Over the weekend, I.A.M. Collective celebrated National Indigenous Peoples Day at the Edmonton Downtown Farmers Market with Indigenous vendors set up across two floors for selling handcrafted items, clothes and food.

Lorrie Lawerence, executive director for the I.A.M. Collective, says that parties like these are meant for gathering, and to help people connect with local Indigenous vendors and artists at the event.

I.A.M. Collective executive director Lorrie Lawerence. (Photo courtesy of Indigital Media.)

Since 2018, the number of vendors for I.A.M. Collective has gone up to 90. Lawerence hopes that more funding will allow for bigger gatherings in the future.

Lawerence spoke about one of the vendors in the collective, Fat Man Little Kitchen, which is owned by Marcel Martell, a local Indigenous curator that makes homemade barbeque sauce. At last year’s holiday event, Martell had sold out three times in one day. Martell talks about his hot sauce company’s humble beginnings and where it is today.

Samantha Boomer (Left) and Marcel Martell (Right) owners of Fat Man Little Kitchen. Photo Credits - Daniel Barker-Tremblay

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