Native Made

Nick and Christine sit down with the dynamic Angelina Hilton on episode 127 of That Sounds Terrific in the (585). Hilton is a member of the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri and founder of Native Made Ventures. 

“I'm also a mother of two darling children, ten and seven. I am a wife. I am an artist. I love the community. I love problem solving.”

Native Made Market

Native Made began in 2022 and, as Hilton explains, it was initially a response to the need to feed those in need and her desire to create community. “My family and I had a little cafe at Parcel Five [in Rochester], and on the fourth Friday of every month, we were feeding our community a free lunch. We called it free lunch Fridays. And so we would collaborate with different organizations who would provide different ingredients. And then we'd bring in a guest chef to help us create a beautiful meal. So we would just open up our doors, invite people in.”

The market soon grew beyond a community meal to feature vendors—Indigenous artists, educators, advocates and allies— who were all enrolled members of their respective nations.

“I ended up building more relationships with folks who were involved with Ganondagan [State Historic Site in Victor, NY]. So we ended up having twelve vendors in our little shop that first year and about seven presenters that first year,” says Hilton. “When I look back at these photos [of the market], it truly warms my heart. I feel the energy through them today.”

White Corn Project 

Hilton has also been involved in the White Corn Project at Ganondagan. 

The mission of the White Corn Project according to the Ganondagan website “is to encourage Haudenosaunee farmers to grow the corn and for people in our communities to eat it for more than just special occasions or ceremonial use, making it something they eat every day,”  Jeanette Jemison (Mohawk, Snipe Clan), Friends of Ganondagan program director.

Hilton understands the importance of food sovereignty and the healing power of reconnecting with nature and traditional food sources, so attending a husking bee was important to her. Every year volunteers meet to sort, husk, and braid corn without the use of machinery.

Healthy body and mind

When Hilton isn’t busy with community endeavors, work, or her family she practices mindfulness and tries to stay connected to her body especially since she has experienced illness several times after a Native Made Market event. She enjoys exercise and a trip to the sauna at the YMCA. She knows that overworking or overextending oneself can lead to burnout and health concerns, and she emphasizes that everyone should work towards more self care and rest. 

To learn more about Hilton read (585) magazine’s article by Sarah Mead here. Or visit her website at nativemadehq.com.