artist Janine Lott;
- Angie’s N8ive Beading Orange Shirt Day pin and hoop earrings;
- Moose Hide Campaign pins;
- LIVN GIVN art card;
- Stickers from Shop First Nations and North Okanagan Apparel;
- Calling My Spirit Back book by Elaine Alec;
- Okanagan Select Smoked Salmon made with organic Maple Roch syrup;
- Glohaven Community Hub recycled plastic tote bag;
- Up The Hill At Loakin’s Chocolate and Roses Lotion Bar, Rose Petal Tea Blend, and Birch Bark Bath Salt.
Continuing the Tradition of Gift-Giving
Gift giving is an important part of many Indigenous cultures and is based on the idea of reciprocity and being in good relations. Gifts like Tobacco are often presented to Elders and Knowledge Keepers in recognition of their wisdom and to thank them for sharing their knowledge and teachings.
Shop First Nations has continued this tradition in today’s online world. In 2020, they successfully launched the ‘Shop First Nations Gift Box’ that featured local Indigenous artists and businesses while honouring the gift-giving tradition. Consumers are invited to purchase Indigenous gift boxes to learn about Indigenous culture, crafted products, and experiences. As a result, consumers help grow the Indigenous economy and support Truth & Reconciliation through their purchasing power. Now, the Indigenous gift box experience grows to include Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs in the Okanagan.
Growing Indigenous Tourism & Business Reconciliation with Okanagan Gift Box
“Through the Indigenous Globox Campaign, our goal is to amplify the voices of Indigenous owned businesses and provide consumers with the opportunity to demonstrate economic reconciliation by consciously shopping for and supporting the unique products and experiences of Indigenous creators,” said Shop First Nations’ President, Rob Schulz.
“Indigenous tourism was the fastest growing sector in the Canadian tourism industry prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Glohaven CEO, Micheal Benedek. “With leisure and business travel grinding to a halt during the pandemic, many tourism businesses – especially those owned by Indigenous entrepreneurs – have been severely impacted by significant losses of revenue and livelihoods.”
Shop First Nations, Glohaven, and TOTA recognize the power of working together to leverage each other’s unique expertise, programs, and resources to support Indigenous businesses with innovative, creative, and tangible sales and marketing solutions. Furthermore, this campaign contributes to the performance of the Thompson Okanagan region as a sustainable Indigenous tourism destination.
Show Your Support for Indigenous Businesses in the Okanagan
Through our unique collaboration, we encourage you to show your support for Indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses based in the Okanagan by:
- Purchasing your Indigenous Globox
- Visit TOTA’s Indigenous Tourism webpage
- Take a photo with your favourite Indigenous product or at an Indigenous small business in the Okanagan, post to social media, and tag with #ShopFirstNations #GlohavenCommunityHub #IndigenousOkanagan #IndigenousBusiness
About Shop First Nations
Shop First Nations is an Indigenous-owned digital platform seeking to enable Reconciliation through impactful consumer purchasing, e-commerce and digital marketing, and education initiatives. Our mission is to support First Nations, Inuit, and Métis businesses by encouraging consumers to invest in Indigenous goods and services, and supporting such businesses in the digital economy while honoring the Truth and Reconciliation 94 Calls to action.
You can follow Shop First Nations on Instagram, Facebook, or by joining our Facebook group for supporting Indigenous businesses in BC.
About Glohaven Community Hub
Glohaven is a socially impactful eCommerce platform that offers a greater sense of community and connection to ‘local’ in the online world.
On one side of the platform, Glohaven provides tourism organizations and their stakeholders with direct-to-consumer sales, marketing, and distribution channels that generate and retain more revenue, representation, and control on a local level.
On the other side of the platform, Glohaven.com is an eCommerce marketplace that makes it easier for people to explore, shop, and support local economies in a more sustainable way.
You can follow Glohaven on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) is a non-profit society governed by an elected Board of Directors, which represents business and community tourism interests throughout the Thompson Okanagan region of British Columbia. TOTA is supported by and representative of Destination BC and the BC Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport. It is an industry-led organization that represents and supports all business and community tourism interests in the region, while also helping to implement provincial tourism policies.
Learn more on the industry website, TOTABC.org and the traveller website, ThompsonOkanagan.com.
For more information, please Contact Us.
