It's Indigenous History Month, and we just passed Indigenous Peoples Day — a good time, I think, to talk about a part of my heritage I haven't shared as much as I probably should have.

Most of what you've seen from me has come from my Haida side. That's because I live on the West Coast. That culture is here, around me, every day — I have constant opportunity to live it, share it, and be in it. But we are also Cree, but that territory is far from where I've built my life, and truthfully I’ve never spent any time there. So the opportunities to be immersed in that side of my culture simply haven't been as present. It's not that it matters less. It's just been further away.

My grandfather, Wylie Brillon, was Cree and French, after 2 years of fending for themselves my Grandpa and one of his older brothers at age 14 and 16, made their way to BC's coast chasing word of good fishing. Wylie became one of the most well-regarded Highliner fishermen on the coast. He didn't just succeed for himself, either. He helped roughly eleven other Indigenous fishermen become boat and license owners themselves, co-signing loans, carrying the debt until they could buy him out.

Wylie & Bing

Wylie married a Haida woman — my grandmother, Evelyn. He was later adopted by Haida Chief Skidegate: Dempsey Collinson. My Grandpa came into this world dirt-poor, was able to retire a multimillionaire, but sadly he died penniless, the same way he came into the world. Poverty was the thing he feared most his whole life, but he was generous to a fault and gave and gave until he had nothing left.

I carry that story whether I talk about it or not — the resilience, the generosity even when he had every reason not to be generous. My grandfather became so embedded in the Haida community — married in, adopted in, lived the rest of his life in Skidegate — that it's partly why the Cree side was more distant.

The Ancestral Essences Candle Collection is me finding a way to bring the Cree half of that inheritance closer, even from a distance. Each scent is built around a real Nîhiyaw teaching — a story, a medicine, a being, a memory — because blending culture with creativity is how I know how to honour where I come from.

Kokum's Moccasins — Memory

There's a smell that takes me straight back to being a little kid: smoked leather hides. My grandmother used to take us to visit an Elder in Fort St James named Miss Rosetti, who hunted her own elk, processed her own hides, and beaded beautiful things — like the hair ties she made me when I was nine. Whenever we'd outgrow our moccasins, she'd retrace our feet onto a paper bag and make us a new pair.

That smell of smoked leather is still one of my absolute favourite smells in the world, and it's exactly what this candle smells like. It's named Kokum's Moccasins because Kokum means grandmother in Cree — and there are so many grandmothers who've made moccasins for their grandkids with that same love and care. If you feel that too, this one's for you.

Star Woman (Atchakos Iskwêw) — Origin

Star Woman came from the sky world and brought life with her. She sits at the heart of our creation teachings — luminous, powerful, full of beginning. This one is for the people who carry her light forward, even when they don't yet know where it's leading them. Fragrance notes: airy florals, pear, blackcurrant, and soft musk.

Price/availability: Each candle in the Ancestral Essences collection is $34 CAD, on launch sale now for $29 CAD.

There are two more candles coming soon after these — Berry Bounty and Sacred Tobacco — so this collection will be 6 all together. The remaining two, including Storm Bringers and the one for Wîsahkêcâhk’s Journey, will take a bit longer, because I'd rather wait and get the medicine right than rush something that's meant to mean this much.

Every dollar spent at Totem Design House supports our cultural revitalization efforts, including the Copper Legacy Indigenous Empowerment Society.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Ancestral Essences candle collection?
A six-candle collection from Totem Design House, where each scent is built around a real Nîhiyaw (Cree) teaching — a story, a medicine, a being, or a memory from founder Erin Brillon's Cree heritage.

What scent is Kokum's Moccasins?
Smoked leather and hide — built around the memory of an Elder who hand-made moccasins for Erin's family growing up. Kokum means grandmother in Cree.

What does Star Woman smell like?
Airy florals, pear, blackcurrant, and soft musk — built around the Cree creation teaching of the woman who came from the sky world and brought life with her.

How many candles will be in the collection, and when are the rest coming?
Six total. Kokum's Moccasins and Star Woman are available now. Berry Bounty and Sacred Tobacco are coming soon, followed by Storm Bringer and Wîsahkêcâhk's Journey.