Teyotsihstokwáthe Dakota Brant & Yonenyà:kenht Jesse Brant are twin sisters and Mohawk turtle clan women from the village of Ohswé:ken (Six Nations of the Grand River Territory). They are co-founders of Sapling & Flint; a wholesale & retail jewellery manufacturer specializing in gold & sterling silver, based in Ohswé:ken.

Jesse, a goldsmith, wampumcutter and member of the Canadian Jeweller’s Association, and Dakota, a regalia maker and visual artist with a background in small business management, brought their talents together with the goal of using ecommerce to create arts-based jobs for themselves, their community, and to raise the profile of Indigenous art as a nationwide brand.

Sapling & Flint was founded in 2017 with the motto “Conversation pieces that share the story of Turtle Island” and has since become award winning. In 2018 they won a CHCH TV Business Excellence Award and the 2018 Powwow Pitch. In 2019 they were selected from over 5000 entries to win Paypal Canada’s Small Business makeover contest and in honour of their work lobbying for equitable access to internet & opportunity in Indigenous communities were recognized with the 2020 Athlohsa Peace Award. Their work has been featured by Maclean’s magazine, the Globe & Mail, TrailBlazher magazine, the Toronto Star, Paypal Canada, Shopify Canada and more.

Sapling & Flint continues to grow, creating job opportunities that are revitalizing traditional silversmithing in Ohswé:ken, bringing quality products to the Canadian market and placing Dakota & Jesse as Indigenous women entrepreneurial leaders in the Canadian Jewellery industry.