Supernaturals Modelling
Haida Owned and Operated Graduate
Introduction
Indigenous ACE graduate Patrick Shannon, also known as Nang K‘uulas, is shaping future Indigenous
generations in communities across Canada. Shannon is
an Indigenous film director and an award-winning social entrepreneur and
university instructor from Haida Gwaii, on the northwest coast of British
Columbia. Inspired by his cultural upbringing he uses technology and media to
empower Canadians to address social and cultural issues within Canada’s
Indigenous communities. Following Shannon’s completion of the I-ACE program,
the young entrepreneur amassed years of experience working within the Vancouver
film industry and has since shifted his focus to the operation of a multimedia
creative studio based out of Haida Gwaii. Shannon is a prolific storyteller in everything
he does and is passionate about discovering new ways to strengthen his culture.
With his creative studio, InnoNative, he shares his stories
through film and media, specializing in short film, documentaries, music
videos, promotional videos and online content for communities, businesses and
artists across British Columbia and Canada. Shannon’s determination to make an impact on the
Indigenous community has led to great success as a social entrepreneur, and the
influence does not stop at InnoNative. Shannon has collaborated with Joleen
Mitton on a recent revolutionary venture.
Supernaturals Modelling
Shannon
and his co-founder Mitton have recently been recognized on multiple, well-known
platforms for their new venture ‘Supernaturals,’ Canada’s first ever Indigenous
boutique modelling agency. The agency is based in Vancouver, British Columbia
and will focus on high-end Indigenous cultural representation in both the
commercial and fashion worlds. Launched in May 2021, Supernaturals
Modelling will work toward supporting Indigenous models at the highest level
across Canada and in the global market.
The
empowering company has gained traction on various platforms, including a
feature in Vogue, where the article shares the impact and significance of
Supernaturals. “There’s so little representation [for Indigenous models], and
they’re often taken advantage of,” says Shannon. “Traditionally, it has been a
very hostile industry for Indigenous Peoples. We're trying to set protocols of
how to work with Indigenous models, and to make sure things are being done in a
healthy, respectful way” (Vogue, 2021). Shannon further shares on
Global BC News that their goal for Supernaturals going forward is “that [they]
want to move past tokenism.” In other words, Shannon and Mitton want to change
the way Indigenous Peoples are perceived in the media and show that they are
“just like everyone else” (Global BC News, 2021).
Shannon
shares that modelling is a challenging industry to get into, and Supernaturals
will provide Indigenous Peoples with an avenue to enter the industry. Starting
on the west coast of British Columbia, Shannon and his co-founder have future plans
to expand their reach across the country. Proper representation of Indigenous Peoples
in the media is long overdue, and Supernaturals will offer people an
“opportunity to be a part of a healthy reconciliation within the media,
fashion, and modelling industries” (Daily Hive, 2021). Recently signed model
Talaysay Campo shares in a press release that the best part of the agency is
getting to work with her people. “We are a family [and] I’m looking forward to
showing the world my culture and where I come from because not a lot of Indigenous
models are represented in the media and that needs to change” claims the young
model (Daily Hive, 2021). Fostering a safe environment for the models is
imperative for Supernaturals, and many of the models have already felt
unwavering support from the agency. Going forward, the Indigenous agency hopes
to work with other Indigenous-owned brands in Canada in order to further foster
their culture.
Learn more about Patrick
Shannon and Supernaturals below:
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