09/30/2026
This National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Doka Canada honours the children who never returned home from residential schools, and all Survivors, families, and communities impacted by the residential school system.
We are proud to partner with local artist Candace Lipischak Fat Daug-Hand carved antler jewelry on this meaningful artwork. Candace is a bilingual Red River Métis/Polish artist living with Multiple Sclerosis. Autodidactic, their interdisciplinary work includes illustration, painting, (recycled) metal sculpture, and beadwork. Mentored by her father, Candace is also an antler carver and the owner of Fat Daug (short for father-daughter), creating unique and intricate antler jewelry that can be found online and at the WAG-Quamajuq. They wrote their first Métis children's picture book, 'Biibii Moose and Betsy the Horse: A true story', which will be published later next year.
In this design, the iconic Métis sash becomes the Sacred Fire, connecting us to Creator and our ancestors. It surrounds traditional Inuit, First Nations, and Métis ways of life, including gathering and hunting for sustenance, with Nibi, our life-giving waters, at its heart. The arrow and Kakivak, or harpoon, form the feather’s shaft. The feather evokes ceremony, smudging, strength, and prayer, while the Medicine Wheel represents the Circle of Life and its teachings.
The stars honour the children who never returned home and have now returned to the stars.
Today, and every day, Doka remains committed to listening, learning, and supporting meaningful steps toward truth and reconciliation. We acknowledge that we live and work on the traditional and unceded territories of the Indigenous Peoples across what is now known as Canada, and we express our respect and gratitude to the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples who continue to steward these lands.