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Indigenous-owned · Saskatoon, Treaty 6 · Shipping across Canada
An introduction to Kenora: its history, the Nations whose lands it sits on, and Indigenous community life today, with sources.
Kenora sits on Lake of the Woods about 50 kilometres east of the Manitoba border, in Treaty 3 territory, signed in 1873. Grand Council Treaty #3 keeps an office on Main Street South, and the city is also home to the Ne-Chee Friendship Centre, Kenora Chiefs Advisory, Bimose Tribal Council, Treaty Three Police Service and the Kenora Métis Council. Wauzhushk Onigum Nation is a close neighbour, and many other Anishinaabe communities surround the lake, carrying on long ties to its waters and resources. Kenora stands on the traditional territory of the Ojibwe, where Lake of the Woods spills into the Winnipeg River. The City of Kenora notes that this land was once the base of a single First Nation collective. Treaty 3 was signed on October 3, 1873, with Chief Mikiseesis speaking for the Ojibwe First Nations. Notes written for Chief Powassin during the talks, known as the Paypom document, record the promises made. Those promises differ in several ways from the government’s printed version. The name Rat Portage comes from an Ojibwe name meaning, roughly, the portage to the country of the muskrats.
Kenora is on Treaty 3 territory, the lands of the Anishinaabe, and the homeland of the Métis.
Nearby: Wauzhushk Onigum Nation · Washagamis Bay First Nation · Niisaachewan Anishinaabe Nation · Iskatewizaagegan 39 Independent First Nation · Shoal Lake 40 First Nation · Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls
The City of Kenora acknowledges the Anishinaabe of Treaty #3 and the Métis people. It also states that its economy benefits greatly from the Anishinaabe and Métis who live in and around the city. One census count put the Indigenous share of residents at 21.3 per cent, split between First Nations and Métis. Grand Council Treaty #3 describes its role as being stewards of the land. Its departments cover health, social services, environment, culture, justice, education and economic development. Its fall calendar has included a Fall Assembly, an Orange Shirt Day Pow Wow on September 30 and a Sisters in Spirit vigil. The Ne-Chee Friendship Centre sits on 2nd Street South. It aims to offer a safe, caring and culturally respectful approach to health for Indigenous people in Kenora. It runs programs for children and youth, employment and education, health and community justice. Seven Generations Education Institute has a Kenora campus called Manidoo Baawaatig, with an event centre and makerspace. The institute offers high school, college and training programs to everyone in the Treaty 3 area. It supports Anishinaabemowin learning through its Waking Up Ojibwe resources.
More on the region: Indigenous Ontario · all of Canada.
XUSI is an Indigenous-owned business from Saskatoon, started in 2020 by two brothers from northern Saskatchewan. Along with our clothing, we bring Indigenous youth workshops and custom screen printing to Kenora and across Treaty 3 territory.
Strong Roots Strong Future is our interactive workshop for Indigenous youth, led by the two brothers who founded XUSI. We travel to schools, First Nations and Indigenous communities, youth organizations and funding programs in Kenora and across Treaty 3 territory. Youth ages 10 and up work through identity and culture, financial literacy, fitness, entrepreneurship and business skills, career readiness and hands-on screen printing.
Custom t-shirts, hoodies and crewnecks for Kenora schools, sports teams, businesses, events and First Nations and Indigenous organizations. Send us an idea, get free design help and a full quote before anything is printed. We print in Saskatoon and ship to Kenora. 10-garment minimum, up to 4 colours per design.
Heavyweight cotton tees, hoodies, crewnecks and A-frame hats with Cree words and the stories behind them. Fitness is part of how XUSI started, so our pieces are built for the gym and the street, and we ship them to Kenora.
Orders of $90 or more ship free anywhere in Canada, whether the address is in Ontario or Manitoba. Otherwise shipping is calculated at checkout.
Yes. Custom screen printing has a 10-garment minimum, up to 4 colours per design with design help included, and every order is quoted before printing. Orders are printed in Saskatoon and shipped to Kenora.
Yes. Custom screen printing starts at 10 garments, with up to 4 colours per design, and every order is quoted before printing. Design help is included. We print in Saskatoon and ship to Kenora, so order well before late September to leave time for printing and delivery.
Our designs carry Cree words, with their stories on our meanings page, because we are a Indigenous-owned company from Saskatoon. We do not make Anishinaabemowin designs or speak for Anishinaabe culture. A Kenora group can bring its own words and artwork to our custom printing, with design help included.
Last reviewed . Facts on this page come from the sources listed below.
The same two brothers who design the clothing run Strong Roots Strong Future, an Indigenous youth workshop they bring to schools, Nations and youth organizations, including in Kenora.
The clothing carries the same language and the same stories the workshops are built on. See the youth workshops, or read the meanings behind the designs.
