Tan'si Jess here, Hide tanning has stopped one generation before me and over the last 9 years I have been able to revitalize hide tanning within my own kin by bringing this knowledge back to our family.  I have been on my hide journey since 2017 and continue to learn, grow and learn different ways of knowing.  I had the opportunity to tan hides with the Mountain People, the Cree, the Dene, the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg and with the Teetl’it Gwich’in people of Fort McPhearson.  All beautiful in their own way, hide tanning brings community together and I am seeing more connections to hide tanning across Turtle Island and this warms my heart so much!  I have facilitated and shared knowledge at over 30 hide camps from working in the city to going out on the land within community.  One main goal is the transmission of knowledge sharing and passing this knowledge down to the next generation.    

I travel across Turtle Island from Edmonton, Alberta to share teachings about traditionally tanning hides using many different methodologies.  I work in community, in urban spaces by sharing this knowledge working along side folks who also want to reclaim hide tanning.  I have experience working indoors and outdoors, using the land around us in the way we know how.  I adjust to the environment around and make any space work.  I am currently booking dates in 2025 and it gets quite busy when the weather warms up.  As soon as you know your dates contact me prior to see if dates are available.  

Individual Order: Are you an Indigenous person looking for tools? Steps to secure hide tools is follow my Instagram or Facebook @JShineDesigns.  Occasionally we add individual tools onto our website or stories for individual sale.  At this time we do not take individual tool orders but may open in the future (Fall 2025) Thank you for understanding.