Erika Gideon Marchand

Flying White Thunderbird, or her English name, Erika Gideon Marchand is from the bear clan of Gesgapegiag, Gespe’gewa’gi – the last land, known to the Mi’gmaq as the seventh district of Mi’gma’gi. After living in Wolastoq Territory and graduating from St. Thomas University (2016) with an honor in Native Studies and a minor in Fine Arts, she continued her education in successfully completing her degree in the Master of Arts Program in Atlantic Canada Studies (2018) with a thesis entitled, What does L’nu Tli’suti Teach Us? Ancestral Teachings, Knowledges and Wisdom in the 21st Century.

She started making ash baskets and sweetgrass baskets in Gesgapegiag from Grade 1 – 4. After grade 4, she moved to Listuguj where she started learning how to do beadwork, quillwork, and beadwork. As a teenager, she learned different beading stitches. She continued to grow as a Mi’gmaw artist, for the past 3 years and has learned how to sew ribbon skirts & shirts, and regalia. Recently, she has started to teach what she knows about Wabanaki and Mi’gmaw art.