Moccasin Identifier

What Moccasin Identifier does

Moccasin Identifier is a First Nation-led, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation-affiliated non-profit initiative founded by Carolyn King, C.M. (Order of Canada), headquartered in Hagersville, Ontario. The organization's purpose is to advance awareness and understanding of Indigenous Treaties and history across Canada through permanent Place-Knowing visual installations (Treaty Places, Treaty Markers, and Treaty Signage across Education, Green, Go, and Urban settings), a national curriculum-aligned K-12 education program (English and French), and direct community engagement programming. Its core technology combines physical stencil kits (four moccasin designs representing Anishinaabe, Seneca/Haudenosaunee, Cree, and Wendat linguistic groups) with a web-based AR stencil experience (arstencil.moccasinidentifier.com) and an ArcGIS StoryMap cataloguing the installation network. The organization holds registered trademarks "Moccasin Identifier™" and "MI™."

Moccasin Identifier generates revenue through a multi-stream model: one-time product sales of $225 CAD stencil kits via direct e-commerce, $1,750 flat-fee community engagement sessions, customized corporate Cultural Awareness and Cultural Safety training (hourly, variable pricing), Moccasin Making workshops for groups of 5–30, Place-Knowing installation commissions (license-based, often tied to institutional reconciliation commitments), and school presentations. A significant share of operating funding is grant-based, including Government of Canada funding for national expansion, a share of Toronto Pearson's $780,000 Propeller Project Nest Fund award (split across 10 Indigenous organizations), FedDev Ontario, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Brant Community Foundation, and Greenbelt Foundation support. Distribution is direct: Acuity Scheduling booking system for services, an own-storefront online shop for stencil kits, and field-based enterprise sales for installations.

The customer base spans K-12 schools and school boards (Ontario and nationally), corporate and institutional buyers fulfilling DEI and reconciliation commitments (e.g., UFCW Canada, Toronto Pearson), municipal governments (City of Burlington, Waterdown BIA), post-secondary institutions (York University), and community organizations. To date the organization has completed over 20 permanent installations on Treaty land across Ontario and is actively expanding to nine additional regions across Canada (Edmonton, Winnipeg, Victoria, Iqaluit, Quebec City, Regina, Whitehorse, Yellowknife, and Atlantic Region) under its "Cover Canada in Moccasins" vision.

Name

Moccasin Identifier

Legal name

Moccasin Identifier

Website

https://moccasinidentifier.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Moccasin Identifier is a First Nation-led non-profit initiative founded by Carolyn King, C.M., that delivers Treaty education, curriculum-aligned K-12 materials, and permanent Place-Knowing installations to schools, corporations, municipalities, and community organizations across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indigenous Treaty Education and Cultural Awareness

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional & Indigenous Crafts Lessons (Heritage Skills, Folk Arts) (THAJAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Indigenous/Tribal Education Authorities & Boards (EDADABAM)

Keywords

• Indigenous treaty education
• Cultural awareness training
• Place-based installations
• First nations curriculum
• Reconciliation programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Hagersville

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Stencil Kit Sales: Sale of physical Moccasin Identifier Stencil Kits containing four durable moccasin stencils representing Ontario's four main linguistic groups. Kits are sold via the online shop for $225.00 CAD plus shipping, with free local pickup available. Each kit is designed for multi-year use across hundreds of learners.
2. Community Engagement Sessions: In-person community engagement sessions priced at $1,750.00, where MI team members attend events (school, library, business, or community) to set up booths for discussion, learning, and moccasin stenciling activities.
3. Cultural Awareness & Safety Training: Corporate/institutional workshops on First Nations culture, Treaty relationships, and reconciliation. Offered in-person, hybrid, and virtual formats with tailored content for education, corporate, and community settings. Hourly training available.
4. Moccasin Making Workshop: In-person workshop for small groups of 5-30 participants (approximately 1-2 hours), where participants make mini moccasins from clay or leather keychains. Add-on to existing sessions.
5. Place-Knowing Installation Licensing: A license-based model funds ongoing education, cultural programming, and stewardship. Partners receive stencils, design guidance, public recognition, and co-delivered events. Organizations commission installations as part of their reconciliation commitments.
6. School Presentations & Camps: Educational presentations for Early Years through post-secondary students, delivered in-person, virtually, or hybrid. Sessions include guided PowerPoint, discussion, Q&A, and stenciling activities. Accommodates individual classes to school-wide sessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Moccasin Identifier sells physical Moccasin Stencil Kits ($225 CAD) representing Ontario's four main Indigenous linguistic groups and delivers Treaty education programming including school presentations, corporate cultural awareness and safety training, community engagement sessions, and hands-on workshops. The organization also commissions three tiers of Place-Knowing installations (Treaty Places, Treaty Markers, Treaty Signage) for schools, municipalities, airports, and corporations as permanent public reminders of Indigenous presence on the land.

