Panelist, Panel 1: Reciprocity in Knowledge Sharing – The Digital Age
Tania Larsson is a dedicated Gwich’in Fine Jewellery designer who creates innovative pieces with land-based materials. Originally born in France, Larsson relocated to Yellowknife, NT Canada as a teenager with her family to actively reconnect with her culture and Gwich’in homelands. She was able to ground herself during those formative years with a deep understanding of how vital culture is to the sustainment of the land and vice versa, working to reclaim and revisit designs of her people’s memories while shaping history for our future generations.
She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, at the Institute of American Indian Arts in May 2017. Apprenticing under renowned Kiowa jeweler Keri Ataumbi for two years, Larsson was able to gain strong fundamentals in jewellery design while finding her voice as a Gwich’in maker. She is one of the founding members of Dene Nahjo, an Indigenous collective in Denendeh (Northwest Territories) working to advance social and environmental justice for northern peoples and promote Indigenous leadership.
Currently an Entrepe North Mentor, Larsson works towards Indigenous business sovereignty and has led a resurgence of interest in Northern Adornment. She has been featured in various documentaries by: Vice, The Narwhal, and APTN. Her work continues to be internationally distinguished, by way of countless publications such as: Vogue, The New York Times, Brides Magazine, and the Globe and Mail. Larsson continues to be at the forefront of ethical and traditional practices of material sourcing, refining Gwich’in adornment in a contemporary aesthetic.
Website: TaniaLarsson.com, IG: @tania.larsson