SASKATOON – United Way Saskatoon and Area (United Way) and Medavie Health Services West each contributed $1500 to purchase materials and supplies for a Kokum sewing group in Saskatoon.
The vibrant community of Indigenous women is focused on reclaiming a way of being and traditional knowledge in a supportive environment.
“When we gather around our Kokums to teach us to sew, they’re passing down strength, identity, and stories,” said Dorothea Swiftwolfe, a member of Peter Ballentine Cree Nation and Auntie Advocate for the City of Saskatoon.
The group doesn’t have a formal legal structure but meets regularly at White Buffalo Youth Lodge every Friday at 6pm and has a loyal and growing group of attendees.
Elder Maria Linklater, who is one of the group’s Kokums, mentioned at a recent Reconciliation Saskatoon meeting that there was a need for materials to use for sewing, as the group had been relying on scraps of denim. In response, United Way initiated a collaboration with Medavie Health Services West to provide the group with $3000 for materials and supplies.
“Supporting initiatives like the Kokum Sewing Group reflects our commitment to being community‑minded and to meeting people where they are. These gatherings strengthen connection, culture, and wellbeing, and align closely with our role in advancing reconciliation and community‑led care,” said Angela J. Sereda, Senior Manager, Mobile Integrated Health, Medavie Health Services West. “We are grateful for our continued partnership with United Way and for the vital work they do to support and uplift communities across our region.”
The Kokum sewing group is open to all ages and technical skills, but these meetings are not about developing a hobby. They are cultural reclamation, Swiftwolfe says.
“Everyone is welcome at our group, and there are Elders and knowledge keepers available to teach the younger participants about the technical aspects of ribbon skirt-making, but also the cultural and spiritual significance. These classes aren’t hobbies; they’re reclamation. Every stitch keeps our hands busy, our spirits grounded, and our culture alive for the next generation.”
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