Product overview

Moccasin Identifier is a First Nation-led education and awareness initiative offering a portfolio of products and services centered on Treaty education and Indigenous cultural awareness. The core offerings include physical educational tools (Stencil Kits), digital experiences (AR Stencil, Story Map), and place-based installations (Treaty Places, Markers, Signage). These are complemented by direct engagement services including school presentations, corporate training (Cultural Awareness and Safety Training), workshops, and community programs. Educational content spans comprehensive K-12 curriculum materials in both English and French, Treaty Primers, and video resources. The organization aims to 'Cover Canada in Moccasins' through visual reminders of Indigenous presence and Treaty responsibilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Moccasin Identifier Stencil Kit A durable, reusable educational kit containing four moccasin stencils (10" x 8" each) representing Ontario's four main linguistic groups (Anishinaabe, Seneca/Haudenosaunee, Cree, and Wendat), sold at $225 CAD plus shipping. Each kit is designed for multi-year use across hundreds of learners in classrooms, community programs, and public engagement activities.
• AR Moccasin Stencil Experience An augmented reality web-based experience that allows users to virtually stencil a moccasin design, connect with the meaning of Treaties, and reflect on their relationship to the land. Available at arstencil.moccasinidentifier.com.
• Place-Knowing Installations Three complementary installation types: Treaty Places (larger landmark gathering/learning spaces), Treaty Markers (mid-sized interpretive markers for Treaty history or Indigenous presence), and Treaty Signage (standardized smaller-scale indoor/outdoor acknowledgment signs), available in Education, Green, Go, and Urban categories. Licensed to organizations, municipalities, schools, and airports as permanent public Treaty education markers.
• School Presentations and Camps Age-appropriate educational presentations for students from Early Years (Kindergarten) through post-secondary, covering topics such as Treaties, First Nations traditional territories, connection to the land, and what it means to be a Treaty person. Available in-person, virtually, or hybrid. Sessions include guided PowerPoint, discussion, Q&A, and stenciling activities. Accommodates individual classes to school-wide sessions.
• Cultural Awareness Training Foundational training covering First Nations culture, history, Treaty relationships, preferred terminology, the Indian Act, UNDRIP, Residential schools, Treaties, and Reconciliation, including engaging activities such as moccasin stenciling. Offered in-person, hybrid, and virtual formats with tailored content for education, corporate, and community settings. Hourly training available.
• Cultural Safety Training A First Nations-led learning experience exploring Treaty as a living relationship, connection to the land, cultural awareness versus cultural safety, impacts of colonization, bias, systemic barriers, cultural humility, and trauma-informed practice, designed to create respectful, culturally safe environments.
• Moccasin Making Workshop An in-person hands-on workshop for small groups of 5-30 participants over 1-2 hours, where participants learn about the cultural significance of moccasins, make their own mini moccasin (clay or leather keychain), and reflect on their connection to the land. Can be added to existing sessions.
• Community Engagement Program In-person community engagement opportunities exploring First Nations Treaties, traditional territories, and shared relationship with the land, including moccasin stenciling or coloring activities. Priced at $1,750 flat fee where MI team members attend events to set up booths for discussion, learning, and moccasin stenciling activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20 permanent Place-Knowing installations on Treaty land across Ontario
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UFCW CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2025Collaborated on the Urban Treaty Place Mural unveiled at UFCW Canada's national office (61 International Boulevard, Etobicoke) on November 4, 2025. Created by artist Philip Cote of Moose Deer Point First Nation, the mural uses the Seven Grandfather Teachings to honor Treaty promises and cultural revival. Also collaborated on 'Return of the Sacred' mural unveiled during Treaty Recognition Week.
• Mississaugas of the Credit First NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of Moccasin Identifier. MI operates in partnership with MCFN, co-located at the MCFN Recreation Complex in Hagersville. The organization's founder Carolyn King is a member of MCFN. All installations reference MCFN Treaty and Traditional Territory.
• The Greenbelt FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner alongside Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. The Greenbelt Foundation has provided funding support for Moccasin Identifier installations, including the Nahneebahwequa installation at MCFN Council House.
• Bata Shoe MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization acknowledged on the Moccasin Identifier website. The Bata Shoe Museum's collection of historic moccasins informed the design of MI's moccasin stencils.
• Two Rivers Community Development CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcknowledged community partner supporting Moccasin Identifier's regional work and initiatives.
• City of BurlingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Sweetgrass Park moccasin benches and the Mountainside Community Centre mural ('Our Voices Carry the Land') and dedicated Indigenous events space. City funded major portion of Sweetgrass Park revitalization through an anonymous donation.
• Waterdown BIAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Waterdown Village Heritage Walk, including a moccasin installation as part of the public heritage walk with iron sculptures recognizing Indigenous history.
• York UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of a Moccasin Identifier Treaty Place installation at the Keele Campus, serving as a permanent Treaty education marker for students, faculty, and visitors.
• Social Impact AdvisorminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAcknowledged partner organization supporting Moccasin Identifier's mission and programs.
• Gerald Gloade (Millbrook First Nation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElder, storyteller, and artist who designed the regional Mi'kmaw pucker-toe moccasin stencil for the Atlantic Region as part of the National Stencil Kit expansion.
• Cathie Jamieson (Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Artist)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist commissioned by MI to lead cross-Canada research and curation for the national stencil kit expansion, involving fieldwork and consultations with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, artists, and cultural experts from coast to coast to coast.
• Philip Cote (Moose Deer Point First Nation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnishnaabe artist who researched and designed moccasin stencils for the Moccasin Identifier in consultation with MI, ensuring cultural respect, accuracy, and educational integrity.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• TakingITGlobal: Youth-focused educational non-profit producing digital resources on global citizenship and Indigenous issues — comparable as an emerging educational content provider with curriculum-aligned resources for schools.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Geographic Education: Educational arm of Canadian Geographic producing classroom resources on Canadian geography, history, and culture — comparable as a curriculum-aligned educational publisher serving K-12 institutions.
• Historica Canada: Larger educational publisher producing Canadian history content (Heritage Minutes, education guides) for schools — comparable as a K-12 Canadian history curriculum provider but with broader non-Indigenous focus.
• Canadian Museum for Human Rights: National museum with educational programming on Indigenous rights and reconciliation — comparable as a high-profile institutional player in reconciliation education but as a museum rather than non-profit initiative.

