Shop 100% Indigenous-owned. Click here to meet the owners. Formerly Indigenous Face Masks.

About us & Face Mask Initiative / Kokum Scarf Initiative

Indigenous owned and operated, based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Indigenous Face Masks is an initiative to bring face masks to Indigenous children and youth in our Indigenous communities across Canada.  

Each Kokum Scarf purchased, we will donate $5.00 CAD to support Ukraine through the Canadian Red Cross. So far, together we have donated $21,035.00!
 
Each Indigenous Face Mask that is purchased, we send the same style mask to one of our communities; they are distributed through local Indigenous community programming, local Indigenous elementary schools and high schools in our Indigenous communities.
 

As of March 23, 2022, we have currently have sent out 46,080 Indigenous Face Masks to many First Nation reserves, and urban Indigenous community programs since we started in October 13, 2020. With your help, we are providing masks to our Indigenous children and youth, as there are many Indigenous communities still in need of your support.

We have donated the proceeds from our Every Child Matters Face Masks, we donated a total of $25,500 to the Orange Shirt Day Society, Indspire, Legacy of Hope Foundation, Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund, and the Indian Residential School Survivor Society.

We will continue to support communities and looking forward to supporting our Indigenous peoples. We thank you for your kindness.

The communities we have been able to donate to so far:

Communities

Total

Attawapiskat First Nation

2640

Kashechewan First Nation

2640

Fort Albany First Nation 

3120

Weeneebayko Area Health Authority

900

Payukotayno James and Hudson Bay Family Services 

1030

Taykwa Tagamou Nation 

660

Akwesasne Freedom School

180

Odawa Native Friendship Centre 

630

Minwasshin Women's Lodge 

600

Winnipeg Comm.UNITY.204

755

Mushkegowuk Council Youth Department 

1000

Moose Factory Ministik Elementary School

500

Eabametoong/Fort Hope Nursing Station

75

Victoria Inn - Neskantaga First Nation

75

KO eHealth Telemedicine Services

75

Nodin Mental Health Services

75

Waskaganish Cree Nation/ Ecole Winnibekuu School

640

Kitigan Zibi First Nation

705

Garden River First Nation

705

Eabametoong / Fort Hope First Nation 

705

Walpole Island First Nation 

630

A7G 

30

North Bay Friendship Centre 

680

MPP Sol Mamkwa (Kiiwetinoong Riding) 

7380

BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres

2000

Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan

1000

Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre

500

Native Child & Family Services of Toronto

500

EarlyON Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre

300

Minwaashin Women's Lodge (Care Packs)

300

Pictou Landing First Nation Elementary School

200

Red Lake Indian Friendship Centre

350

Little Eagles Daycare Sipeknekatik First Nation

200

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto

2,700

Sol Mamakwa - (Kiiwetinoong Riding) 

8,000

Chippewas of the Thames Health Centre

300

March for Truth and Justice July 31, 2021

400

Minwaashin Lodge

400

Orange Shirt Day - Ottawa

600

Little Eagles Day Care - NB

250

Makonsag Day Care - Ottawa

100

Mattagami First Nation

250

Native Child and Family Services - Community Support Outreach 300
MPP Sol Mamkwa (Kiiwetinoong Riding) March 2022 1000

 

Total Distributed as of March 23, 2022:   

46,080


About the owners:

Tyson Wesley is Cree and raised in Kashechewan Cree First Nation, he is also from Waskaganish on his father’s side.

 

 

Natasha Commanda is Anishinaabe from Kitigan Zibi, and from Grassy Narrows on her mother's side.