Here is a little history on Anishinaabe Bimishimo Corporation.
16-year-old Émilie McKinney is from Swan Lake First Nation, Manitoba and is a bilingual student (French and English) at École Régional Notre-Dame, an international dancer (hoop, fancy, jingle, traditional) and a artist who wanted to make herself a new jingle dress. We (Natalie Foidart, her mom and Émilie McKinney) called our local supplier to get jingles and he explained that he has since retired. There is no one locally who makes them so Émilie decided that she wanted to make locally made and available jingles.
Émilie then drew up a logo and a five year plan so that she could be the new Canadian manufacturer, supplier and designer of jingles and worked closely with her mom, Natalie Foidart to get her business started. She wanted to start a business with a name that truly represented and reflected who she was. After researching various meanings to words and careful consideration, she chose Anishinaabe (it’s who she is, a Native Canadian, First Nation Person) Bimishimo (dancing by) Corporation. Her logo has special meaning as well.
To Émilie, the outer circle represents the world around us in full circle and the inner circle is a reminder of the full circle within ourselves. The tipi symbolizes home, family, where the heart is and the open tipi door welcomes ideas, hope, dreams, dance and people. The medicine wheel is a reminder to follow and never forget the sacred teachings including being humble, asking for help when needed and to show appreciation when it is given. Anishinaabe Bimishimo is written because it represents her and the feathers on either end. Feathers are used in prayer, for smudging, and in regalia.