Direct peers

• Indspire: Indigenous-led charity delivering educational programming, bursaries, and cultural resources — comparable as a national Indigenous education non-profit with K-12 reach and corporate/government funding streams.
• Legacy of Hope Foundation: Indigenous-led non-profit producing educational materials on Residential Schools and intergenerational trauma — directly comparable as an awareness/education organization serving schools and institutions.
• Orange Shirt Society: Organization behind Orange Shirt Day and Phyllis Webstad's residential school awareness work — comparable as an Indigenous-led educational awareness initiative with national school and community programming.
• Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund: Canadian charity delivering reconciliation and Indigenous history education across schools, workplaces, and communities — directly comparable as a high-profile awareness initiative with educational programming and institutional partnerships.
• First Nations Education Steering Committee: First Nations collective developing educational resources and policy for K-12 and post-secondary Indigenous education — comparable as an Indigenous education authority producing curriculum-aligned materials.
• National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: Mandated repository for Truth and Reconciliation Commission records, producing educational resources for schools and institutions — comparable as a national Indigenous education and awareness authority.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@moccasinidentifier
• Facebookfacebook.com/themoccasinidentifier
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/moccasinidentifier
• Instagraminstagram.com/moccasinidentifier
• TikToktiktok.com/@themoccasinidentifier

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Moccasin Identifier