BUY NATIVE GUIDE
These companies are from business owners that identify as Native American and/or Indigenous. Below is more information about our vibrant Native and Indigenous communities in Portland. We all owe our success to the tribes that have stewarded our natural resources for hundreds and hundreds of years. We would like to acknowledge Indigenous communities past, future, and present to honor and respect the original Portlanders.
In an expression to honor local tribes, we have built this directory so that you may too navigate to support Indigenous and Native American business owners.
The Portland Metro area rests on traditional village sites of the Multnomah Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla,and many other tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River, creating communities and summer encampments to harvest and use the plentiful natural resources of the area.” Read more here.
Here is an excerpt from Leading with Tradition in the Portland Metropolitan Area, published by Native American Youth and Family Services (NAYA).
“The Portland urban Native community is descended from over 380 tribes and many are multi-tribal and multi-ethnic. We represent varying degrees of tribal affiliation; some of us are tribally enrolled and some of us are not, but we all have ancestorial ties to our tribes. Some of us are enrolled citizens of local tribes with reserved treaty rights to fish and gather in the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, but many of us are citizens or descendants of more geographically distant tribes. We come to this city for as many reasons as there are clans and people, and our stories are powerful.“
“I wanted to make an art piece showing the good energy put into the services from Indigenous businesses. The model is from the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. The medicine wheel behind her and the burning sage leaves below her are showing that she is surrounded by good medicine. Our connection with our traditional spiritualities, ancestors, and creator is what makes working with us so special”
Letter from the Artist:
My name is Kitana. I am the physical representation of TwahnaCreation. As an Indigenous artist I create through the energies of my ancestors, and the Land with the intentions of healing and offering. I had been spiritual all of my life, but not always with awareness. My spiritual connection really expanded when I became a caregiver to my brother in 2020. This period of my life brought on a lot of changes, creating big emotions that I needed to get out. That was the first time I ever tried painting abstractly.
I fell in love with the process while I started my healing journey and delved into my connection to Spirit. I haven’t stopped since. To this day, TwahnaCreation is my full time pursuit and I use my voice to advocate for healing, mental health, and connection through artwork.
Masi,
Kitana
Other Great Places to Check Out
“We are dedicated to working with all members of the community to advance the educational and economic opportunities for Native Americans in Oregon and Southwest Washington.”
“Portland Indigenous Marketplace supports indigenous artists and entrepreneurs by providing barrier-free, culturally respectful spaces that encourage cultural resilience and economic sustainability by promoting public education through cultural arts.”
SHOP NATIVE BUSINESSES
Find the full directory here. Don’t see your business listed? You can join the directory here. If you’re already a member and still aren’t listed let us know, send us an email: hello@mercatuspdx.com
